Leona
Leona is a female given name derived from the Latin word leo for "lion".
Meaning & Origin of Leona
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Leona is a female given name derived from the Latin word leo for "lion".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Leona
Leona first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 137 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 3,335 Leonas were born — ranking #79 that year. As of 2026, Leona ranks #504 for baby girls with 603 births, holding steady (-1%). In total, more than 114K Leonas 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 Leona
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Leona (wrestler) (born 1980), Japanese professional wrestler
- Leona Aglukkaq , Canadian politician
- Leona Alleslev (born 1968), Canadian politician and military officer
- Leona Anderson (1885–1973), American actress
- Leona Brown , American boxer
- Leona Cavalli , Brazilian actress
- Leona Dalrymple , American author
- Leona Detiège (born 1942), Belgian politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Leona
Phonetically similar names — useful when Leona 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 Leona
What does the name Leona mean?
How popular is Leona in 2026?
When was Leona most popular?
In which U.S. states is Leona most popular?
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About the name Leona
Leona is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 114K births in the dataset. Leona's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #69. Use the chart and map above to compare Leona's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl 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.