Leon
Boy · LEE-on · Greek
Classic
Leon is a boys' name of Greek origin, meaning “lion”. In 2025 it ranked 98th for boys in the UK (592 babies) and 138th for boys in the US (2,583 babies).
What does Leon mean?
Greek: from Greek leon
“lion”
From the Greek leon, lion; it is the Greek form of the name of several Byzantine emperors known in English as Leo.
- Say it
- LEE-on
More on Wiktionary.
Is Leon a girl's or a boy's name?
Leon is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 592 boys in the UK and 2,583 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.
How popular is Leon in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #98among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 592about 1 in 510 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 16% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 2.7%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 592 boys in the UK were named Leon, making it the 98th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 90th. Its busiest year was 2010, with 1,379 boys.
It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 10 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Leon than any year since 1997.
Half of all the boys named Leon in the UK since 1996 were born between 2004 and 2016. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 101st in England and Wales, 97th in Scotland and 185th in Northern Ireland.
In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1974 (#91), 1984 (#82), 2004 (#76), 2014 (#85) and 2024 (#100).
Leon in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 592 | #98 |
| 2024 | 646 | #92 |
| 2023 | 672 | #85 |
| 2022 | 674 | #93 |
| 2021 | 683 | #97 |
| 2020 | 722 | #90 |
| 2019 | 773 | #92 |
| 2018 | 774 | #94 |
| 2017 | 779 | #95 |
| 2016 | 876 | #90 |
| 2015 | 943 | #83 |
| 2014 | 901 | #85 |
| 2013 | 991 | #72 |
| 2012 | 1,096 | #71 |
| 2011 | 1,245 | #62 |
| 2010 | 1,379 | #58 |
| 2009 | 1,319 | #63 |
| 2008 | 1,289 | #63 |
| 2007 | 1,035 | #78 |
| 2006 | 992 | #79 |
| 2005 | 1,017 | #77 |
| 2004 | 951 | #77 |
| 2003 | 900 | #76 |
| 2002 | 857 | #80 |
| 2001 | 871 | #77 |
| 2000 | 740 | #81 |
| 1999 | 658 | #94 |
| 1998 | 612 | #99 |
| 1997 | 578 | #99 |
| 1996 | 494 | #109 |
How popular is Leon in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #138among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 2,583about 1 in 660 boys
- Five-year trend
- Risingup 41% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 2.1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 2,583 boys in the US were named Leon, making it the 138th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 196th. Its busiest year was 1924, with 2,677 boys.
It has been given to more boys each year for the last 21 years. 2025 had more boys named Leon than any year since 1927.
Half of all the boys named Leon in the US since 1880 were born between 1929 and 1977, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 3,365 boys in the US were given Leon or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #117, up from #138 for this spelling alone.
Leon in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,583 | #138 |
| 2024 | 2,572 | #141 |
| 2023 | 2,459 | #148 |
| 2022 | 2,374 | #158 |
| 2021 | 2,198 | #177 |
| 2020 | 1,924 | #196 |
| 2019 | 1,866 | #208 |
| 2018 | 1,605 | #238 |
| 2017 | 1,518 | #244 |
| 2016 | 1,313 | #277 |
| 2015 | 1,140 | #314 |
| 2014 | 1,081 | #321 |
| 2013 | 1,021 | #324 |
| 2012 | 859 | #356 |
| 2011 | 696 | #406 |
| 2010 | 669 | #417 |
| 2009 | 628 | #445 |
| 2008 | 549 | #499 |
| 2007 | 543 | #488 |
| 2006 | 517 | #502 |
| 2005 | 470 | #524 |
| 2004 | 462 | #520 |
| 2003 | 495 | #497 |
| 2002 | 472 | #487 |
| 2001 | 469 | #490 |
| 2000 | 457 | #499 |
| 1999 | 463 | #480 |
| 1998 | 460 | #476 |
| 1997 | 436 | #489 |
| 1996 | 473 | #458 |
| 1995 | 503 | #452 |
| 1994 | 544 | #421 |
| 1993 | 531 | #425 |
| 1992 | 591 | #388 |
| 1991 | 581 | #391 |
| 1990 | 594 | #389 |
| 1989 | 647 | #351 |
| 1988 | 675 | #320 |
| 1987 | 662 | #318 |
| 1986 | 688 | #299 |
| 1985 | 727 | #283 |
| 1984 | 797 | #262 |
| 1983 | 784 | #263 |
| 1982 | 874 | #252 |
| 1981 | 869 | #252 |
| 1980 | 904 | #248 |
| 1979 | 907 | #242 |
| 1978 | 924 | #228 |
| 1977 | 948 | #228 |
| 1976 | 924 | #221 |
| 1975 | 884 | #233 |
| 1974 | 973 | #218 |
| 1973 | 1,008 | #217 |
| 1972 | 1,024 | #218 |
| 1971 | 1,040 | #227 |
| 1970 | 1,222 | #207 |
| 1969 | 1,151 | #213 |
| 1968 | 1,197 | #196 |
| 1967 | 1,198 | #195 |
| 1966 | 1,308 | #187 |
| 1965 | 1,263 | #199 |
| 1964 | 1,482 | #190 |
| 1963 | 1,477 | #201 |
| 1962 | 1,542 | #196 |
| 1961 | 1,558 | #194 |
| 1960 | 1,647 | #189 |
| 1959 | 1,748 | #176 |
| 1958 | 1,932 | #163 |
| 1957 | 1,888 | #166 |
| 1956 | 2,043 | #153 |
| 1955 | 2,141 | #143 |
| 1954 | 2,146 | #140 |
| 1953 | 2,273 | #137 |
| 1952 | 2,377 | #124 |
| 1951 | 2,366 | #122 |
| 1950 | 2,427 | #119 |
| 1949 | 2,425 | #121 |
| 1948 | 2,384 | #119 |
| 1947 | 2,487 | #117 |
| 1946 | 2,339 | #113 |
| 1945 | 2,098 | #111 |
| 1944 | 2,151 | #108 |
| 1943 | 2,451 | #103 |
| 1942 | 2,550 | #93 |
| 1941 | 2,375 | #93 |
| 1940 | 2,318 | #89 |
| 1939 | 2,327 | #86 |
| 1938 | 2,355 | #85 |
| 1937 | 2,325 | #85 |
| 1936 | 2,282 | #82 |
| 1935 | 2,282 | #86 |
| 1934 | 2,306 | #87 |
| 1933 | 2,187 | #85 |
| 1932 | 2,295 | #83 |
| 1931 | 2,245 | #84 |
| 1930 | 2,401 | #81 |
| 1929 | 2,336 | #81 |
| 1928 | 2,460 | #81 |
| 1927 | 2,602 | #78 |
| 1926 | 2,647 | #73 |
| 1925 | 2,636 | #76 |
| 1924 | 2,677 | #76 |
| 1923 | 2,528 | #77 |
| 1922 | 2,521 | #77 |
| 1921 | 2,616 | #74 |
| 1920 | 2,554 | #75 |
| 1919 | 2,250 | #80 |
| 1918 | 2,442 | #77 |
| 1917 | 2,102 | #82 |
| 1916 | 1,954 | #85 |
| 1915 | 1,977 | #82 |
| 1914 | 1,414 | #85 |
| 1913 | 1,160 | #81 |
| 1912 | 1,006 | #79 |
| 1911 | 540 | #77 |
| 1910 | 435 | #81 |
| 1909 | 377 | #80 |
| 1908 | 327 | #84 |
| 1907 | 324 | #80 |
| 1906 | 263 | #87 |
| 1905 | 274 | #87 |
| 1904 | 241 | #90 |
| 1903 | 287 | #76 |
| 1902 | 248 | #86 |
| 1901 | 208 | #87 |
| 1900 | 310 | #85 |
| 1899 | 188 | #93 |
| 1898 | 251 | #83 |
| 1897 | 229 | #81 |
| 1896 | 235 | #86 |
| 1895 | 219 | #87 |
| 1894 | 236 | #84 |
| 1893 | 211 | #88 |
| 1892 | 187 | #100 |
| 1891 | 150 | #104 |
| 1890 | 197 | #86 |
| 1889 | 184 | #94 |
| 1888 | 196 | #90 |
| 1887 | 147 | #99 |
| 1886 | 142 | #109 |
| 1885 | 146 | #99 |
| 1884 | 150 | #102 |
| 1883 | 140 | #97 |
| 1882 | 131 | #114 |
| 1881 | 121 | #104 |
| 1880 | 118 | #114 |
Names like Leon
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Ellis Harvey Charlie Lewis Leo Louie Ollie Archie William Harry Stanley Reuben
Other spellings of Leon
Names related to Leon
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