Leonardo Boy

Popularity: #91 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: lee-oh-NAR-doe /liːəˈnɑːrdoʊ/

Origin: Italian; Latin

Meaning: Italian: brave lion; Latin: lion-hearted

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Leonardo has its roots in the Germanic elements "leon" meaning "lion" and "hard" meaning "brave" or "hardy." It was introduced to Italy through the Latin form "Leonardus," which evolved from the Old High German "Leonhard." The name gained prominence in the medieval period, particularly in the context of Christian saints, with Saint Leonard of Noblac, a 6th-century Frankish abbot, being one of the most notable bearers. His veneration contributed to the name's spread across Europe, particularly in Italy and France, where it was adapted into various forms, including Léonard in French and Leonardo in Italian.

The name Leonardo became particularly significant during the Renaissance, a period marked by a revival of art, culture, and humanism in Europe. One of the most famous historical figures bearing this name is Leonardo da Vinci, born in 1452, who is celebrated not only as a master painter but also as a polymath whose contributions spanned various fields including science, engineering, and anatomy.

His works, such as the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper," have left an indelible mark on Western art and culture, further solidifying the name's association with creativity and intellect. Culturally, the name Leonardo has been associated with qualities such as strength and wisdom, reflecting its etymological roots.

The lion, a symbol of courage and nobility, enhances the name's resonance in various traditions. Additionally, diminutive forms like Leo have emerged, often used affectionately in familial contexts.

The enduring legacy of the name Leonardo is evident in its continued use across different cultures and languages, maintaining a connection to its rich historical and cultural heritage.

Famous people named Leonardo

In this section, you will find notable people named Leonardo. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Leonardo who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Leonardo who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Leonardo DiCaprio is an actor and film producer best known for Titanic, Inception, and The Revenant.

Leonardo da Vinci is an artist and inventor best known for the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and his contributions to science and engineering.

Fictional characters named Leonardo

The following list of fictional characters named Leonardo is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Leonardo is a fictional character from the animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He is the leader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, known for his discipline and skill with dual katanas.

Leonardo is a fictional character from the video game series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He serves as the primary protagonist and is recognized for his strong sense of responsibility and honor.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Leonardo, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

GabrielMatteoJulianSebastianNicoAlessandro

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Leonardo. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

LeonLeoLorenzoLucaLucianoLeandroLorenLazaro

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Leonardo was first seen in the United States in 1885.

Leonardo has ranked as high as #142 nationally, which occurred in 2019, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Leonardo has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Leonardo is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Leonardo was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Leonardo.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 3,789 3,789 0
2024 3,966 3,966 0
2023 4,030 4,030 0
2022 4,373 4,367 6
2021 4,105 4,105 0
2020 4,104 4,104 0
2019 4,433 4,427 6
2018 4,223 4,223 0
2017 4,131 4,131 0
2016 4,325 4,325 0
2015 3,828 3,823 5
2014 3,455 3,450 5
2013 2,909 2,909 0
2012 2,692 2,684 8
2011 2,641 2,641 0
2010 2,624 2,617 7
2009 2,368 2,368 0
2008 2,351 2,346 5
2007 2,527 2,527 0
2006 2,187 2,187 0
2005 2,153 2,146 7
2004 1,974 1,964 10
2003 1,708 1,708 0
2002 1,465 1,460 5
2001 1,461 1,453 8
2000 1,339 1,331 8
1999 1,236 1,231 5
1998 1,165 1,160 5
1997 707 707 0
1996 585 585 0
1995 570 570 0
1994 621 621 0
1993 649 643 6
1992 613 601 12
1991 618 612 6
1990 560 555 5
1989 398 398 0
1988 356 356 0
1987 325 320 5
1986 315 310 5
1985 301 301 0
1984 295 295 0
1983 266 266 0
1982 321 314 7
1981 290 290 0
1980 344 344 0
1979 277 277 0
1978 243 243 0
1977 256 256 0
1976 255 255 0
1975 282 277 5
1974 268 268 0
1973 223 223 0
1972 249 249 0
1971 221 221 0
1970 198 198 0
1969 157 157 0
1968 144 144 0
1967 152 152 0
1966 162 162 0
1965 124 124 0
1964 129 129 0
1963 137 137 0
1962 141 141 0
1961 149 149 0
1960 105 105 0
1959 122 122 0
1958 106 106 0
1957 90 90 0
1956 85 85 0
1955 86 86 0
1954 96 96 0
1953 82 82 0
1952 82 82 0
1951 64 64 0
1950 66 66 0
1949 64 64 0
1948 55 55 0
1947 52 52 0
1946 67 67 0
1945 61 61 0
1944 57 57 0
1943 48 48 0
1942 41 41 0
1941 42 42 0
1940 39 39 0
1939 39 39 0
1938 38 38 0
1937 35 35 0
1936 36 36 0
1935 59 59 0
1934 50 50 0
1933 44 44 0
1932 43 43 0
1931 41 41 0
1930 42 42 0
1929 59 59 0
1928 50 50 0
1927 62 62 0
1926 60 60 0
1925 40 40 0
1924 48 48 0
1923 48 48 0
1922 45 45 0
1921 44 44 0
1920 52 52 0
1919 39 39 0
1918 40 40 0
1917 40 40 0
1916 26 26 0
1915 24 24 0
1914 31 31 0
1913 17 17 0
1912 14 14 0
1911 13 13 0
1910 12 12 0
1909 12 12 0
1908 5 5 0
1907 7 7 0
1905 8 8 0
1902 6 6 0
1885 5 5 0

Top States for Leonardo (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 870
22%
TX 759
19%
FL 264
7%
IL 224
6%
NY 208
5%
AZ 146
4%
NJ 124
3%
NC 92
2%
WA 87
2%
GA 84
2%
PA 73
2%
CO 63
2%
IN 57
1%
OH 56
1%
VA 55
1%
MA 53
1%
MI 53
1%
TN 51
1%
MD 46
1%
NV 45
1%
CT 41
1%
OK 40
1%
UT 40
1%
OR 37
1%
MO 36
1%
KS 34
1%
SC 34
1%
WI 31
1%
MN 29
1%
KY 21
1%
AR 21
1%
IA 21
1%
AL 19
0%
LA 19
0%
NE 17
0%
NM 16
0%
RI 14
0%
ID 14
0%
DC 9
0%
DE 9
0%
MS 8
0%
HI 5
0%