Leo Baby Name: Meaning, Origin, Middle Name Pairings & More

Leo began as a nickname, but it is actually a word in Latin culture that means “lion.” This powerful name associates itself with so much strength, especially when considering so many popes and rulers have had it. Even now, Leo is popular around the world, maybe because of actor Leonardo DiCaprio who goes by Leo sometimes.

Meaning of the name Leo:

Latin: lion

Origin of the name Leo:

Leo became a name as early as the fifth century as a nickname for Leon to start. There were at least 13 popes in the early church that had this name, five kings in Armenia, and six emperors in Byzantine. It is such an important name to eastern Europe, and remains essential in modern culture too as a top 50 name.

Symbolism of the name Leo:

Leo is the literal Latin translation of the word “lion.” The Latin word for this animal is literally “leo.”

Style of the name Leo:

Classical

Gender of the name Leo:

Leo is a strong name for boys.

Pronunciation of the name Leo:

LEE-o

Number of syllables in the name Leo:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Leo:

Leo is strong and powerful. The name still has some humility, however, as it feels kind.

Alternative spellings for the name Leo:

• Lio
• Lyo
• Leogh
• Leoh

Nicknames for the name Leo:

• Lion
• Lee 
• El
• Leone 
• Oh

Popularity of the name Leo:

From 1900 to 1921 and in 1923, Leo was a top 50 name. It remained a top 100 name until 1936, however. As of 2014, Leo is back to being a top 100 name. As of 2019, it became a top 50 name and in 2020, it ranked at number 36.

Related names for the name Leo:

• Leonardo 
• Leon 
• Leopold
• Levi 
• Theo 
• Milo 
• Arlo 
• Luca 

Great middle names for Leo and their meanings:

• Sebastian (venerable)
• Harrison (house ruler)
• Augustus (majestic, to increase)
• Alexander (defender of men)
• Christopher (bearer of Christ)
• Everett (hardy, strong, brave)
• Jonathan (God has given)
• Caden (spirit of battle)

Famous people with the name Leo:

• Leo Tolstoy (author “Anna Karenina”)
• Leo Howard (actor, “Kickin' It”)
• Leo Laporte (author, “The Screen Savers”)
• Leo Ryan (California Congressman)
• Leo Arnaud (composer from France)
• Leo Gorcey (actor, “Lucky Losers”)
• Leo Carroll (actor, “Topper”)

Leos in popular culture:

• Leo Valdez (character from “Heroes of Olympus” books)
• Leo (character from “Seinfeld”)
• Leo Wyatt (character from “Charmed”)
• Leo McGarry (character from “The West Wing”)
• Leo Plumb (character from “The Nest”)
• Leo Koenig (character from “Funny People”)
• Leo Dooley (character from “Lab Rats”)