Calum vs Leon
Calum 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Calum was ranked #176 and Leon #56 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Calum was ranked #432 and Leon #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Calum was ranked #1675 and Leon #100 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Calum was ranked #339 and Leon #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Calum and Leon over time
Calum and Leon appear together in 3 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Leon held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Calum 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.
Calum reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Leon 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1998, Leon moved ahead of Calum in England and Wales · Boys — #94 and #104 the year before became #108 and #96.
- Longest-running competitions
Calum and Leon were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 34 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #432 and #73.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Calum #44 in 2006, Leon #44 in 2008.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1992–2025
Calum held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Leon in 31.
Highest recorded here: Calum #44 in 2006, Leon #44 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Calum #432, Leon #73.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Calum held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Leon in 27.
Highest recorded here: Calum #91 in 1996, Leon #60 in 2009.
The order changed in 1998: Leon moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #94 and #104; by 1998 that had become #108 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Calum #1675, Leon #100.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Calum held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Leon in 15.
Highest recorded here: Calum #21 in 2006, Leon #70 in 2010.
The order changed in 2009: Leon moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #89 and #110; by 2009 that had become #109 and #91.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Calum #339, Leon #125.
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 | Calum | Leon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈleː.ɔn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Leo |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #432 (2025) | Norway · Boys #46 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Leon has a recorded origin (Greek); Calum does not have one recorded yet.
- Calum has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Leon.
- A meaning is recorded for Leon; Calum doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Calum 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
Calum
Popularity journey
First recorded1992
First recorded at #298 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1992 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2006 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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