Liam vs Oisin
Liam and Oisincompared 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 Oisin #262 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #42 and Oisin #9 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #47 and Oisin #234 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #70 and Oisin #630 among boys in England and Wales.
Liam and Oisin over time
Liam and Oisin appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Oisin in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Liam reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Oisin 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Oisin moved into the top 50 at #32 in 2000 as Liam fell out of it to #52, having been #36 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2000, Oisin moved ahead of Liam in Northern Ireland · Boys — #36 and #53 the year before became #52 and #32.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Liam and Oisin changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #7 and #262.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Liam and Oisin averaged 33.6 places apart, ending at #42 and #9.
- Longest-running competitions
Liam and Oisin were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #7 and #262.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Oisin in 15.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2021, Oisin #8 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Oisin #262.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Oisin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #10 in 1996, Oisin #433 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #70, Oisin #630.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Oisin in 26.
Highest recorded here: Liam #35 in 2008, Oisin #7 in 2022.
The order changed in 2000: Oisin moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #36 and #53; by 2000 that had become #52 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #42, Oisin #9.
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 | Oisin |
|---|---|---|
| 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'. | Traditionally interpreted as 'little deer', combining an Old Irish word for deer or stag with a diminutive ending. |
| Origin | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliːəm/ | /oʊˈʃiːn/ |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #262 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Oisin is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Liam has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Oisin.
- Liam's recorded meaning differs from Oisin's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
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
Oisin
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 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 recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #262 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys