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BabyNames
Boy name#153 of boy names

Leo

Pronounced L IY1 OW0 (ARPABET)

  • 2 syllables
  • Peaked 2022
  • 145 years in use
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How popular is Leo?

Leo is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 253,963 children — the 153rd most common boys' name on record.

It is climbing hard: about three times as many births in the past decade as in the one before it. Its best single year was 2022, when 8,301 children were given it.

02,5005,0007,50010,00018901920195019802010
2022Boys: 8,301Girls: 32

Nicknames

Leo is itself a short form of Leonard and Leonardo.

Characteristics

  • 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
Pronunciations:
L IY1 OW0
Stress pattern:
10
Syllables:
2

Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.

Names like Leo

Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.

Sibling names for Leo

Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.

Frequently asked questions

How popular is the name Leo?
Leo ranks 153rd among boys' names in US records, with 253,963 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 69,477.
Is Leo a unisex name?
No. Leo is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
When was Leo most popular?
2022, when 8,301 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.