Leo
Leo is a given name in several languages. In European languages, it is usually a masculine given name and it comes from the Latin word leo, which in turn comes from the Greek word λέων meaning "lion". It can also be used as a short form of other names that begin with Leo-, such as Leonard, Leonardo, Leonidas, or Leopold, and occasionally Llywellyn.
Meaning & Origin of Leo
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Leo is a given name in several languages. In European languages, it is usually a masculine given name and it comes from the Latin word leo, which in turn comes from the Greek word λέων meaning "lion". It can also be used as a short form of other names that begin with Leo-, such as Leonard, Leonardo, Leonidas, or Leopold, and occasionally Llywellyn.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Leo
Leo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 147 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 8,290 Leos were born — ranking #22 that year. As of 2026, Leo ranks #19 for baby boys with 8,178 births, gradually rising (+15%). In total, more than 268K Leos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Leo
Phonetically similar names — useful when Leo is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Leo
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About the name Leo
Leo is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 268K births in the dataset. Leo's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #18. Use the chart and map above to compare Leo's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.