Liam was the most popular name for boys born in the US in 2023, according to the US Social Security Administration.
Liam has been the most popular name for boys born in the US every year since 2017.
Martin O'Malley, the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, revealed the top baby names in the US for 2023 on May 10.
O'Malley, the former Governor of Maryland, said: "One of the first things parents do after their child is born is apply for their Social Security number, and that makes Social Security the best source for the most popular baby names every year."
Liam was the most popular name for boys born in the US in 2023 while Olivia was the most popular name for girls. The two names have claimed the top spots together for five years in a row, while Liam has been the most popular name for boys born in the US since 2017.
There were 20,802 Liams born in the US in 2023, which the Social Security Administration says made up 1.136 percent of total male births in 2023.
What does the name Liam mean?
Liam means a strong-willed warrior and protector. It is the short form of the Irish name Uilliam, which comes from the Frankish Willahelm. It is also the Irish cognate of the name William.
How popular is the name Liam in the US?
The name Liam enjoyed a steady rise in popularity in the US in recent years, climbing more than 100 places in the past two decades.
The name Liam began to surge in popularity in the US in the 1990s, when it rose from the 621st most popular name for boys born in 1990 to the 140th most popular name in 2000.
Liam first entered in the top ten most popular names for boys born in the US in 2012 when it ranked in sixth place, jumping from 15th place in 2011.
While it's been the most popular name for boys born in the US since 2017, it was the second most popular name for boys born in the US in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
How popular is the name Liam in Ireland?
The name Liam was the eighth most popular name for boys born in Ireland in both 2023 and 2022. Ireland's Central Statistics Office (CSO) did note that Liam was the most favored boys' name where both parents were from the EU14 (excluding Ireland) in 2023.
Liam has been among the top ten most popular names for boys born in Ireland since 2019 when it was ranked seventh.
50 years ago in 1973, Liam was the 56th most popular name for boys born in Ireland.
How popular is the name Liam in Northern Ireland?
In 2023, 45 babies were registered with the name Liam in Northern Ireland, making the name the 56th most popular in the region for the year, an increase of ten spots from 2022.
The name Liam has gone up and down in popularity in Northern Ireland - 97 babies were registered with the name in 1999, though that figure sunk to 60 in 2000. The name spiked again in 2008 when 86 babies were registered with the name.
What famous people are named Liam?
Liam Neeson, a native of Co Antrim, and Liam Cunningham, a native of Dublin, are Irish Hollywood stars who have helped make the name Liam popular.
In the music world, there's Irish folk singer Liam Clancy of The Clancy Brothers, as well as British stars Liam Gallagher of Oasis and Liam Payne, formerly of One Direction.
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