Leona

Leona - A very unique female name

Leona appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #79. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Leona and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Leona? 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 Leona. The baby girl name Leona was given to 683 baby girls in 2025, ranking #433 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,908 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Leona peaked in popularity 113 years ago in 1913 on position 74.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Leona, 1-5?

Leona is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Leona is currently topping the baby name charts in Montana at position #131 - and is the least popular in Louisiana at position #858.

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 Leona is where you live.

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Leona origin and meaning

Latin/Greek

Feminine form of Leo/Leon, from Latin leo / Greek leon, 'lion'

Leona was a strong early-1900s name, peaking in 1918, then faded for decades. It is rising again with the Leo/Leonie family and the vintage revival, up from #488 in 2020 to #433 in 2025, with singer Leona Lewis as a modern bearer.

Attested etymology

Leona is a 5 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Leona

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

Lillian / Lynn / Lena / Luna / Liliana / Lynne / Lana / Leilani / Lainey / Leanne /

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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 Leona

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 Leona 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 female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Leona?

3 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-OH-nuh · /liˈoÊŠnÉ™/

Around the world

• Léona (French) — French form
• Leona (German) — Used as-is in German
• Leona (Spanish) — Used as-is in Spanish

Spellings and nicknames

• Leonie — Related form from the same lion root
• Leola — Early-1900s elaborated variant

Nicknames: LeoOnaLee

Famous bearers

• Leona Lewis — British singer known for 'Bleeding Love' (b. 1985) Contemporary
• Leona Helmsley — Hotelier known as the 'Queen of Mean' (1920–2007) Contemporary

Style

ClassicInternationalNatureVintage revival

Why parents choose it

It gives girls the Leo lion strength in a flowing, vintage form.

Worth knowing

• Hotelier Leona Helmsley's 'Queen of Mean' reputation is an older but sticky association.