Leo Baby Names Burn Hot
Leo names are fierce and fiery — perfect for children born under the zodiac sign of the lion. They reflect their bearers' courage and creativity, and the warmth of the fire sign itself.
Names that mean lion, such as Ariel, and names that mean fire, like Seraphina, are a great starting point if you're naming a little Leo. You could expand your search further to include names that relate to the colors of the sign: yellow, orange, and gold.
Other symbols tied to Leo include the gems Ruby, Onyx, and Peridot, and flowers Peony, Marigold, and Gerbera Daisy, several of which are trending choices right now.
Children with Leo as their sign are born from July 22nd to August 22nd, meaning any summer name would be ideal for a young Leo in the Northern Hemisphere. Names that specifically relate to the Sun are even better, as it's the Sun that rules over Leo, so bright, sunny choices like Sol, Cyrus and Sunny itself could be perfect.
You could also consider a name meaning brave to celebrate that confident Leo character, or perhaps even one of the newest names on Nameberry, to reflect Leo's flair for creativity and leadership.
If you need a name for your Leo on the way, take a look at our extensive guide to naming your Leo baby, below:
Top Leo Names
Some of the most fitting names for Leo babies are, naturally, leonine names or names that mean lion. Straightforward Leo leads the pride of lion-related names for babies, ranking at number 24 on the official US popularity charts. Not far behind is Leonardo, a romantic Italian full form, while for girls, the most common leonine name is Ariella, which means "lion of God".
Other lion related names in the US charts right now include Ariel, Leonidas, Ari, Lionel, Leonard, Leona, Leandro, Laith, and Hamza, giving you a range of familiar choices from around the world. There are also a number regal names that would work to reflect Leo's strong leadership qualities and the idea that lions as the "kings of the jungle". Rex, Kingston, and Kaiser are kingly names for boys, while Reina is stylish for girls.
Names inspired by the months of July and August such as Julian, Juliette, and August itself are Top 200 choices, while the gemstones associated with each month, Ruby (July) and Onyx (August), are also in style.
Below, names for Leo babies within the US Top 1000:
- Aiden
- Apollo
- Ari
- Ariel
- Ariella
- August
- Aurora
- Beau
- Clementine
- Cyrus
- Everett
- Hamza
- Isaac
- Julian
- Juliette
- Kingston
- Laith
- Leandro
- Leo
- Leonardo
- Lionel
- Lucille
- Onyx
- Quincy
- Reina
- Rex
- Ruby
- Sullivan
- Sol
- Summer
- Wyatt
Leo Girl Names
The flowers that represent the Leo zodiac sign are among our favorite options for Leo girl names. For those who want something more grounded, there's there familiar and fashionable Daisy, inspired by the Gerbera Daisy, and the rising vintage star, Marigold. Bolder, rarer choices include Peony or Sunflower, along with Madelief ("daisy") and Girasol ("sunflower").
Marigold gets extra points however, as it could be shortened to Goldie, which also connects to Leo’s colors of gold, yellow, and orange. There are many wonderful girl names that mean gold and yellow — Xanthe, Orla, and Saffron are some of the best — though popular Aurora and Aurelia make great choices too.
Notable Leo women from history with names worth considering include writer Beatrix Potter, chemist Rosalind Franklin, and Wild West sharpshooter Annie Oakley.
Here, our top names for Leo girls:
- Beatrix
- Coco
- Cordelia
- Cyra
- Daisy
- Eilidh
- Goldie
- Helia
- Henrietta
- Idalia
- Leonie
- Libi
- Marigold
- Oakley
- Orla
- Peony
- Saffron
- Solana
- Sunday
- Xanthe
- Madelief
- Sunflower
- Girasol
- Rosalind
- Seraphina
Leo Boy Names
Blazing hot and sunny names make perfect choices for Leo boys, as Leo is both the second of the three fire signs and counts the Sun as its planetary ruler. There are many attractive boy names that mean sun, such as the Italian Elio, a rising choice in the US; Ravi, the name of the Hindu god of the sun; and Samsa, a Finnish variation on the Biblical Samson.
If you'd prefer something more fiery for you little lion, baby names for boys that relate to fire include Blaze, Ignatius, and McCoy, while rarer choices could be Brímir, Kasai, and Hagan.
The surnames of historical Leos may inspire also a name for a Leo son. Author Aldous Huxley, whose surname is on the rise, was a Leo, as was poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson and American manufacturing icon Henry Ford. You could even consider more recent Leos, such as Usain Bolt and Whitney Houston whose surnames fit with the trend for place and word names.
Napoleon is a big name, but one with a double connection to the star sign of Leo. The name means “lion of the new city” — an apt choice for the controversial military leader and European aristocrat Napoleon Bonaparte, who was a Leo himself. Napoleon is typically given to 10-25 American baby boys each year.
Below, a selection of the best names for Leo boys:
- Aslan
- Blaze
- Brímir
- Cyrus
- Elio
- Ford
- Hagan
- Howard
- Huxley
- Iggy
- Ignatius
- Ishaan
- Jagger
- Kasai
- Leonidas
- Leonel
- Mccoy
- Napoleon
- Osiris
- Othniel
- Quinlan
- Ravi
- Samsa
- Samson
- Tennyson
- Wolf
Unique Leo Names
Each sign of the zodiac rules over a particular part of the body, and Leo is associated with the heart. Unique names that mean heart include Euston, Croía, Urvashi, Obiajulu, and Corazón — the Spanish word for heart.
A name meaning five would serve as a subtle connection to Leo, as it is the fifth sign of the zodiac. The Ancient Roman name Pontius, Spanish Quinto, and West African unisex name Enu, meaning “fifth born child,” are intriguing and rare options.
You could also consider one of the more unique lion related options out there, including Irish Quillan, Biblical Kephirah, Russian Lenya, Persian Alisher, and French Leonce.
Alternatively, you could embrace some Leo confidence and celebrate their big personalities by giving them a bold moniker to match. How about a rare word name like Prosper, Nightingale, Revere, or Flare, or perhaps something long and elaborate like Corneliana or Bonaventura? Take a look at some one-of-a-kind names for even more ideas — though it's up to you to decide if these are best placed in the first or middle spot!
Unique Leo baby names were given to fewer than 50 babies in the US in 2024. Here is a compilation of our favorites: