Leah vs Nina
Leah and Ninacompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Leah was ranked #12 and Nina #195 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Leah was ranked #55 and Nina #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Leah was ranked #119 and Nina #63 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2022, Leah was ranked #96 and Nina #77 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Leah was ranked #145 and Nina #97 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Leah was ranked #183 and Nina #157 among girls in England and Wales.
Leah and Nina over time
Leah and Nina appear together in 5 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Leah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Nina in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Leah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Nina in 1. 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 2021, Nina moved ahead of Leah in England and Wales · Girls — #143 and #145 the year before became #150 and #137.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Leah and Nina changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 2011 and 2022, ending at #96 and #77.
- Longest-running competitions
Leah and Nina were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #183 and #157.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Leah #39 in 2012, Nina #63 in 2014.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1970–2025
Leah held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Nina in 2.
Highest recorded here: Leah #9 in 2004, Nina #83 in 2020.
The order changed in 1973: Leah moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #383 and #349; by 1973 that had become #305 and #349.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leah #55, Nina #112.
Norway · Girls40 shared years, 1982–2025
Leah held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Nina in 17.
Highest recorded here: Leah #12 in 2025, Nina #13 in 1984.
The order changed in 2003: Leah moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #133 and #124; by 2003 that had become #91 and #106.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leah #12, Nina #195.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Leah held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Nina in 5.
Highest recorded here: Leah #24 in 2002, Nina #137 in 2021.
The order changed in 2021: Nina moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #143 and #145; by 2021 that had become #150 and #137.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leah #183, Nina #157.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Leah held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Nina in 1.
Highest recorded here: Leah #10 in 2005, Nina #63 in 2024.
The order changed in 2024: Nina moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #70 and #84; by 2024 that had become #119 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leah #119, Nina #63.
New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 2011–2022
Leah held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Nina in 3.
Highest recorded here: Leah #39 in 2012, Nina #63 in 2014.
The order changed in 2022: Nina moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #84 and #98; by 2022 that had become #96 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Leah #96, Nina #77.
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 | Leah | Nina |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Likely 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. | A short form of names ending in '-nina', such as Antonina or Giannina; imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed | Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliː.ə/ | /ˈnʲi.nə/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #12 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Leah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed origin, while Nina is recorded with a Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) origin.
- Leah has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Nina.
- Leah's recorded meaning differs from Nina's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Leah
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1966–2025
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1966–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #183 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Nina
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #132 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1964 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #157 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls