Boy name · Greek
Leon
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: a lionLeon is a boy's name that comes from Greek and means "a lion". It is used in German, Dutch, Greek, English, Polish and Spanish and more.
- Meaning
- A lion
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- LAY-on (German)
Meaning and origin of Leon
As a boy's name, Leon comes from Greek and means "a lion". It is used in German, Dutch, Greek, English, Polish, Spanish and French. In French it is spelled Léon.
As a boy's name, Leon comes from Latin and means "lion". It is used in Spanish. In Spanish it is spelled León.
In French, say lay-OHN. In German, say LAY-on. In Greek, say LEH-on. In Spanish, say leh-OHN. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Leon is also a surname: the 362nd most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 85,611 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Leon on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Leon on 7 lists.
“A lion; Greek. No. 8 in France in 2025. Say lay-OHN”
From French boy names, popular French boys' names right now
“Lion; Greek. In Germany's 2025 top 10. Say LAY-on”
From German boy names, popular German boy names
“Lion; Greek. Say LEH-on”
From Greek boy names, greek nature and meaning names for boys
“From the city and kingdom in northwest Spain, or lion”
From Mexican last names, popular Mexican surnames
“Greek for lion, for a golden, maned tom”
From Orange cat names, orange cat names for boys
“Lion; Latin. Say leh-OHN”
From Spanish boy names, hispanic and Latino boy names across the Americas
“A lion; Greek, short and fierce”
From Strong boy names, strong boy names meaning lion, bear, wolf or eagle
How popular is Leon?
- US rank in 2025
- #138
- 2,583 babies, 1,512 per million boys
- Best rank
- #73 in 1926
- Most babies: 2,677 in 1924
- Babies since 1880
- At least 182,638
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 1,347 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 1,843 per million |
| 1900s | 2,106 per million |
| 1910s | 2,289 per million |
| 1920s | 2,321 per million |
| 1930s | 2,177 per million |
| 1940s | 1,584 per million |
| 1950s | 1,056 per million |
| 1960s | 718 per million |
| 1970s | 597 per million |
| 1980s | 413 per million |
| 1990s | 266 per million |
| 2000s | 254 per million |
| 2010s | 626 per million |
| 2020s | 1,362 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #277 | #244 | #238 | #208 | #196 | #177 | #158 | #148 | #141 | #138 |
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 Leon
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- LeonidSon of the lion (Greek, boy)
Names spelled like Leon
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- LeonardoBrave lion (Germanic, boy)
- ArielLion of God (Hebrew, boy)
- HaiderLion (Arabic, boy)
- AriA lion (Hebrew, boy)
- AriellaLion of God (Hebrew, girl)
- ArielleLion of God (Hebrew, girl)
- LeanderLion man (Greek, boy)
- LennartBrave lion (Germanic, boy)
- LeonardBrave lion (Germanic, boy)
- LeonidasSon of the lion (Greek, boy)
Middle names for Leon
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer 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)
Leon: common questions
What does the name Leon mean?
Leon comes from Greek and means "a lion". It also has another origin: "lion" from Latin.
Is Leon a boy or girl name?
Leon is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Leon come from?
Leon comes from Greek and means "a lion". Today it is used in German, Dutch, Greek, English, Polish and Spanish.
How do you pronounce Leon?
In French, say lay-OHN. In German, say LAY-on. In Greek, say LEH-on. In Spanish, say leh-OHN. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Leon?
Leon ranked #138 in the US in 2025, with 2,583 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Leon?
Forms of Leon with the same meaning and origin include Leonid (Russian).
What middle names go with Leon?
Middle names that flow well with Leon include Atticus, Augustus, Cedar, Cyprian and Ezekiel. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.