Given name & surname · also Late Latin
Leo
“lion”·“resembling a lion”
Leo is used as a given name, a surname, and a nickname. Interpretations include “lion” (Late Latin) and “resembling a lion” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “lion” (Late Latin) and “resembling a lion” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Late Latin.
How it developed
In Slovak usage, Leo is a diminutive of Leonard. In Spanish usage, Leo is a diminutive of Leonardo.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Leo is a diminutive of Leonard. The history of Leonard gives this family its wider story. Use of Leonard was revived during the 19th century.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Leo through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 262,124
- 259,988 boys · 2,136 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 8,325 babies
- 2025
- 8,196
- #19 for boys · #5,492 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +23%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 8,173 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 19 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 22.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 23 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (1,173). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 118,356 as a first name in 2020; 8,092 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Leo’s family of names
In Slovak usage, Leo is a diminutive of Leonard. In English usage, Leo has a feminine form in Leona. In Swedish usage, Leo has a related form in Leon.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Leo has relatives in 27 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
31 related names in 27 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 37
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Leonafeminine form · Czech, English
- Leonidasequivalent
- Lionelderivative · English
- Levdoublet · Czech, English
- Lyondoublet · English
- Liondoublet
- Leonecognate · Italian
- Leonidequivalent
Show 29 moreShow fewer
- LewPolish
- LeonasLithuanian
- Léonidasequivalent
- Leaoequivalent
- Львъequivalent
- לביאequivalent
- Leòunequivalent
- Liūtasequivalent
- ЛеоRussian
- ЛевRussian, Ukrainian
- Nëyëwborrowing · pot
- Léonrelated form · French
- Leonscognate · Latvian
- Leonzioderivative
- Léonideequivalent
- Leudoublet
- Λέωνroot · Greek, Ancient Greek
- Leãocognate · Portuguese
- Leóncognate · Spanish
- LéoFrench
- LeóHungarian, Icelandic
- ԼևոնArmenian
- ΛίοGreek
- ЛеўBelarusian
- Lleócognate · Catalan
- ლევანიGeorgian
- Leošcognate · Czech
- LevoFinnish
- LejoFinnish
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Leo
- Pope Leo IIIPope of the Catholic Church from 795 to 816 (born 750–816)
- Pope Leo XIpope of the Catholic Church in April 1605 (1535-1605)
- Pope Leo VIIIpope915–965
- Pope Leo VIIpope
- Leo EsakiJapanese physicist (1925-)
- Leo VaradkarTaoiseach from 2017 to 2020, and from 2022 to 2024.born 1979
- Leo III the Isaurianemperor of Byzantine Empire675–741
- Leo SzilardHungarian-American Jewish physicist and inventor (1898–1964)
- James RainwaterAmerican physicist1917–1986
Characters named Leo: Leo Fitz (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. character), Leo Wyatt (Charmed), Leo Valdez (fictional character created by Rick Riordan), Leo McGarry (The West Wing).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Leo, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lucian
“surrounded by light”
>99% boys
Ambrose
“immortal, divine”
98% boys · 2% girls
Sebastian
“man from Sebasta” · “the revered one”
>99% boys
Benedict
“one who is blessed”
>99% boys
Dominic
“a lord”
>99% boys
Quentin
“the fifth-born child”
>99% boys
Gawel
“cock” · “gaul”
>99% boys
Tóibín
Tóibín is a surname from Anglo-Norman, ultimately from Latin. It is used in Irish.
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