Harry vs Leon
Harry 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #13 and Leon #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Leon #100 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Leon #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Leon #56 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Harry was ranked #431 and Leon #38 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #39 and Leon #53 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Harry was ranked #40 and Leon #95 among boys in New Zealand.
Harry and Leon over time
Harry and Leon appear together in 6 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. Harry held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Leon 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.
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 1998, Harry moved ahead of Leon in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #105 and #92 the year before became #100 and #110.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Harry and Leon changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2019, ending at #431 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 54 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Harry and Leon averaged 54.8 places apart, ending at #25 and #73.
- Longest-running competitions
Harry and Leon were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 35 years, from 1945 to 2019, ending at #431 and #38.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Harry #1 in 2011, Leon #60 in 2009.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1968–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Leon in 24.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Leon #44 in 2008.
The order changed in 1998: Harry moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #105 and #92; by 1998 that had become #100 and #110.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Leon #73.
Norway · Boys35 shared years, 1945–2019
Harry held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Leon in 12.
Highest recorded here: Harry #70 in 1945, Leon #27 in 2017.
The order changed in 1991: Leon moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #396 and #535; by 1991 that had become #575 and #451.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Harry #431, Leon #38.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Leon #60 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, Leon #100.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Leon #70 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, Leon #125.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys10 shared years, 2016–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #15 in 2018, Leon #43 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #39, Leon #53.
New Zealand · Boys9 shared years, 2008–2023
Harry held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Leon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #35 in 2017, Leon #83 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #40, Leon #95.
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 | Harry | Leon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation. | 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 | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæri/ | /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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) | Norway · Boys #46 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin, while Leon is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Harry has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Leon.
- Harry'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 Harry 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
Harry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 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: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #39 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