Liam vs Matthew
Liam and Matthewcompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Liam was ranked #7 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Liam was ranked #8 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2023, Liam was ranked #15 and Matthew #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Liam was ranked #17 and Matthew #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #42 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #47 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #70 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Liam and Matthew over time
Liam and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 222 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Matthew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Liam in none. 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Liam moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #85 and #82 the year before became #74 and #99.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Liam and Matthew changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1986 and 2023, ending at #17 and #99.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Liam and Matthew averaged 21.1 places apart, ending at #70 and #149.
- Longest-running competitions
Liam and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 41 years, from 1983 to 2023, ending at #15 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Liam #10 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Matthew in 13.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2021, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Matthew #55.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1983–2023
Liam held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Matthew in 25.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2020, Matthew #1 in 1984.
The order changed in 2008: Liam moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #18 and #17; by 2008 that had become #15 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Liam #15, Matthew #85.
New Zealand · Boys37 shared years, 1986–2023
Liam held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Matthew in 16.
Highest recorded here: Liam #1 in 2010, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order changed in 2005: Liam moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #10 and #6; by 2005 that had become #7 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Liam #17, Matthew #99.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Matthew in 20.
Highest recorded here: Liam #10 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order changed in 2019: Liam moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #85 and #82; by 2019 that had become #74 and #99.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #70, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Matthew in 26.
Highest recorded here: Liam #35 in 2008, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #42, Matthew #42.
Norway · Boys25 shared years, 1982–2023
Liam held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matthew in 5.
Highest recorded here: Liam #3 in 2015, Matthew #276 in 1990.
The order changed in 1995: Liam moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #488 and #452; by 1995 that had become #456 and #460.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Liam #8, Matthew #421.
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 | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'. | From Greek Matthaios, from Hebrew Mattithiah, combining 'mattat' (gift) with 'Yahweh' — 'gift of God'. Matthew was a tax collector and one of the twelve apostles, traditionally credited as author of the first Gospel. |
| Origin | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliːəm/ | /ˈmæθ.juː/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Liam is recorded with a Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Liam has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Matthew.
- Liam's recorded meaning differs from Matthew's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Matthew
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1957–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2023).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys