Given name & surname
Leonardo
“having the strength of a lion”
Leonardo is a form of Leonard. One German interpretation is “having the strength of a lion.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Leonardo is a form of Leonard. One German interpretation is “having the strength of a lion.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Leonardo is a form of Leonard. Leonard has been associated with Old French and Germanic naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Italian usage, Leonardo developed from Leonard.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1885. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Leonardo is a form 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
Leonardo through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 96,207
- 96,066 boys · 141 girls
- Most popular year
- 2019
- 4,433 babies
- 2025
- 3,789
- #91 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −4%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 3,789 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 91 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 4.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,427 in 2019. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (838). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 82,530 as a first name in 2020; 5,412 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.
Leonardo’s family of names
In English usage, Leonardo has a diminutive in Lee. In Italian usage, Leonardo developed from Leonard. In Portuguese usage, Leonardo has a conventional equivalent in the Estonian form Lennart.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Leonardo has relatives in 19 languages.
21 related names in 19 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Leodiminutive · Spanish, Portuguese
- Leondiminutive · English
- Leonardvariant · English, Polish
- Leediminutive · English
- Leonhardvariant · German
- Lenardovariant · Slovene
- Abarebebénickname
- Leonnardolikely variant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 15
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Leonardo
- Leonardo da VinciItalian Renaissance polymath (1452−1519)
- Leonardo DiCaprioAmerican actor and producer (born 1974)
- FibonacciItalian mathematician (c.1170–c.1240/50)
- Leonardo BonucciItalian association football playerborn 1987
- Leonardo AraújoBrazilian association football playerborn 1969
- Leonardo BruniItalian humanist historian (c. 1370–1444)1369–1444
- Leonardo SpinazzolaItalian footballerborn 1993
- Leonardo SciasciaItalian writer (1921-1989)
- Leonardo De LorenzoItalian flautist and music educator (1875–1962)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Leonardo, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Leonel
“resembling a lion” · “resembling a young lion”
>99% boys
Lorenzo
“man from Laurentum; crowned with laurel”
>99% boys
Luciano
“surrounded by light”
>99% boys
Leandro
“lion” · “man”
>99% boys
Lincoln
“lake” · “from the village near the lake”
98% boys · 2% girls
Elliott
“Jehovah is my God” · “yahweh is God”
81% boys · 19% girls
Legend
“one who is memorable”
97% boys · 3% girls
Lane
“one who takes the narrow path”
93% boys · 7% girls