Liam vs Pierce
Liam and Piercecompared 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 Pierce #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Liam was ranked #59 and Pierce #334 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #70 and Pierce #4270 among boys in England and Wales.
Liam and Pierce over time
Liam and Pierce appear together in 3 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Pierce in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Pierce reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Liam and Pierce were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #7 and #676.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Liam #10 in 1996, Pierce #365 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Pierce in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2021, Pierce #132 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Pierce #676.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Pierce in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #10 in 1996, Pierce #365 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #70, Pierce #4270.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2020
Liam held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Pierce in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #35 in 2008, Pierce #122 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Liam #59, Pierce #334.
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 | Pierce |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (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)); Pierce does not have one recorded yet.
- Liam has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Pierce.
- A meaning is recorded for Liam; Pierce doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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
Pierce
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #155 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 recorded1997–2020
Highest recorded position: #122 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1997–2020).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys