Leon vs Noah
Leon and Noahcompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Leon was ranked #53 and Noah #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Leon was ranked #95 and Noah #1 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Leon was ranked #46 and Noah #1 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #56 and Noah #1 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #100 and Noah #2 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #125 and Noah #3 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Leon was ranked #73 and Noah #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Leon and Noah over time
Leon and Noah appear together in 6 published lists, across 138 years of shared records. Noah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Leon in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Leon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Noah 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 Republic of Ireland · Boys, Noah moved into the top 50 at #41 in 2009 as Leon fell out of it to #52, having been #44 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Noah moved ahead of Leon in England and Wales · Boys — #74 and #94 the year before became #76 and #74.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in Norway · Boys, Leon and Noah averaged 49.2 places apart, ending at #46 and #1.
- Longest-running competitions
Leon and Noah were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 33 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #46 and #1.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Leon #43 in 2022, Noah #1 in 2022.
List by list
Norway · Boys33 shared years, 1990–2025
Leon held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Noah in 25.
Highest recorded here: Leon #13 in 2014, Noah #1 in 2021.
The order changed in 2001: Noah moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #147 and #177; by 2001 that had become #154 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leon #46, Noah #1.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Leon held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Noah in 21.
Highest recorded here: Leon #44 in 2008, Noah #2 in 2021.
The order changed in 2009: Noah moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #44 and #46; by 2009 that had become #52 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leon #73, Noah #3.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Leon held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Noah in 21.
Highest recorded here: Leon #60 in 2009, Noah #1 in 2021.
The order changed in 2004: Noah moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #74 and #94; by 2004 that had become #76 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leon #100, Noah #2.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1998–2024
Leon held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Noah in 21.
Highest recorded here: Leon #70 in 2010, Noah #1 in 2018.
The order changed in 2004: Noah moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #137 and #162; by 2004 that had become #125 and #108.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leon #125, Noah #3.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys10 shared years, 2016–2025
Leon held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Noah in 10.
Highest recorded here: Leon #43 in 2022, Noah #1 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leon #53, Noah #1.
New Zealand · Boys9 shared years, 2008–2023
Leon held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Noah in 9.
Highest recorded here: Leon #83 in 2022, Noah #1 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Leon #95, Noah #1.
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 | Leon | Noah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Greek λέων (leon), meaning 'lion'. Merged with the Latin cognate Leo during the Christian era, making the two forms largely interchangeable across Europe; also used among medieval English Jews. | Commonly interpreted as 'rest' or 'comfort'. |
| Origin | Greek | Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈleː.ɔn/ | /ˈnoʊə/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Leo | Noa, Noé |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #46 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #1 (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 | high | high |
What the data shows
- Leon is recorded with a Greek origin, while Noah is recorded with a Hebrew origin.
- Leon and Noah both have 1 syllable.
- Leon's recorded meaning differs from Noah'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
Leon
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #306 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in Norway, in 2014 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #53 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Noah
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #640 among boys in Norway in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys