Leo
Boy name · French · Greek · Italian · Latin
Meaninglion · Latin
- US rank
- #19
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #18 in 2023
8,173 babies were named Leo in the US in 2025. It has climbed 17 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Leo you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Leo
Leo Esaki
Japanese physicist (1925-)
Choose Leo and your child shares a first name with Leo Esaki, a Japanese physicist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Leo, like who?” Leo Esaki's Wikipedia article is available in 74 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Leo Esaki on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: 日本学士院, CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 209 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Leo, 8,173 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Leo.
- HistoryLeo has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Leos, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 2023, when it reached #18.
- Then vs nowLeo is 14× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 2,985 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 209.
- Where it's lovedLeo is most popular in Illinois, where it ranks #8, followed by Minnesota (#9) and South Dakota (#9). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Latin, Leo means “lion”. Our records link it to French, Greek and Italian roots.
- OriginLeo is the #2 most popular French boy name in the US. That's out of 1,896 French boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Leo
Leo is a boy name of French, Greek and Italian origin meaning “lion”. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with L and ending in “-leo”. US birth records list Leo for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked #18 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #19, with 8,173 babies.
Origin:French namesGreek namesItalian namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,902 | 526 boys |
| 1890s | 4,102 | 244 boys |
| 1900s | 4,182 | 239 boys |
| 1910s | 3,941 | 254 boys |
| 1920s | 3,355 | 298 boys |
| 1930s | 2,168 | 461 boys |
| 1940s | 1,166 | 858 boys |
| 1950s | 772 | 1,295 boys |
| 1960s | 489 | 2,047 boys |
| 1970s | 324 | 3,087 boys |
| 1980s | 247 | 4,056 boys |
| 1990s | 243 | 4,107 boys |
| 2000s | 612 | 1,633 boys |
| 2010s | 2,397 | 417 boys |
| 2020s | 4,582 | 218 boys |
More French boy names
- Boy name: Sebastian · venerable
- Boy name: Daniel · God is my judge
- Unisex name: Gabriel · God is my strength
- Unisex name: Wyatt · brave in war
- Boy name: Charles · free man
- Unisex name: Beau · handsome
- Boy name: Robert · bright fame
- Boy name: Vincent · conquering
Questions about the name Leo
What does the name Leo mean?
Leo means “lion” in Latin.
What is the origin of the name Leo?
Leo has French, Greek, Italian, Latin roots in our records. Other French names include Sebastian, Daniel, Gabriel.
Is Leo a boy or girl name?
Leo is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Leo?
Leo ranked #19 for US boys in 2025, given to 8,173 babies. Its best year was 2023 (#18).