Leon vs Tadhg
Leon and Tadhgcompared 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 · Boys
In 2025, Leon was ranked #73 and Tadhg #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #56 and Tadhg #307 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #125 and Tadhg #99 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #100 and Tadhg #406 among boys in England and Wales.
Leon and Tadhg over time
Leon and Tadhg appear together in 3 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Leon held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Tadhg in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 3 of those lists, and Tadhg 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 2021, Tadhg moved ahead of Leon in Northern Ireland · Boys — #103 and #148 the year before became #125 and #120.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Leon and Tadhg changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1969 and 2025, ending at #73 and #8.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 56 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Leon and Tadhg averaged 24.6 places apart, ending at #73 and #8.
- Longest-running competitions
Leon and Tadhg were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 56 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #73 and #8.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 1969–2025
Leon held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Tadhg in 40.
Highest recorded here: Leon #44 in 2008, Tadhg #6 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leon #73, Tadhg #8.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Leon held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Tadhg in 0.
Highest recorded here: Leon #60 in 2009, Tadhg #406 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leon #100, Tadhg #406.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2001–2024
Leon held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Tadhg in 4.
Highest recorded here: Leon #70 in 2010, Tadhg #81 in 2023.
The order changed in 2021: Tadhg moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #103 and #148; by 2021 that had become #125 and #120.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leon #125, Tadhg #99.
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 | Tadhg |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Traditionally interpreted as 'poet'. |
| Origin | Greek | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈleː.ɔn/ | /ˈtˠəiɡ/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Leo | 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 · Boys #46 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #8 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Leon is recorded with a Greek origin, while Tadhg is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Leon and Tadhg both have 1 syllable.
- Leon's recorded meaning differs from Tadhg's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Leon a "high" Data Confidence level and Tadhg a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Tadhg
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys