George vs Leon
George 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #6 and Leon #100 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #7 and Leon #95 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #24 and Leon #53 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #364 and Leon #33 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Leon #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Leon #56 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Leon #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
George and Leon over time
George and Leon appear together in 6 published lists, across 194 years of shared records. George held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Leon in 2.
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.
Leon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, George 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 2013, George moved ahead of Leon in Northern Ireland · Boys — #101 and #94 the year before became #68 and #97.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
George and Leon changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1973 and 2023, ending at #7 and #95.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, George and Leon averaged 44.4 places apart, ending at #7 and #95.
- Mirrored each other
Over 57 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Leon rose about as far as George fell — from #61 and #207 in 1968 to #112 and #73 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Leon were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 50 years, from 1948 to 2023, ending at #364 and #33.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — George #24 in 2023, Leon #43 in 2022.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1968–2025
George held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Leon in 33.
Highest recorded here: George #61 in 1968, Leon #44 in 2008.
The order changed in 1995: Leon moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #135 and #153; by 1995 that had become #159 and #127.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Leon #73.
Norway · Boys50 shared years, 1948–2023
George held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Leon in 28.
Highest recorded here: George #253 in 1968, Leon #18 in 2011.
The order changed in 1993: Leon moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #322 and #407; by 1993 that had become #378 and #284.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #364, Leon #33.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Leon #60 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Leon #100.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Leon in 9.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Leon #70 in 2010.
The order changed in 2013: George moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #101 and #94; by 2013 that had become #68 and #97.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Leon #125.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1973–2023
George held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Leon in 4.
Highest recorded here: George #5 in 2021, Leon #82 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #7, Leon #95.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys10 shared years, 2016–2025
George held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: George #24 in 2023, Leon #43 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #24, 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 | George | Leon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | 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 | Greek | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | /ˈleː.ɔn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 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 #24 (2025) | Norway · Boys #46 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Both George and Leon share a recorded Greek origin.
- George has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Leon.
- George'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 George 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
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
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