Arthur vs Leo
Arthur 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #4 and Leo #5 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Leo #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Leo #5 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Leo #5 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Leo #10 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Leo #12 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Leo #28 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Leo over time
Arthur and Leo appear together in 6 published lists, across 185 years of shared records. Leo held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Arthur in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Arthur reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Leo in 2. 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 1988, Leo moved ahead of Arthur in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #172 and #185 the year before became #179 and #171.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Leo changed places 9 times in Norway · Boys between 1947 and 2025, ending at #83 and #28.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Leo averaged 38.7 places apart, ending at #4 and #5.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Leo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 55 years, from 1947 to 2025, ending at #83 and #28.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #3 in 2020, Leo #5 in 2022.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Leo in 57.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Leo #10 in 2025.
The order changed in 1988: Leo moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #172 and #185; by 1988 that had become #179 and #171.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Leo #10.
Norway · Boys55 shared years, 1947–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Leo in 35.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Leo #28 in 2025.
The order changed in 1999: Leo moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #282 and #291; by 1999 that had become #328 and #281.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Leo #28.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Leo in 25.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Leo #5 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Leo #5.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Leo in 20.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Leo #6 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Leo #12.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Leo in 10.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Leo #3 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Leo #5.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 2017–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Leo in 9.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Leo #3 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #19, Leo #5.
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 | Arthur | Leo |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Lion. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈliːoʊ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #5 (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
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Leo is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Arthur has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Leo.
- Arthur'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.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Leo a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Arthur
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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