Given name & surname
Liem
“an honest man”
Liem is used as a given name and a surname. One Vietnamese interpretation is “an honest man.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Vietnamese interpretation is “an honest man.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Vietnamese.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1981. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Liem through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 742
- 742 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2011
- 49 babies
- 2025
- 22
- #4,630 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −28%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 22 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,630 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 28.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,451 as a first name in 2020; 832 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Liem’s family of names
In Indonesian usage, Liem as a surname shares a linguistic root with the Filipino form LIM. In Greek usage, Liem as a surname is a transliteration of Λίεμ. In Indonesian usage, Liem as a surname has an alternative spelling in LIM.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Around the world
Liem has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Vietnamese roots to each of them.
2 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Liem, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Thang
“one who is victorious”
94% boys · 6% girls
Thai
“man from Thailand”
81% boys · 19% girls
Do
Do is a surname from Vietnamese. It is used in French.
>99% boys
Nhat
“having a long life”
>99% boys
Tanjiro
“the prized second-born son”
>99% boys
Bian
“a secretive woman”
>99% boys
Ronin
“a Samurai who doesn't have a master”
98% boys · 2% girls
Tin
“a great thinker”
>99% boys