Liam - Baby Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity

May 2024 ยท 2 minute read
Liam originated as a nickname for Uilliam, the Irish variation of William. William is an English name from Germanic roots that was brought to Ireland when the British fled England following the Norman Conquest. The Irish began using English names, including William, which led to the development of Uilliam and its short form, Liam.

Liam was the top US boy name for 2021, joining the elite group of names to top the list. Liam began as a short form of William, but has long stood on its own and for several years now has been one of the most popular baby names for boys. It is now the fastest-rising Irish names in the US, breaking into the Top 10 for the first time ever in 2012, and before climbing to Number 1, held the Number 2 spot for four years in a row.

Irish-born actor Liam Neeson was instrumental in driving Liam up the charts, as was, to a lesser degree, former Oasis member Liam (born William) Gallagher, and, more recently, One Direction member Liam Payne . Celebrities who have chosen Liam for their sons include Tori Spelling, Calista Flockhart, Rod Stewart, Kevin Costner and Craig Ferguson.

Internationally, Liam is enjoying great popularity not only in the U.S. and Ireland, but in Sweden.

Jaunty and richly textured, Liam holds solidly to the title of most popular of the boys' names starting with L.

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