Message: "My column on Liam"

My column on Liam

by clevelandkentevans

6/7/2016, 7:13 AM

I don't often post the link to my newspaper column here -- but I thought I should make an exception for this one since I mentioned behindthename.com in this column! I am still a bit amazed that Liam is now popular in Slovenia, of all places. :)

http://www.omaha.com/living/cleveland-evans-irish-nickname-liam-on-international-rise/article_2556ef6f-4922-59df-8ec7-461b6373bdcb.html

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- Ambiversion

6/10/2016, 9:47 AM

This is a great article, really fascinating on Liam's ties to defying colonialism and that makes me like the name more. I was born in 1997 (UK) and attended school with a lot of boys called Liam so it seemed unremarkable before I read this article.

- Laslow (Buneary) +3

6/7/2016, 12:01 PM

I've even heard Liam used in Brazil, where I'm from.

The only parts of Europe where I could imagine it isn't popular are the former Soviet countries (specifically the ones that use Cyrillic) and Muslim-majority areas like Bosnia, Albania, and Kosovo.

I agree that it seems like most American Liams are fictional (or little kids). The only real American Liam I know of who isn't a child is Liam O'Brien (a voice actor - he was born in 1976), but he isn't famous outside of anime and video game fan communities. TV is notorious for predating naming trends - it's not unusual for an American TV show to give adult characters names that didn't even chart at all until 10 years ago.

When do you think Liam is going to start falling in the US?

This message was edited 6/7/2016, 12:11 PM

- elbowin +2

6/9/2016, 5:43 AM

I am a little curious that Liam Gallagher (of the Rock band Oasis) has no mention in your article. He's definitely the first person coming to my mind when hearing the name Liam alltho' Liam is only his stage name and he's a legal William.

- Ambiversion

6/10/2016, 9:28 AM

I don't know about Liam since not many people like Liam Gallagher (at least where I live which is the UK). A bit off topic but you do have a point; I think his brother Noel Gallagher has had a positive impact on the name Noel here, and also Lyla, which rose in popularity after their song Lyla was released in 2005.

- clevelandkentevans

6/10/2016, 12:15 AM

I only have so much space in my column, and as it's written for a newspaper in Nebraska, I'm going to favor mentioning people I think Nebraskans would know. Plus I am 64 years old myself so 1990s rock bands don't come to mind very easily for me. Oasis does seem to have been most popular around the same time that "Schindler's List" came out -- but Mr. Gallagher also seems to have been a bit notorious for making anti-American comments back then.

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