Niam is a modern name of uncertain origin; it is usually explained either as a form of the Sanskrit niyam, "rule" or "discipline", or as the Arabic ni'am, "blessings", and for some American parents it is simply a fresh take on Liam. It is most common in South Asian families in the United States. Niam has never reached the US top 1000; its best year was 2021 at number 1168, and it ranks 1441 among boys' names in 2025.