Leon

Leon - A very unique male name

Leon appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #81. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Leon and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Leon? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Leon. The baby boy name Leon was given to 2,576 baby boys in 2025, ranking #138 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 569 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Leon peaked in popularity 100 years ago in 1926 on position 73.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Leon, 1-5?

Leon is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Leon is currently topping the baby name charts in Vermont at position #60 - and is the least popular in Mississippi at position #399.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Leon is where you live.

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Leon origin and meaning

Greek, leon — via Latin Leo

'Lion'

Leon is the Greek-derived form of Leo, lion, used across Europe for centuries — in Spain it is also a city and former kingdom. In the US it peaked in 1924 and has revived strongly, rising from #196 in 2020 to #138 in 2025.

Attested etymology

Leon is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Leon, pop culture references for the name Leon and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Leon

We've found the following names that sound similar to Leon, sorted by popularity.

Liam / Lonnie / Lynn / Lane / Layne / Lanny / Lennon / Lon / Lenny / Lian /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Leon

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Leon a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Leon?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

LEE-on · /ˈliːɒn/

Around the world

• León (Spanish) — The Spanish form, with an accent
• Léon (French) — The French form
• Leon (German) — Used as-is in German

Spellings and nicknames

• Lion — The word spelling, rarely used as a name

Nicknames: LeoLee

Famous bearers

• Leon Bridges — American soul singer (b. 1989) Contemporary
• Leon Edwards — British mixed martial artist and former UFC welterweight champion (b. 1991) Contemporary
• Leon Russell — American singer-songwriter and pianist, born Claude Russell Bridges, known as Leon Russell (1942–2016) Contemporary

Style

ClassicInternationalVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Leon is Leo with more weight — a European classic that feels artistic and strong. Its sharp recent rise puts it in the vintage-revival mainstream.

Worth knowing

• Pronunciation varies: LEE-on in the US, LEH-on or leh-OHN in Europe
• Noel spelled backwards — a trivia point people enjoy