The name Leo is a girl's name meaning "lion".

Girl Cat Names That Start With L

Cat Names That Start With L

3 Letter Girl Names

Names Ending in O for Girls

One Syllable Names for Girls

Sibling Names: The Ultimate Guide

Most Popular British Names A to Z

Taurus Names Embrace Earthiness

Top Nameberry Names Around the World Now

Top Baby Names 2024 Revealed!

Top Baby Names 2024: The Playground Analysis

150+ European Baby Boy Names

The Top Baby Names A-Z

July Names Turn up the Heat

Leo Baby Names Burn Hot

Canada's New Top Baby Names

Ancient Roman Names For Modern Babies

Top Baby Names 2025: The Playground Analysis

Strong Boy Names: The Ultimate Guide

Names That Let You Have It Both Ways

Liberal and Conservative Baby Names Toe the Party Line

Two-Letter Baby Names: Bo,Ty and Vi

O Boy! The Best Boy Names Ending in O

Unique Middle Names You Didn't Even Know Were Names

Edwardian Names Ready to Revive

Brother Names

Spanish Nature Names Soar Beyond Luna

Rare Names With Popular Nicknames

Top 100 Boy Names of 2013

Top Boys Name For Each Letter: a 130-year survey

Catalan Names: Europe's Secret Treasure

The Best Names for August Babies

Astrology Names: The Ultimate Guide

Twin Names: The Ultimate Guide

100+ Best Boy Names Ending in a Vowel

March Baby Names Let The Sunshine In!

The Top Global Names Right Now

Leo is of course a very popular name for boys and an equally rare one for girls. But 28 baby girls were named Leo in the US last year, and as feminine leonine names such as Leonora and Leonia find more widespread popularity, Leo is popping up as an adorable short form for girls as well as boys.

What would you name G/G/B triplets?

I Need a Summery Makeover for These Lads!

Geezer Names for Girls

Cat Names

Telegraph Baby Names 

Boyish Nicknames for Girls

Boy Names for Girls

Nameberry

The name Leo peaked for girls at #675 in 1893. The name is most popular in LEO, LEO, and LEO. Leo is also used for boys, ranking #19 in 2025.

The name Leo is a boy's name of German, Latin origin meaning "lion".

German Names

Latin Names

Latin Names for Boys

German Names for Boys

3 Letter Boy Names

Names Ending in O for Boys

Names That Mean Lion

One Syllable Names for Boys

Names that Peaked in 1903

Names that Peaked in 2021

Boy Dog Names That Start With L

Boy Cat Names That Start With L

Dog Names That Start With L

Names that Peaked in 2022

Names that Peaked in 2023

German Names that Start With L

Latin Names that Start With L

Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for fourteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US. Brave but sparky, Leo has ranked in the Top 20 in the US, England and Wales, Armenia, Australia, Slovenia, Germany, Spain and beyond. 

Derived from the Latin meaning "lion", Leo is one of those names, like Luke and Finn, that many people assume must be short for something but that is authentically a complete name in its own right. That said, Leo can but short for any number of names, from Leonardo in Latinate languages to Leon and Leopold in Germanic languages. We've even heard of little girl Leonoras and Leonies called Leo: How cute is that?

Leo's simplicity makes it an international star, ranking in the Top 100 in countries as diverse as Ireland and Israel, Spain and Sweden, Austria and Australia. Leo is a truly diverse name, a perfect choice for any family crossing countries or blending cultures.
 
Leo's only real downside is its universal popularity and familiarity. If you call your child Leo, you and they will almost certainly encounter many other Leos over the years of all types and ages. Plus or minus? Or both?
 
Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem called their son Leo, as did actress Kim Raver, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and Kristin Olson. 
 Famous Leos of the past include Pope Leo the Great, a number of early saints, and Leo Tolstoy, as well as Dead End Kid Gorcey, colorful baseball manager Durocher, influential gallerist Castelli and the leonine MGM icon. There have been Leos seen on everything from The West Wing to Charmed to Grey's Anatomy to Seinfeld's Uncle Leo. In 2025, this was the name chosen by the current Roman Catholic pope, putting Leo in the spotlight once again.

Stylish L Baby Names

Hispanic Baby Names

Best Two Syllable Names

Nature Names for Boys

Witchy Names

Star and Planet Names

Vintage Baby Names

Cool Baby Names That Start With L

Leo Baby Names

Mexican Baby Names

Traditional Baby Names

Trending Dog Names

Cat Names That Mean Cat

Top 2010s Names

Nameberry's Top Boy Names of the 2010s

Fashionable Classic Baby Names

Top 1910s Baby Names 

Cool Names with a Strong O

Coolated Boys' Names

Most Common Boy Names

Catholic Baby Names (with Meanings and Popularity)

Cute Cat Names

March Baby Names

Top 1900s Baby Names 

Top 1920s Baby Names 

Rabbit Names

Classic Boy Names 

Papal Names

Fierce Names That Mean Lion

Old-Fashioned Cat Names

Top 2020s Baby Names

Handsome Boy Names

Vintage Boy Names 

Cool Cat Names

Baby Name Favorites Right Now

Space Baby Names

Top Names for Cats

Best Baby Names with No Nicknames

The REAL Top Baby Names for Boys

Popular Nicknames

Spanish Cat Names

English Names with International Style

Boy Names Ending in O

The Witcher Names

Spanish Dog Names

Three Letter Names

Simple, Sleek, Cool Names

The Most International Names

 Two Syllable Boy Names

Jewish Names

Dog Names

August Names

Cute Boy Names

July Names

Cool Dog Names

Cute Dog Names

Saint Names For Boys 

French Cat Names

German Dog Names

Classic Celebrity Baby Names

Nicknames for Boys

Traveling Lite Baby Names

Confirmation Names for Boys (with Meanings and Definitions)

Mystical Cat Names

Sparkling Summer Baby Names

Animal Names for Babies

Trendy Celebrity Baby Names

Short Baby Names

Laidback Baby Boy Names

Boy Names Always in the Top 1000

Top 100 Boy Names 2024

Popular Italian Baby Names

Jewish Boy Names

Saint Names

Easter Names

German

Latin

Canada

Future

England

Scotland

Ireland

Australia

New Zealand

Germany

Netherlands

Spain

Mexico

Sweden

Norway

Denmark

Finland

Belgium

Switzerland

Austria

Poland

Slovenia

Israel

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatia

Dogs

Cats

The name Leo is currently ranked #19 in U.S. births. and peaked for boys at #18 in 2023. The name is most popular in LEO, LEO, and LEO. Leo is occasionally used for girls in 2025.

Leander

Leon

Leonard

Year	US rank	Births	Per million
2014	—	0	0
2015	—	0	0
2016	—	0	0
2017	—	0	0
2018	—	0	0
2019	—	0	0
2020	#4,400	31	19.2
2021	#4,372	32	19.5
2022	#4,421	32	19.5
2023	#4,815	28	17.5
2024	—	0	0
2025	—	0	0

Leo

About Leo

Popularity & trends

World rankings

Similar names

Leo in pop culture

Leo in blog posts

Community discussions

Leo on more lists

Advanced Search

Save Leo