Namewise

Leo vs Rory

Leo and Rorycompared 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 2025, Leo was ranked #3 and Rory #17 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Leo was ranked #5 and Rory #3 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Leo was ranked #5 and Rory #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Leo was ranked #10 and Rory #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Leo was ranked #12 and Rory #33 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Leo was ranked #4867 and Rory #1271 among girls in England and Wales.

Leo and Rory over time

Leo and Rory appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Rory held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Leo in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Rory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Leo 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Boys, Leo moved into the top 50 at #30 in 2013 as Rory fell out of it to #74, having been #44 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2001, Leo moved ahead of Rory in England and Wales · Boys — #142 and #118 the year before became #101 and #135.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Leo and Rory averaged 58.0 places apart, ending at #12 and #33.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Leo and Rory were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #3 and #17.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Leo #3 in 2025, Rory #17 in 2025.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Leo held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Rory in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #10 in 2025, Rory #42 in 2012.

    The order changed in 2013: Leo moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #84 and #42; by 2013 that had become #63 and #65.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leo #10, Rory #60.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Leo held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Rory in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #3 in 2025, Rory #17 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2001: Leo moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #142 and #118; by 2001 that had become #101 and #135.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leo #3, Rory #17.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Leo held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Rory in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #6 in 2023, Rory #28 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2013: Leo moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #51 and #44; by 2013 that had become #30 and #74.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Leo #12, Rory #33.

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 Leo

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

Other comparisons involving Rory

Pairs where Rory 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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 Leo, Rory
FieldLeoRory
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningLion.Red king.
OriginLatinScottish and Irish Gaelic
Pronunciation/ˈliːoʊ//ˈɹɔɹi/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedRuairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, Ruaidhrí
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #3 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #17 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Leo is recorded with a Latin origin, while Rory is recorded with a Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin.
  • Leo has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Rory.
  • Leo's recorded meaning differs from Rory's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Leo a "medium" Data Confidence level and Rory a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Leo

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #303 among boys in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Rory

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1271 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls