Pronunciation
Lee-am
Meaning
Will, protection
Alternate spellings
Uilliam; William
Fun fact
Liam began as a short form of Uilliam, the Irish form of William. It’s an example of a nickname becoming a name in its own right.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Liam, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#7Rank among boy names in 2025313Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 313 | #7 |
| 2024 | 303 | #8 |
| 2023 | 289 | #8 |
| 2022 | 323 | #8 |
| 2021 | 353 | #6 |
| 2020 | 329 | #7 |
| 2019 | 334 | #7 |
| 2018 | 338 | #11 |
| 2017 | 312 | #15 |
| 2016 | 333 | #14 |
| 2015 | 324 | #20 |
| 2014 | 378 | #15 |
| 2013 | 365 | #18 |
| 2012 | 427 | #13 |
| 2011 | 412 | #17 |
| 2010 | 412 | #15 |
| 2009 | 457 | #15 |
| 2008 | 437 | #17 |
| 2007 | 339 | #26 |
| 2006 | 295 | #30 |
| 2005 | 297 | #27 |
| 2004 | 310 | #28 |
| 2003 | 316 | #24 |
| 2002 | 290 | #26 |
| 2001 | 267 | #24 |
| 2000 | 257 | #26 |
| 1999 | 290 | #21 |
| 1998 | 197 | #30 |
| 1997 | 297 | #28 |
| 1996 | 237 | #37 |
| 1995 | 170 | #44 |
| 1994 | 172 | #45 |
| 1993 | 155 | #49 |
| 1992 | 182 | #46 |
| 1991 | 187 | #44 |
| 1990 | 178 | #47 |
| 1989 | 167 | #46 |
| 1988 | 170 | #48 |
| 1987 | 175 | #48 |
| 1986 | 187 | #49 |
| 1985 | 175 | #49 |
| 1984 | 189 | #49 |
| 1983 | 187 | #49 |
| 1982 | 192 | #50 |
| 1981 | 197 | #51 |
| 1980 | 231 | #51 |
| 1979 | 187 | #53 |
| 1978 | 177 | #56 |
| 1977 | 175 | #56 |
| 1976 | 172 | #56 |
| 1975 | 142 | #63 |
| 1974 | 182 | #56 |
| 1973 | 169 | #56 |
| 1972 | 154 | #57 |
| 1971 | 127 | #61 |
| 1970 | 147 | #50 |
| 1969 | 118 | #57 |
| 1968 | 122 | #51 |
| 1967 | 120 | #49 |
| 1966 | 110 | #57 |
| 1965 | 103 | #59 |
| 1964 | 111 | #54 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.