Will my child share the name Liam with classmates?

Unlikely. With around 763 UK babies named Liam per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Liam in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.

Is Liam becoming more or less popular in the UK?

Liam has been fairly steady, ranked #68 in 2025 against #79 in 2020. Its best recorded position was #10 in 1996.

What does the name Liam mean?

The name Liam has Irish origins and means "Strong-willed warrior; Irish form of William". Names with clear etymological roots tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles and give children a story to tell about their name.

Who are some famous people named Liam?

Notable people named Liam include: Liam Byrne, Liam Horne and Liam Jacobs.

Is Liam a popular baby name in the United States?

Liam is very popular in the United States, ranked #1 in 2025. It's a transatlantic favourite used widely on both sides of the Atlantic.

👦 Boy's name 📊 Moderately Common UK #68

Liam

🗳️ Add Liam to a family shortlist

Liam sits comfortably in the UK charts at #68 in 2025 — recognisable but not overwhelming. Your child may occasionally share their name.

Origin & Meaning

Irish — Strong-willed warrior; Irish form of William

📊

UK Rank 2025

#68

US Rank #1

About the Name Liam

Liam ranked #68 in 2025, down from its peak of #10 in 1996 — still a familiar name, but past its high point. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 30 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.

In terms of origin, Liam is rooted in Irish, where it means "Strong-willed warrior; Irish form of William". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.

Liam is a very popular name in the UK — yet a class of 28 is small enough that your child will very likely be the only Liam on the register.

In the US it ranks even higher at #1, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.

⭐ Famous People Named Liam

Liam Byrne — Liam Dominic Byrne is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North, previously Birmingham Hodge Hill, since 2004.
Liam Horne — Liam Horne is a Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker or loose forward for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League.
Liam Jacobs — Liam Chad Jacobs is a South African politician and a former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the name Liam

763

UK babies named Liam (2025)

~0.0

Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)

~0.4

In a school of 600

↑ 11 places

Rank change (last 5 years)

🏫 Who else is in the room?

In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Liam

Almost certainly the only Liam in the class

UK Popularity (1996–2025)

Rank and birth count · ONS official data

US Popularity (2020–2025)

Rank · SSA official data

✨ Similar names to Liam

Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story

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About the Name Liam

Meaning

Germanic name William.

Famous People Named Liam

Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia

Liam Byrneb. 1970

Liam Dominic Byrne is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North, previously Birmingham Hodge Hill, since 2004.

Liam Horneb. 1998

Liam Horne is a Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker or loose forward for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League.

Liam Jacobsb. 2001

Liam Chad Jacobs is a South African politician and a former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Liam Delapb. 2003

Liam Rory Delap is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Chelsea.

Liam Stapleton

Liam Stapleton is an Australian radio presenter and comedian.

Liam Jewell

Liam Jewell is a Canadian sprint canoer who competed in the mid-1990s.

Liam McNeeley

Liam Thomas McNeeley is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Liam Hicks

Liam John Sherwood Hicks is a Canadian professional baseball catcher for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB).