George vs Leo
George 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, George was ranked #6 and Leo #5 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #24 and Leo #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #7 and Leo #5 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Leo #5 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Leo #10 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Leo #12 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #364 and Leo #36 among boys in Norway.
George and Leo over time
George and Leo appear together in 6 published lists, across 199 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
George 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 2012, Leo moved ahead of George in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #57 and #65 the year before became #63 and #50.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
George and Leo changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 2003 and 2023, ending at #7 and #5.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George and Leo averaged 45.0 places apart, ending at #6 and #5.
- Mirrored each other
Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Leo rose about as far as George fell — from #52 and #101 in 1964 to #112 and #10 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Leo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 42 years, from 1947 to 2023, ending at #364 and #36.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — George #24 in 2023, Leo #3 in 2022.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
George held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Leo in 23.
Highest recorded here: George #52 in 1964, Leo #10 in 2025.
The order changed in 2004: Leo moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #108 and #123; by 2004 that had become #151 and #104.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Leo #10.
Norway · Boys42 shared years, 1947–2023
George held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Leo in 27.
Highest recorded here: George #296 in 1978, Leo #32 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #364, Leo #36.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Leo in 1.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Leo #5 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Leo #5.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Leo in 22.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Leo #6 in 2023.
The order changed in 2003: Leo moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #116 and #133; by 2003 that had become #201 and #100.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Leo #12.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 2003–2023
George held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Leo in 10.
Highest recorded here: George #5 in 2021, Leo #3 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #7, Leo #5.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 2009–2025
George held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Leo in 14.
Highest recorded here: George #24 in 2023, Leo #3 in 2022.
The order changed in 2012: Leo moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #57 and #65; by 2012 that had become #63 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #24, 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 | George | Leo |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | Lion. |
| Origin | Greek | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | /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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #24 (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 | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- George is recorded with a Greek origin, while Leo is recorded with a Latin origin.
- George has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Leo.
- George'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
George
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 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