Leona

A strong, grounded choice that still has plenty of energy and charm, Leona is the feminine form of Leon, itself derived from the Greek word for "lion". Associated with courage, leadership, and royalty — and the star sign of July and August — Leona is popular in Croatia and Sweden, but familiar across the US, the UK, and continental Europe.

Leona was popular in the US back in the early 1900s, reaching the Top 70 in 1904. It remained in the charts right up until 1981 when it disappeared until 2009. This resurgence coincided with a spike in popularity in the name in the UK too, from 2007 to 2009, around the time that singer Leona Lewis won The X Factor and her song Bleeding Love reached Number One in 35 counties.

It may feel like an exaggeration to attribute its return to one person, however, Leona also appeared fairly briefly in the charts in Northern Ireland, The Netherlands, and Switzerland in the same period, while in France, it returned to the country's Top Name listings in 2008, after a 50 year absence.

Given to more than 600 girls in the US in a recent year, it is typically pronounced as lee-o-nuh in English, but leh-o-na or lay-o-na may be heard in Czechia, Croatia, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Nicknames Leo, Lena, Lolo, Lee, and Leni make it a versatile choice.

Pronounced lee-OH-nuh.

As of October 2026, Leona ranked #429 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #69 in 1904, Nameberry popularity #220.