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At a Glance: Name: Liam – Meaning: resolute protector (via William) – Origin: Irish (from William) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: LEE-uhm
Liam is a boy's name with Irish roots, used as a short form of William, and it carries the meaning "resolute protector." It's pronounced LEE-uhm, and it pairs a bold, adventurous feel with a long-established, classic presence that's carried it well beyond Ireland.
Meaning & Origin of Liam
Meaning: Resolute protector (via william).
Origin: Irish (from William).
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Liam
Phonetic: LEE-uhm IPA: /ˈliːəm/
Popularity of Liam
Liam has held the #1 spot for boys in 2024, given to 22,164 babies that year, and it first reached #1 back in 2017 with 18,865 babies named Liam.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1947–2024.
Make Liam Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Liam, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Liam mean?
Resolute protector (via william). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Liam)
How do you pronounce Liam?
Liam is pronounced LEE-uhm (IPA: /ˈliːəm/).
Is Liam a popular name right now?
Liam is near its all-time peak (#1 in 2017), ranked #1 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1947–2024.)
📊 How popular is Liam? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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