Leon

Boy name variations

Family name origins & meanings

• Spanish (León) : habitational name from León, a city in northwestern Spain, named with Latin legio, genitive legionis ‘legion’, a division of the Roman army. In Roman times the city was the garrison of the 7th Legion, known as the Legio Gemina. The city’s name became reduced from Legion(em) to Leon(em), and in this form developed an unetymological association with the word for ‘lion’, Spanish león.
• Spanish : from the personal name León, from Greek leōn ‘lion’ (see Lyon 2). Leon is also found as a Greek family name.
• Spanish : nickname for a fierce or brave warrior, from león ‘lion’.
• French (Léon) and English : variant of Lyon.

Popularity

According to Social Security Administration data, Leon has been increasing in popularity, breaking the top 200 for the first time in 2020. Its peak rank was also in 2020, at position 196.

However, it is the 30th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Leon was at its peak popularity in November 2016.

Leon peaked in the 1920s and is slowly making its way back into the limelight. Leon Trotsky, the Russian Marxist revolutionary, is perhaps the most notable namesake. Other namesakes include founder of L.L. Bean Leon Leonwood Bean, singer Leon Eric "Kix" Brooks, comedian Leon Curtis Frierson, musician Leon Russell, and singer LÉON (Lotta Lindgren). Leon has also been a popular choice for fictional characters, appearing in Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Simpsons, NCIS, Eloise at the Plaza, and Fast and Furious.

Where is it Popular?

Leon was searched for most often in the following states:

Nicknames for Leon

• Lee
• Leo

Pairs well with these middle names