Namewise

Leah vs Niamh

Leah and Niamhcompared 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 · Girls

    In 2024, Leah was ranked #119 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Leah was ranked #55 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2000, Leah was ranked #69 and Niamh #94 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Leah was ranked #145 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Leah was ranked #183 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

Leah and Niamh over time

Leah and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Leah in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Leah 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 2003, Leah moved ahead of Niamh in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #15 and #8 the year before became #10 and #11.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Leah and Niamh changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #183 and #208.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Leah and Niamh averaged 22.5 places apart, ending at #183 and #208.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 56 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Leah rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #310 and #56 in 1966 to #55 and #90 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Leah and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #183 and #208.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Leah #24 in 2002, Niamh #40 in 2000.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1966–2025

    Leah held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Niamh in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #9 in 2004, Niamh #2 in 1993.

    The order changed in 2003: Leah moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #15 and #8; by 2003 that had become #10 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leah #55, Niamh #90.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Leah held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Niamh in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #24 in 2002, Niamh #40 in 2000.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leah #183, Niamh #208.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Leah held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Niamh in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #10 in 2005, Niamh #5 in 2005.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Leah #119, Niamh #47.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Leah

Pairs where Leah shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Niamh

Pairs where Niamh shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Leah, Niamh
FieldLeahNiamh
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningLikely derives from a Hebrew word meaning 'weary, grieved'; an alternative theory suggests a connection to Akkadian 'littu' ('cow'). In the Old Testament, Leah was Jacob's first wife.Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, etymology disputedIrish (mythological)
Pronunciation/ˈliː.ə//ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables11
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #12 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Leah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
  • Leah and Niamh both have 1 syllable.
  • Leah's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Leah a "medium" Data Confidence level and Niamh a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Leah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #310 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2025

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1966–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #183 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Niamh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #109 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls