User-created list
Alternatives to Leo
Across 4 pages
of 4
Will
Diminutive of William
"resolute protector"
Will has definitely replaced Bill, not only as a nickname for William but as a stand-alone name as well, partly thanks to England's Prince William, also known as Wills. Currently outside the Top 1000…
Orson
Latin and English
"bear cub"
In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator…
Lion
English animal name, Hebrew
"lion; my strength"
Lion is a masculine name taken straight from the name of the animal, associating it with strength, courage, and nobility across many cultures. With Germanic, French, and English language roots, Lion…
Oren
Hebrew
"laurel or pine tree"
Soft and sensitive name often heard in Israel.
Leno
Diminutive of Leonard
"lion"
Better than Lenny, not as good as Leo, and tightly tied to Tonight Show host Jay Leno.
Lyon
French
"lion"
The y makes it seem more like a name and less like an animal, but it's still not as appealing as several Leo choices.
Levan
Georgian, from Greek
"lion"
Levan is a cool Georgian variant of Leon, popular in its native country. With that sleek V sound in the middle, it may appeal to parents looking for a unique alternative to Levi.
Laszlo
Hungarian
"glorious ruler"
The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents. A name with a royal…
Roscoe
English, Norse
"deer forest"
Fairly popular a hundred years ago but out of the US charts since 1978, the quirky yet edgy Roscoe feels very much in step with the trending o-ending boy names popular now, such as Milo, Hugo, and…
Neo
Latin or Tswana
"new or gift"
This nouveau name of Keanu Reeves's character in The Matrix has not enjoyed the same burst of popularity as its female counterpart, Trinity, but it definitely sounds, well, newer. Neo Rauch is an…
Cleo
Greek
"glory"
As a male name, Cleo was well used during the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries, deriving from the Greek name Cleon or the Biblical Cleopas.