Leon
Leon is a first name of Greek origin, meaning "lion". It gave rise to similar names in other languages, including the Latin Leo, French Lyon or Léon, Irish Leon, Spanish León, Armenian Levon / Լևոն or Georgian Levan / ლევან.
Meaning & Origin of Leon
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Leon is a first name of Greek origin, meaning "lion". It gave rise to similar names in other languages, including the Latin Leo, French Lyon or Léon, Irish Leon, Spanish León, Armenian Levon / Լևոն or Georgian Levan / ლევან.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Leon
Leon first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 118 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 2,707 Leons were born — ranking #131 that year. As of 2026, Leon ranks #131 for baby boys with 2,707 births, rising sharply (+40% over the past five years). In total, more than 185K Leons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Leon
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Leon (mathematician) (fl. 400 BC), Greek mathematician, precursor of Euclid
- Leon of Modena (1571–1648), Venetian scholar
- Leon of Pella , Macedonian historian
- Leon of Phlius (fl. c. 620 BC), tyrant of his city
- Leon of Salamis (died 406 or 403 BC), Athenian politician and naval commander
- Leon of Sparta , Spartan king
- León Aillaud (1880–1936), Mexican politician
- Leon Ashley (1936–2013), American country music singer and songwriter
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Leon
Phonetically similar names — useful when Leon 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 Leon
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About the name Leon
Leon is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 185K births in the dataset. Leon's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #73. Use the chart and map above to compare Leon's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- 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.