Liam vs Marcel
Liam and Marcelcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Liam was ranked #7 and Marcel #360 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Liam was ranked #7 and Marcel #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #47 and Marcel #535 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Liam was ranked #52 and Marcel #272 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #70 and Marcel #475 among boys in England and Wales.
Liam and Marcel over time
Liam and Marcel appear together in 4 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Marcel in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Liam reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Marcel in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Longest-running competitions
Liam and Marcel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 32 years, from 1982 to 2025, ending at #7 and #360.
List by list
Norway · Boys32 shared years, 1982–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Marcel in 2.
Highest recorded here: Liam #3 in 2015, Marcel #202 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Marcel #360.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Marcel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #10 in 1996, Marcel #221 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #70, Marcel #475.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Marcel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2021, Marcel #148 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Marcel #372.
Northern Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 2007–2023
Liam held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Marcel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #37 in 2009, Marcel #234 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Liam #52, Marcel #272.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Liam | Marcel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliːəm/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) | Norway · Boys #360 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Liam has a recorded origin (Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam)); Marcel does not have one recorded yet.
- Liam has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Marcel.
- A meaning is recorded for Liam; Marcel doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Liam
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #54 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1986–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New Zealand, in 2010 (recorded 1986–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Marcel
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #383 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2005–2025
Highest recorded position: #148 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2014 (recorded 2005–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #360 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys