Leon

Did you know?

A few things about Leon you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Leon

Leon Battista Alberti

Italian architect and writer (1404-1472)

Choose Leon and your child shares a first name with Leon Battista Alberti, an Italian architect and writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Leon, like who?” Leon Battista Alberti's Wikipedia article is available in 89 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Leon Battista Alberti on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Leon Battista Alberti, CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 661 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Leon, 2,583 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Leon would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryLeon has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Leons, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 1926, when it reached #73.
• 📈Then vs nowLeon is 6.5× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 4,297 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 661.
• 🚀TrendLeon has climbed 58 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #138. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedLeon is most popular in Vermont, where it ranks #57, followed by Hawaii (#79) and Washington (#91). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
• 💬MeaningIn Greek, Leon means “lion”.

About the name Leon

Leon is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “lion”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with L and ending in “-eon”. US birth records list Leon for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1926, when it ranked #73 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #138, with 2,583 babies.

Origin:Greek names