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Leon

boy name
Origin
Greek
Syllables
2
Peak era
2020s
Today
▲ Rising

Torn between Leon and another name? Compare them side by side →

Meaning

lion (Greek leon); a borrowed English name in Hong Kong; carried by Leon Lai, the fourth of the Four Heavenly Kings

Also written Léon.

The story

Leon is the lion, straight from the Greek leon, and it is one of the few names whose meaning has never needed a hedge. It travelled everywhere: thirteen popes took it, Spanish has the city and the old kingdom, and our own data files the name in Polish, German and Cantonese naming communities, the last because Leon is one of the English names Hong Kong families commonly adopt. In US records it is a boys' name, about 181,000 to 1,400, and it was once genuinely huge: nearly 25,900 babies in the 1920s. It then fell for eighty years to about 5,100 in the 2000s before turning back up to more than 14,100 so far this decade. A full arc, from a mainstay to nearly forgotten to chosen again, inside one set of records.

More names with stories →

How popular is Leon around the world?

In the United States, 14,123 babies were named Leon between 2020 and 2025. In Poland, 5,079 boys named Leon were born in 2025, the 3rd most common name among boys that year.

Leon is on the official records of the United States, Poland, Austria, Norway, Chile, Argentina, Scotland, Mexico City, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, England and Wales, New South Wales, South Australia, Montevideo, Spain, France and Brazil.

Leon crosses languages: it is in the latest top 300 of an English-speaking birth record and of a Spanish-speaking one. The full list: English and Spanish

United States

1 in 1,500

In the United States, 14,123 babies were named Leon between 2020 and 2025.

1890speak 2020s

Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Leon peaked in the 2020s.

Births with a Social Security record. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration

See the full list for the United States →

Poland

1 in 48

In Poland, 5,079 boys named Leon were born in 2025, the 3rd most common name among boys that year.

2000peak 2025

share of that year’s name registrations

First names given to children born in Poland by year of birth, 2000–2025, from the PESEL population register (Ministry of Digital Affairs); exact spellings count separately (Łukasz and Lukasz are different names), names given fewer than 5 times in a year were left off the list through 2012 and fewer than 2 times from 2013, and the register also counts children born abroad, so its yearly sums run above Poland’s live births. Shares divide by the register’s own published total for the year, never by births. This registry counts each spelling separately; the figures above are for the exact spelling Leon, and accented spellings are separate names. Source: Ministry of Digital Affairs, PESEL register (dane.gov.pl)

See the full list for Poland →

Austria

1 in 150

In Austria, 505 boys named Leon were born in 2025, the 8th most common name among boys that year, spellings that differ only by special characters counted together.

1984peak 20112025

share of that year’s births on record

Live births in Austria by year of birth, 1984–2025, from Statistik Austria’s first-name statistics; spellings that differ only by special characters are counted together (umlauts stay apart), every name down to a single birth is published, and the count covers babies with Austrian citizenship only until 2009, every baby from 2010, and from 2015 also births abroad to mothers living in Austria. Shares divide by Statistik Austria’s count of live births from 2010, and before that by the file’s own total for the year. Source: Statistik Austria - data.statistik.gv.at (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1, updated 2026-07-09)

See the full list for Austria →

Norway

1 in 190 · register 2026

In Norway, 147 boys were given the name Leon in 2025.

1945peak 2010

share of the boys on the register for that year, SSB’s own figure

People who have or have had a Norwegian ID number, emigrants left out, from Statistics Norway’s name statistics (release of January 2026): by year of birth for 1945–2020 (everyone born that year who was ever registered in Norway, including people who registered later and people who have since died) and by year of naming from 2021; only first names carried by 200 or more living people are listed, counts under 4 are withheld, and SSB merges spellings that differ only by letters outside the Norwegian alphabet. The shares are SSB’s own, of the people of that sex and year in that count; the 2025 figure counts the children named that year, and no year is a count of births. Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), table 10467 (updated 2026-01-28)

See the full list for Norway →

Chile

1 in 230

In Chile, 786 boys were registered as Leon in 2021, every accent spelling counted together, most often written León.

1920peak 2016

share of that year’s name registrations

First-name registrations with Chile’s civil registry by year of registration, 1920–2021, counted as spelling groups (Sofía, Sofia and Sofìa are one name, shown with its most-registered spelling); the registry withholds nothing, nametree keeps the groups that reached 5 registrations in some year, and shares divide by every registration of the year. Source: Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación (Chile) via the guaguas package, first-name registrations 1920-2021

See the full list for Chile →

Argentina

1 in 320

In Argentina, 2,099 newborns were given the name Leon in 2024.

2012peak 20202024

share of that year’s name registrations

Given-name components of births in Argentina 2012–2024; national cells are lower bounds and no sex split is published. Source: RENAPER (Argentina), Dirección Nacional de Población, given names 2012-2024

See the full list for Argentina →

Scotland

1 in 540

In Scotland, 84 boys named Leon were registered in 2024, the 56th most common name among boys that year.

1974peak 2012

share of that year’s name registrations

Births registered in Scotland; different spellings count separately but accents are merged at source, and any spelling under 3 in total is suppressed. Source: National Records of Scotland, babies' first names

See the full list for Scotland →

Mexico City City

1 in 620

In Mexico City, there were 191 registrations of Leon in 2022.

2000peak 2022

share of that year’s registrations in the city

Civil-registry acts in Mexico City by registration year. Counts are lower bounds (names under 6 in a month and borough are removed at source) and count name-instances, not people; compound names are split, so “Maria Jose” counts under each part. 2023 (5 registrations through 3 Mar) is excluded as partial. Source: Registro Civil of Mexico City, open data portal, registered given names 2000-2023

See the full list for Mexico City →

Ireland

1 in 670

In Ireland, 81 boys named Leon were born in 2025, the 73rd most common name among boys that year.

1964peak 20082025

share of that year’s name registrations

Exact registered spellings from Irish vital statistics; any name under 3 in a year is withheld at source, and accented spellings (fadas) are recorded reliably only from 2018. This registry counts each spelling separately; the figures above are for the exact spelling Leon, and accented spellings are separate names. Source: Central Statistics Office (Ireland), Irish babies' names

See the full list for Ireland →

Canada

1 in 1,000

In Canada, 366 boys named Leon were born in 2024, the 75th most common name among boys that year.

1991peak 2024

share of that year’s name registrations

First given names from provincial and territorial vital statistics across Canada; any name-sex-year under 5 is excluded at source, and small Quebec counts carry a randomized adjustment made at source. Shares divide by Statistics Canada’s count of live births for the year; the 2024 count is preliminary. Source: Statistics Canada, first names at birth (table 17-10-0147-01)

See the full list for Canada →

New Zealand

1 in 1,000

In New Zealand, 55 boys named Leon were registered in 2025.

1900peak 19762025

share of that year’s name registrations

First given names from New Zealand birth registrations, grouped by registration year; any name under 10 in a year is excluded at source. Shares divide by Stats NZ’s count of births registered to mothers living in New Zealand, under 1% below the registry’s own count. Source: Department of Internal Affairs (New Zealand), baby name popularity over time

See the full list for New Zealand →

England and Wales

1 in 1,100

In England and Wales, 526 boys named Leon were born in 2025, the 101st most common name among boys that year.

1996peak 20102025

share of that year’s name registrations

Birth registrations in England and Wales (not the whole UK); exact spellings are counted separately, and any spelling under 3 in a year is withheld at source. Source: Office for National Statistics, baby names in England and Wales

See the full list for England and Wales →

New South Wales

#53 · 2025

In New South Wales, 139 boys named Leon were registered in 2025, ranked 53rd in that year’s top 100 for boys.

