Benjamin vs Leon
Benjamin and Leoncompared 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 2023, Benjamin was ranked #39 and Leon #95 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #46 and Leon #53 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and Leon #46 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Leon #56 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Leon #100 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Leon #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Leon #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Benjamin and Leon over time
Benjamin and Leon appear together in 6 published lists, across 199 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Leon in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2024, Leon moved ahead of Benjamin in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #71 and #80 the year before became #74 and #60.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Benjamin and Leon changed places 9 times in Norway · Boys between 1950 and 2025, ending at #48 and #46.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Benjamin and Leon averaged 58.1 places apart, ending at #61 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Leon were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 55 years, from 1950 to 2025, ending at #48 and #46.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Benjamin #13 in 2016, Leon #13 in 2014.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1968–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Leon in 20.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Leon #44 in 2008.
The order changed in 2024: Leon moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #71 and #80; by 2024 that had become #74 and #60.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Leon #73.
Norway · Boys55 shared years, 1950–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Leon in 7.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, Leon #13 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, Leon #46.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Leon #60 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, Leon #100.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Leon #70 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, Leon #125.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1973–2023
Benjamin held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #7 in 2010, Leon #82 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #39, Leon #95.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys10 shared years, 2016–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #17 in 2016, Leon #43 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #46, Leon #53.
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 | Benjamin | Leon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'son of the right hand', with the underlying literal sense being 'son of the south' (since 'right' indicated the southerly direction in the biblical east-facing orientation convention). | From Greek λέων (leon), meaning 'lion'. Merged with the Latin cognate Leo during the Christian era, making the two forms largely interchangeable across Europe; also used among medieval English Jews. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | /ˈleː.ɔn/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Leo |
| 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 #46 (2025) | Norway · Boys #46 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Benjamin is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Leon is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Leon.
- Benjamin's recorded meaning differs from Leon'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 Benjamin a "medium" Data Confidence level and Leon a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Benjamin
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1970–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1970–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Leon
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #306 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in Norway, in 2014 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #53 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys