Leah vs Penny
Leah and Pennycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Leah was ranked #55 and Penny #156 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Leah was ranked #119 and Penny #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Leah was ranked #145 and Penny #138 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Leah was ranked #184 and Penny #193 among girls in England and Wales.
Leah and Penny over time
Leah and Penny appear together in 3 published lists, across 67 years of shared records. Leah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Penny in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Leah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Penny 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Leah held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Penny in 0.
Highest recorded here: Leah #24 in 2002, Penny #166 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leah #184, Penny #193.
Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1973–2025
Leah held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Penny in 0.
Highest recorded here: Leah #9 in 2004, Penny #82 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leah #55, Penny #156.
Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 2009–2024
Leah held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Penny in 2.
Highest recorded here: Leah #20 in 2010, Penny #67 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leah #119, Penny #134.
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 | Penny |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliː.ə/ | |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #12 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #156 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Leah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed); Penny does not have one recorded yet.
- Leah has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Penny.
- A meaning is recorded for Leah; Penny doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
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 #89 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Penny
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #508 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2009–2024
Highest recorded position: #67 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2009–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #156 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls