Namewise

Liam vs William

Liam and Williamcompared 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 William #3 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Liam was ranked #7 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Liam was ranked #15 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Liam was ranked #17 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Liam was ranked #68 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Liam was ranked #42 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Liam was ranked #47 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

Liam and William over time

Liam and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 237 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Liam in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Liam 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 1998, William moved ahead of Liam in England and Wales · Boys — #15 and #19 the year before became #24 and #14.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Liam and William changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1986 and 2023, ending at #17 and #14.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Liam and William averaged 36.5 places apart, ending at #68 and #25.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Liam and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #68 and #25.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Liam #1 in 2010, William #3 in 2008.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Liam held the stronger position in 29 of those years, William in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2021, William #8 in 1964.

    The order changed in 1997: Liam moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #37 and #36; by 1997 that had become #28 and #39.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, William #73.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1983–2025

    Liam held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2020, William #1 in 2009.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #15, William #11.

  • New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1986–2023

    Liam held the stronger position in 14 of those years, William in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Liam #1 in 2010, William #3 in 2008.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Liam #17, William #14.

  • Norway · Boys36 shared years, 1982–2025

    Liam held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Liam #3 in 2015, William #1 in 2012.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, William #3.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Liam held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Liam #10 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.

    The order changed in 1998: William moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #15 and #19; by 1998 that had become #24 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #68, William #25.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Liam held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Liam #35 in 2008, William #26 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2020: Liam moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #65 and #53; by 2020 that had become #59 and #68.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #42, William #64.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Liam

Pairs where Liam shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving William

Pairs where William shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Liam, William
FieldLiamWilliam
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginIrish, short form of William (via Uilliam)Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈliːəm//ˈwɪljəm/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #7 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Liam is recorded with a Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Liam has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for William.
  • Liam's recorded meaning differs from William'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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1986–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New Zealand, in 2010 (recorded 1986–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #68 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

William

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys