Liam
Boy name · #1 in 2025 · Very well-known
How old is the name Liam? In official American birth records, Liam has been tracked continuously since 1947, giving it 78 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 20,818 baby boys were named Liam, placing it at #1 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 86 boys born in 2025 was named Liam.
The 78-year story
Liam first appears in the Social Security records in 1947, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 22,252 babies and a rank of #1. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Liam per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Liam against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Liam in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Liam is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Liam is most common
Geography matters for names, and Liam is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Liam is most common in RI (20 per 1,000), MD (20 per 1,000), DE (20 per 1,000), FL (20 per 1,000), DC (19 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 14 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Liam is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Liam
Statistically, parents drawn to Liam tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Noah, Oliver, Henry, Mateo, and Lucas.
NoahOliverHenryMateoLucasTheodoreElijahWilliam
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Liam | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20,818 | #1 |
| 2024 | 22,252 | #1 |
| 2023 | 20,904 | #1 |
| 2022 | 20,579 | #1 |
| 2021 | 20,424 | #1 |
| 2020 | 19,865 | #1 |
| 2019 | 20,631 | #1 |
| 2018 | 19,977 | #1 |
| 2017 | 18,874 | #1 |
| 2016 | 18,277 | #2 |
| 2015 | 18,410 | #2 |
| 2014 | 18,488 | #2 |
| 2013 | 18,153 | #3 |
| 2012 | 16,824 | #6 |
| 2011 | 13,450 | #15 |
| 2010 | 10,933 | #30 |
| 2009 | 8,567 | #49 |
| 2008 | 5,982 | #75 |
| 2007 | 5,141 | #89 |
| 2006 | 4,514 | #98 |
| 2005 | 4,152 | #104 |
| 2004 | 3,827 | #112 |
| 2003 | 3,565 | #114 |
| 2002 | 3,382 | #113 |
| 2001 | 3,029 | #131 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Liam?
In official American birth records, the name Liam first appeared in 1947 (over 78 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 78 years.
Is Liam a popular boy name?
Liam ranked #1 among boys in 2025 with 20,818 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #2.
When was the name Liam most popular?
Liam peaked in 2024, when 22,252 American boys received the name (ranked #1 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Liam?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 86 newborn American boys was named Liam. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.