Namewise

Leo vs Thomas

Leo and Thomascompared 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 Thomas #35 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Leo was ranked #5 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Leo was ranked #5 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Leo was ranked #5 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Leo was ranked #10 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Leo was ranked #12 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Leo was ranked #28 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.

Leo and Thomas over time

Leo and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 215 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Leo 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.

Thomas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 2017, Leo moved ahead of Thomas in England and Wales · Boys — #13 and #9 the year before became #7 and #13.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Leo and Thomas changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #12 and #11.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Leo and Thomas averaged 53.1 places apart, ending at #3 and #35.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 21 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Leo rose about as far as Thomas fell — from #86 and #9 in 2003 to #5 and #18 in 2023.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Leo and Thomas were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #3 and #35.

List by list

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

    Leo held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Thomas in 60.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #10 in 2025, Thomas #5 in 1965.

    The order changed in 2025: Leo moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #22 and #14; by 2025 that had become #10 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leo #10, Thomas #16.

  • Norway · Boys57 shared years, 1947–2025

    Leo held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Thomas in 42.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #28 in 2025, Thomas #1 in 1974.

    The order changed in 2011: Leo moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #60 and #46; by 2011 that had become #60 and #66.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leo #28, Thomas #106.

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

    Leo held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Thomas in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #3 in 2025, Thomas #2 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2017: Leo moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #13 and #9; by 2017 that had become #7 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leo #3, Thomas #35.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Leo held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Thomas in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #6 in 2023, Thomas #6 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Leo #12, Thomas #11.

  • New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 2003–2023

    Leo held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Thomas in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #3 in 2019, Thomas #8 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2016: Leo moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #24 and #12; by 2016 that had become #9 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Leo #5, Thomas #18.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 2009–2025

    Leo held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Thomas in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Leo #3 in 2022, Thomas #5 in 2010.

    The order changed in 2019: Leo moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #9 and #6; by 2019 that had become #5 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leo #5, Thomas #13.

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 Thomas

Pairs where Thomas 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 moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia 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, Thomas
FieldLeoThomas
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningLion.The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'.
OriginLatinAramaic, via Greek
Pronunciation/ˈliːoʊ//ˈtɑməs/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #3 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Leo is recorded with a Latin origin, while Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
  • Leo has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Thomas.
  • Leo's recorded meaning differs from Thomas's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

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

Thomas

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #177 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1974 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #35 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys