Irah vs Leif
Irah and Leifcompared 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, Irah was ranked #2671 and Leif #814 among boys in England and Wales.
Irah and Leif over time
Irah and Leif appear together in 1 published list, across 11 years of shared records. Leif held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Irah in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Irah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Leif 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys11 shared years, 2011–2024
Irah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Leif in 10.
Highest recorded here: Irah #2104 in 2019, Leif #814 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Irah #2671, Leif #814.
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 | Irah | Leif |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'heir' or 'descendant'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Old Norse |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /leɪf/ (also /liːf/) |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Leiv |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW | GB-ENW, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2671 (2024) | Sweden #88 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 40/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Leif has a recorded origin (Old Norse); Irah does not have one recorded yet.
- Irah has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Leif.
- A meaning is recorded for Leif; Irah doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.
- The available evidence gives Irah a "medium" Data Confidence level and Leif a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Irah
Popularity journey
First recorded1997
First recorded at #2859 among boys in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2104 among boys in England and Wales, in 2019 (recorded 1997–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Leif
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #17 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: #17 among boys in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #225 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys