Leon
From the Greek leon, 'lion', matching the Latin leo. It circulated in the Mediterranean world and was borne by several Byzantine emperors and popes.
Leon in 2025
Leon was given to 2,583 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 252nd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 1,284 babies born.
The history of Leon
Leon reached its highest point in 1924, when 2,714 babies were given the name, ranking 184th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 179th, in 1920.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 184,074 babies have been named Leon. Half of them were born before 1948, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Leon by decade
| Decade | Babies named Leon | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,475 | 234 |
| 1890s | 2,149 | 253 |
| 1900s | 2,942 | 243 |
| 1910s | 15,506 | 181 |
| 1920s | 25,891 | 179 |
| 1930s | 23,189 | 191 |
| 1940s | 23,694 | 203 |
| 1950s | 21,468 | 251 |
| 1960s | 13,952 | 391 |
| 1970s | 9,969 | 458 |
| 1980s | 7,700 | 518 |
| 1990s | 5,186 | 817 |
| 2000s | 5,062 | 938 |
| 2010s | 11,768 | 374 |
| 2020s | 14,123 | 252 |
Where Leon is heading
Leon has risen 127% over the past decade, from 1,140 babies in 2015 to 2,583 in 2025.
Names like Leon
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Leon.