boy's name
Liam
LEE-am
- Origin Irish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 553,704
the United States
#1
2025 births
Liam is a boy's name of Irish origin, a short form of Uilliam, the Irish version of William. Its meaning is inherited from the Germanic elements behind William — will, meaning desire or determination, and helm, meaning helmet or protection — giving a sense of resolute protection.
- Liam is a name of Irish origin.
- Peaked in 2024, when 22,288 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 159 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1947.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Liam over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1940s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 117 |
| 1960s | 400 |
| 1970s | 784 |
| 1980s | 1,527 |
| 1990s | 11,919 |
| 2000s | 45,047 |
| 2010s | 174,261 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 125,025 |
What Liam means
Liam means "resolute protection," carried over from William. The two Germanic elements behind it, wil and helm, combine determination with defense, a pairing typical of early Germanic warrior names built from two meaningful parts.
Where Liam comes from
Liam is a clipped form of the Irish Uilliam, which is itself the Irish rendering of William. William reached the British Isles from the Germanic Willahelm, formed from wil, meaning will or desire, and helm, meaning helmet or protection, and it spread through England after the Norman Conquest of 1066 under William the Conqueror. Irish speakers adapted it as Uilliam, and the shortened Liam developed in ordinary speech. Through the twentieth century Liam separated from its parent name entirely and is now given as a full name in its own right, spreading well beyond Ireland.
How popular is Liam?
In 2025, Liam was given to 20,846 babies in the United States, ranking #1 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Liam is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Liam is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Lïam | Lïam is Liam written with a diaeresis, used in France, where it ranks #1,312. | 415 |
| Liâm | Liâm is a rare spelling of Liam, written with a circumflex and recorded about 90 times, mostly in France. | 90 |
| Liäm | Liäm is a rare spelling of Liam, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
| Lîam | Lîam is a rare spelling of Liam, written with a circumflex and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Liam
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Liam also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Liam over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Liam
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Liam in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Liam
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Liam — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Liam
What does the name Liam mean?
Liam means "resolute protection," inherited from the Germanic elements behind William.
Is Liam short for William?
Originally yes — Liam is a short form of the Irish Uilliam, which corresponds to William. It is now given as a full name.
Is Liam an Irish name?
Yes. Liam developed in Ireland as a shortening of Uilliam.
How popular is the name Liam?
In 2025, Liam was given to 20,846 babies in the United States, ranking #1 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Liam a girl's or a boy's name?
Liam is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Liam?
Liam has 2 syllables.
When was Liam most popular?
Liam peaked in 2024, when 22,288 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Liam?
Liam is usually shortened to Li.
Is Liam a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Liam currently ranks #1 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.