Total births
358,536
Boys' name · since 1947
Liam
358,536 babies named Liam in U.S. Social Security records since 1947, with the highest year being 2024. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1
- among boys today
- 358,536
- born since 1947
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99.9%
- more common than other boys
358,536 babies have been named Liam since 1947, making it today's #1 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Liam has been recorded 358,536 times among boys since 1947, currently ranked #1 nationally and more common than 99.9% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1947 to 2025.
- #1 among boys today
- 358,536 born since 1947
- 2010s peak decade
- 99.9% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Liam is currently the #1 boys' name in America, more common than 99.9% of boys - 358,536 born since 1947, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1
- among boys today
- 358,536
- born since 1947
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99.9%
- more common than other boys
Liam vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.9% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
49% of everyone ever named Liam was born in this single decade.
2024
Single peak year
22,252 babies were named Liam in 2024 - its busiest year on record.
How Liam compares
358,536 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
Liam's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Liam's SSA record in two at 1989 and the more recent half accounts for 99% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 1%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1947, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2024 peak of 22,252, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Liam at a glance
Top 10 boys' namePeak year
2024
Current rank
#1
Active since
1947
Liam popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1947–2025
- Peak year (2024)
- 22,252
- Annual births at peak, across 79 years of records
Liam popularity over time - girls
549 total births recorded since 1995 (Liam as girls' name)
Liam by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Liam's strongest decade.
174,017 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 49% of all-time use.
Liam births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 117
1950s
117 births
- 1960s 400
1960s
400 births
- 1970s 784
1970s
784 births
- 1980s 1,527
1980s
1,527 births
- 1990s 11,904
1990s
11,904 births
- 2000s 44,940
2000s
44,940 births
- 2010s
2010s
174,017 births
- 2020s
2020s
124,842 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 174,017 births (49% of all-time use).
How Liam compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Liam's total volume
Liam vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Liam by state
Where Liam concentrates geographically, total births since 1947
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 40,176 | 11.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 33,632 | 9.4% |
| #3 | New York | | 27,656 | 7.7% |
| #4 | Florida | | 24,238 | 6.8% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 14,726 | 4.1% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 13,273 | 3.7% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 12,319 | 3.4% |
| #8 | New Jersey | | 12,206 | 3.4% |
California share of Liam's total US births 11.2%
Even split
40,176 of 358,536 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Liam appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Liam? ▼
Liam has been given to 358,536 babies in the U.S. since 1947, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1 as of the latest data. 22,252 babies were born in 2024, its single highest year.
When was Liam most popular? ▼
Liam was most popular in the 2010s decade with 174,017 total births. The single peak year was 2024.
Where is Liam most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Liam are California (40,176 births), Texas (33,632 births), New York (27,656 births).
How long has the name Liam been used? ▼
Records for Liam go back to 1947, giving 79 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Liam? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Lian, Liandro, Liangelo, Liahm, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Liam's data
- Liam's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (174,017 total births) through the 2020s (124,842) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Liams (40,176 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Liam
Nearby Names Like Liam
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Liam
Lian Boy
#514 4,579 births
Liandro Boy
#8407 194 births
Liangelo Boy
#5435 190 births
Liahm Boy
#10570 164 births
Liamjames Boy
#11824 77 births
Compare Liam side by side: Liam vs Lian Liam vs Liandro Liam vs Liangelo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Liam
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1947–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Liam: #1 Boys' Name - 358,536 Births, Peak 2024." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/liam. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Liam draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.