Total births
742
Boys' name · since 1981
Liem
742 babies named Liem in U.S. Social Security records since 1981, with the highest year being 2011. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #5754
- among boys today
- 742
- born since 1981
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 60%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Liem is the #5754 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 742 recorded since 1981.
Social Security Administration records show Liem recorded 742 times among boys since 1981, holding rank #5754 nationally today, ahead of 60% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1981 to 2025.
- #5754 among boys today
- 742 born since 1981
- 2010s peak decade
- 60% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Liem is currently the #5754 boys' name in America, more common than 60% of boys - 742 born since 1981, peaking in the 2010s.
- #5754
- among boys today
- 742
- born since 1981
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 60%
- more common than other boys
Liem vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5754
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 60% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
51% of everyone ever named Liem was born in this single decade.
2011
Single peak year
49 babies were named Liem in 2011 - its busiest year on record.
How Liem compares
742 Top 36% higher than 64% 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
How the numbers stack up
Liem's all-time total is 102% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Liem | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 742 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 49 | 23 | 22,252 |
Liem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Liem splits its recorded history at 2007: 79% of all births land in the more recent half, 21% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1984 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2011 peak of 49 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Liem at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2011
Current rank
#5,754
Active since
1981
Liem popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1981–2025
- Peak year (2011)
- 49
- Annual births at peak, across 45 years of records
Liem by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Liem's strongest decade.
378 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 51% of all-time use.
Liem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 25
1980s
25 births
- 1990s 58
1990s
58 births
- 2000s 150
2000s
150 births
- 2010s
2010s
378 births
- 2020s 131
2020s
131 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 378 births (51% of all-time use).
How Liem 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 Liem's total volume
Liem vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Liem by state
Where Liem concentrates geographically, total births since 1981
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 68 | 9.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 11 | 1.5% |
| #3 | Texas | | 6 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Florida | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #5 | Indiana | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Washington | | 5 | 0.7% |
California share of Liem's total US births 9.2%
Even split
68 of 742 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Liem? ▼
742 babies have been named Liem since 1981. It currently ranks #5754 among boys. The peak year was 2011 with 49 births.
When was Liem most popular? ▼
Liem was most popular in the 2010s decade with 378 total births. The single peak year was 2011.
Where is Liem most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Liem are California (68 births), New York (11 births), Texas (6 births).
How long has the name Liem been used? ▼
Records for Liem go back to 1981, giving 45 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Liem? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Liev, Lief, Lieutenant, Liel, and 3 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Liem's data
- Liem's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (378 total births) through the 2020s (131) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Liems (68 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 Liem
Nearby Names Like Liem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Liem
Liev Boy
#4184 521 births
Lief Boy
279 births
Lieutenant Boy
199 births
Liel Boy
#8091 111 births
Lien Boy
6 births
Compare Liem side by side: Liem vs Liev Liem vs Lief Liem vs Lieutenant
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Liem
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1981–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Liem: #5754 Boys' Name - 742 Births, Peak 2011." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/liem. 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 Liem 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 July 2026.