2010peak 2023

share of that year’s top-100 registrations

New South Wales (not all of Australia) publishes only each year’s 100 most popular names per sex, so a missing year means below that top 100, not rare. Source: NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, popular baby names

See the full list for New South Wales →

South Australia

1 in 1,700 · 2017

In South Australia, 11 boys were registered as Leon in 2017.

peak 19542017

share of that year’s name registrations

Births registered in South Australia (not all of Australia) by first name and year of registration, 1944–2017, from the state’s Births, Deaths and Marriages registry, which publishes every name down to a single birth in capitals; a spelling its export repeats inside a year is counted once, and from 2018 only a top 100 is published, so the series ends at 2017. Source: Consumer and Business Services (South Australia), popular baby names

See the full list for South Australia →

Montevideo City

1 in 3,100 · 2011

In Montevideo, 8 boys named Leon were born in 2011, spelling variants counted together.

1940peak 2010

share of that year’s births on record

Births in the department of Montevideo (not all of Uruguay) by first name and year of birth, 1940–2011, from the city’s civil registry, which writes names in capitals, almost always without accents; counted as spelling groups (accent and punctuation variants merged), nothing is withheld at source, and 2012 is excluded as a partial year. Source: Servicio de Registro Civil, Intendencia de Montevideo, Partidas de Registro Civil de Montevideo (Licencia de Datos Abiertos - Uruguay); 2012 dropped as partial

See the full list for Montevideo →

Spain

1 in 11,000

In Spain, 3,962 residents are named Leon, the 503rd most common name among men, with a mean age of 25.7 years.

Residents of Spain on 1 January 2025. Spain publishes how old a name’s living bearers are, not a birth series, so there is no year chart. Source: INE (Spain), Censo de Población anual, 1 January 2025

See the full list for Spain →

France

1 in 12,000

In France, about 55 boys named Leon were born in 2025, the 746th most common name among boys that year.

peak 20112025

share of that year’s births on record

Births in France by year of birth, from INSEE’s fichier des prénoms (1900–2025; Mayotte from 2012); exact spellings count separately (Léo and Leo are different names), any spelling under 3 in a year and sex is withheld at source, every count is rounded to the nearest 5 at source, and nametree keeps the spellings that reached 20 in some year. Shares divide by INSEE’s count of births in France from 1957, and before that by the file’s own total for the year; INSEE says the file is not complete before 1946. This registry counts each spelling separately; the figures above are for the exact spelling Leon, and accented spellings are separate names. Source: Insee, fichier des prénoms (last updated 2026-07-16)

See the full list for France →

Brazil

1 in 33,000

At the 2022 census, 6,165 people in Brazil were named Leon, ranked 2,367th, with a median age of 20.
Among people named Leon living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1990s than in any other decade.

1930speak 1990s2010s

people alive at the 2022 census, by decade of birth

The census also counted 1,089 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart. People alive and resident in Brazil at the 2022 census, a living-population count, not births; names under 20 are withheld at source. Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022

See the full list for Brazil →

Not on the record in Puerto Rico: that registry withholds small counts, so rare uses may sit below its floor.

All records: the most popular baby names around the world →

When you meet Leon

People given the name Leon in the United States span the generations: the middle half were born anywhere from 1950 to 2019. Age is the one thing the name won't tell you.

Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.

Names that fit alongside Leon

Omega Angel Nicholas Cosmo Sebastian Niko

Where Leon travels

Chinese American · a classic-into-modern crossover pick that echoes 良 (liáng, "good, fine")

Global crossover · a top-10 boys' name in Germany for years and a steady climber in the US

Keep exploring

Names like Leon · Greek baby names · German baby names · Global crossover names · Chinese American baby names · Cantonese and Hong Kong baby names · Polish baby names · Short names · Nickname-proof names

The Leon deep dive

Written for you · $1.99 →

Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Leon truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Leon fits with your family’s names and surname.

Both reports, explained →

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