Amelia vs Leah
Amelia and Leahcompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #2 and Leah #184 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #2 and Leah #89 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2022, Amelia was ranked #2 and Leah #96 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Leah #145 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #39 and Leah #12 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Leah #55 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #14 and Leah #119 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Amelia and Leah over time
Amelia and Leah appear together in 7 published lists, across 230 years of shared records. Amelia held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Leah in 3.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Leah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Amelia in 1. 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2003, Amelia moved ahead of Leah in England and Wales · Girls — #25 and #24 the year before became #21 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amelia and Leah changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1987 and 2022, ending at #2 and #96.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Amelia and Leah averaged 38.3 places apart, ending at #2 and #96.
- Longest-running competitions
Amelia and Leah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 46 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #2 and #184.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Girls within 2 years — Amelia #7 in 2024, Leah #145 in 2024.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1970–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Leah in 36.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Leah #9 in 2004.
The order changed in 2012: Amelia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #32 and #15; by 2012 that had become #12 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Leah #55.
England and Wales · Girls46 shared years, 1996–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Leah in 7.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Leah #24 in 2002.
The order changed in 2003: Amelia moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #25 and #24; by 2003 that had become #21 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #2, Leah #184.
New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2022
Amelia held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Leah in 5.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2019, Leah #39 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Amelia #2, Leah #96.
Norway · Girls32 shared years, 1989–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Leah in 31.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Leah #12 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Leah #12.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Leah in 14.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Leah #10 in 2005.
The order changed in 2012: Amelia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #33 and #23; by 2012 that had become #4 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #14, Leah #119.
Scotland · Girls23 shared years, 2024–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Leah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #7 in 2024, Leah #145 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #7, Leah #145.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1985–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Leah in 3.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #2 in 2021, Leah #59 in 1985.
The order changed in 1990: Amelia moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #96 and #83; by 1990 that had become #65 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #2, Leah #89.
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 | Amelia | Leah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'work' or 'industrious', with usage strongly influenced by the separate Roman name Aemilia. | Likely derives from a Hebrew word meaning 'weary, grieved'; an alternative theory suggests a connection to Akkadian 'littu' ('cow'). In the Old Testament, Leah was Jacob's first wife. |
| Origin | Latin (influence) | Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed |
| Pronunciation | /əˈmiːliə/ | /ˈliː.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Amelie, Amalia, Amy, Mia | 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 | United Kingdom #1 (2025) | Norway · Girls #12 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin, while Leah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed origin.
- Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Leah.
- Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Leah's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Amelia a "high" Data Confidence level and Leah a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Amelia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #300 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Leah
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #310 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2025
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1966–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #89 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls