Boy name · Greek
Leander
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: lion manLeander is a boy's name that comes from Greek and means "lion man". It is used in English and German.
- Meaning
- Lion man
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #1463 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Leander
As a boy's name, Leander comes from Greek and means "lion man". It is used in English and German.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Leander on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Leander on 4 lists.
“Lion man; Greek. Swam the Hellespont each night to reach Hero in Greek myth”
From Boy middle names, unique boy middle names
“Bishop of Seville and Isidore's older brother”
From Priest names, cool priest names
“Lion man; Greek. A lover who drowned swimming to Hero by lamplight”
From Gothic names, gothic male names with real meanings
“Lion man; Greek, the lover who swam the Hellespont nightly”
From Unique boy names, uncommon boy names from Greek and Latin
How popular is Leander?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,463
- 122 babies, 71 per million boys
- Best rank
- #326 in 1882
- Most babies: 122 in 2025
- Babies since 1880
- At least 6,928
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 153 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 106 per million |
| 1900s | 99 per million |
| 1910s | 87 per million |
| 1920s | 73 per million |
| 1930s | 50 per million |
| 1940s | 32 per million |
| 1950s | 30 per million |
| 1960s | 30 per million |
| 1970s | 29 per million |
| 1980s | 22 per million |
| 1990s | 17 per million |
| 2000s | 20 per million |
| 2010s | 36 per million |
| 2020s | 60 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,806 | #2,147 | #2,157 | #1,770 | #1,728 | #1,788 | #1,570 | #1,513 | #1,758 | #1,463 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Leander
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- LéandreLion man (Greek, boy)
- LeandroLion man (Greek, boy)
- LeandrosLion man (Greek, boy)
Names spelled like Leander
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- LysanderLiberator (Greek, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Leander
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Greek
- AlexanderDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- LucasMan from Lucania (Greek, boy)
- ChristianFollower of Christ (Greek, boy)
- HectorHolding fast (Greek, boy)
- TheoGift of God (Greek, boy)
- AlexisHelper, defender (Greek, boy)
- LucaMan from Lucania (Greek, boy)
- PeterRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- SebastianMan of sebaste, venerable (Greek, boy)
- AlexDefender, protector (Greek, unisex)
Leander: common questions
What does the name Leander mean?
Leander comes from Greek and means "lion man".
Is Leander a boy or girl name?
Leander is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Leander come from?
Leander comes from Greek and means "lion man". Today it is used in English and German.
How popular is the name Leander?
Leander ranked #1,463 in the US in 2025, with 122 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Leander?
Forms of Leander with the same meaning and origin include Léandre (French), Leandro (Spanish) and Leandros (Greek).
What middle names go with Leander?
Middle names that flow well with Leander include Basil, Beau, Chase, Jack and Mark. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.