Leon vs William
Leon and Williamcompared 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Leon was ranked #46 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Leon was ranked #53 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Leon was ranked #95 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #100 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #56 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Leon was ranked #125 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Leon was ranked #73 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Leon and William over time
Leon and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 213 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Leon in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Leon in 1. 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Leon and William changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #46 and #3.
- Longest-running competitions
Leon and William were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 69 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #46 and #3.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Leon #13 in 2014, William #1 in 2012.
List by list
Norway · Boys69 shared years, 1945–2025
Leon held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 67.
Highest recorded here: Leon #13 in 2014, William #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leon #46, William #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1968–2025
Leon held the stronger position in 5 of those years, William in 50.
Highest recorded here: Leon #44 in 2008, William #8 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leon #73, William #73.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Leon held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Leon #60 in 2009, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leon #100, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Leon held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 28.
Highest recorded here: Leon #70 in 2010, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Leon #125, William #64.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1973–2023
Leon held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 20.
Highest recorded here: Leon #82 in 1982, William #3 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Leon #95, William #14.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys10 shared years, 2016–2025
Leon held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 10.
Highest recorded here: Leon #43 in 2022, William #2 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Leon #53, William #11.
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 | William |
|---|---|---|
| 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 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Greek | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈleː.ɔn/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Leo | Not yet recorded |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Leon is recorded with a Greek origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Leon has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for William.
- Leon's recorded meaning differs from William's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Leon a "high" Data Confidence level and William 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
William
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys