Alex vs Leo
Alex and Leocompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2018, Alex was ranked #96 and Leo #4 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #171 and Leo #5 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Leo #5 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alex was ranked #37 and Leo #10 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #108 and Leo #12 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alex was ranked #259 and Leo #28 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2013, Alex was ranked #90 and Leo #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2020, Alex was ranked #1556 and Leo #5493 among girls in England and Wales.
Alex and Leo over time
Alex and Leo appear together in 5 published lists, across 176 years of shared records. Leo held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Alex in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Alex reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Leo in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Boys, Leo moved into the top 50 at #37 in 2005 as Alex fell out of it to #53, having been #46 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2005, Leo moved ahead of Alex in England and Wales · Boys — #46 and #57 the year before became #53 and #37.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alex and Leo changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1960 and 2025, ending at #259 and #28.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Alex and Leo averaged 54.3 places apart, ending at #108 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Alex and Leo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 51 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #259 and #28.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1972–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Leo in 20.
Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Leo #10 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #37, Leo #10.
Norway · Boys51 shared years, 1960–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Leo in 28.
Highest recorded here: Alex #154 in 2009, Leo #28 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #259, Leo #28.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Leo in 20.
Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Leo #5 in 2022.
The order changed in 2005: Leo moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #46 and #57; by 2005 that had become #53 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #171, Leo #5.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Leo in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alex #31 in 2009, Leo #6 in 2023.
The order changed in 2012: Leo moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #35 and #56; by 2012 that had become #57 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #108, Leo #12.
New Zealand · Boys15 shared years, 2003–2018
Alex held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Leo in 8.
Highest recorded here: Alex #27 in 2004, Leo #4 in 2018.
The order changed in 2010: Leo moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #44 and #48; by 2010 that had become #48 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Alex #96, Leo #4.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Alex | Leo |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with 'Alex' — from Greek elements meaning 'defender' and 'man/people'. | Lion. |
| Origin | Greek, short form | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ɪks/ | /ˈliːoʊ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #5 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alex is recorded with a Greek, short form origin, while Leo is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Alex has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Leo.
- Alex's recorded meaning differs from Leo's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Alex
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #346 among boys in Norway in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1972–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1972–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #259 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Leo
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #303 among boys in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2009–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2022 (recorded 2009–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys