The Irish name Liam is the most popular name for boys born in the US - for the ninth year in a row!
20,818 boys born in the US in 2025 were given the Irish name Liam, meaning 1.2006% of all boys born in the US in 2025 were given the name.
It's a slight decrease from the 22,252 boys born in the US in 2024 who were named Liam, but it was still enough for the classic Irish name to come out on top for the ninth time.
Liam was the only distinctly Irish name to make the top ten most popular names for boys born in the US in 2025. There were no distinctly Irish names in the top ten most popular names for girls born in the US in 2025.
The most popular baby names used in the US are drawn from Social Security card applications submitted at birth, making SSA the nation’s authoritative source for baby naming trends.
Liam's reign in the US
The name Liam first entered the top 1,000 most popular names for boys in the US in 1967, when it was the 939th most popular boys' name.
It was knocked out of the top 1,000 most popular names for boys for a few years before re-entering in 1974, when it was ranked as 966th. Its lowest ranking since then was in 1976, when it was the 994th most popular name for boys born in the US.
The name Liam didn't crack the top 20 most popular names for boys in the US until 2011, when it ranked 15th, a jump from 30th place in 2010.
It entered the top ten in 2012 at sixth place, and has remained the most popular name for boys born in the US every year since 2017.
Overall, Liam was the 85th most popular name for boys born in the US from 192 through 2025, with 357,841 boys being given the name during that period.
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(Social Security Administration)
(Social Security Administration)
What does the name Liam mean?
According to the experts at Nameberry, the name Liam is a boy's name of Irish origin, meaning "resolute protection."
Liam originated as a short form of 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.
Is the name Liam popular for babies born in Ireland?
With its unmistakable Irish roots, it should be no surprise that the name Liam is also pretty popular for boys born in Ireland.
In 2025, 313 boys born in Ireland were named Liam, making it the seventh most popular name given to boys born in Ireland that year.
Who are some famous Liams?
Hollywood star Liam Neeson has certainly played a part in the name’s rise to prominence. The Co Antrim actor, best known for roles in "Schindler’s List," "Taken," and "Michael Collins," brought global recognition to the name. As his career soared in the 1990s and 2000s, so too did the popularity of his first name.
Other famous Liams include late Irish musician Liam Clancy, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, British rocker Liam Gallagher, the late English musician Liam Payne, and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth.
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