Leo
Say it: LEE-oh
BoyMeans lion3 letters2 syllables
#10
in Ireland (2025)
261
babies in 2025
#10
best rank (2025)
4,152
babies since 1964
Up 43
10-year rank change
Leo through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 261 | #10 |
| 2024 | 205 | #22 |
| 2023 | 237 | #17 |
| 2022 | 225 | #23 |
| 2021 | 192 | #29 |
| 2020 | 182 | #28 |
| 2019 | 207 | #32 |
| 2018 | 191 | #34 |
| 2017 | 193 | #33 |
| 2016 | 179 | #44 |
| 2015 | 148 | #53 |
| 2014 | 142 | #56 |
| 2013 | 131 | #63 |
| 2012 | 96 | #84 |
| 2011 | 97 | #79 |
| 2010 | 78 | #94 |
| 2009 | 68 | #112 |
| 2008 | 81 | #96 |
| 2007 | 78 | #91 |
| 2006 | 73 | #87 |
| 2005 | 64 | #97 |
| 2004 | 57 | #104 |
| 2003 | 39 | #123 |
| 2002 | 41 | #112 |
| 2001 | 41 | #114 |
| 2000 | 18 | #172 |
| 1999 | 14 | #184 |
| 1998 | 15 | #168 |
| 1997 | 12 | #209 |
| 1996 | 18 | #169 |
| 1995 | 12 | #198 |
| 1994 | 15 | #167 |
| 1993 | 16 | #176 |
| 1992 | 15 | #180 |
| 1991 | 17 | #167 |
| 1990 | 16 | #170 |
| 1989 | 11 | #184 |
| 1988 | 14 | #171 |
| 1987 | 12 | #185 |
| 1986 | 14 | #172 |
| 1985 | 26 | #138 |
| 1984 | 15 | #166 |
| 1983 | 19 | #154 |
| 1982 | 22 | #150 |
| 1981 | 24 | #153 |
| 1980 | 21 | #157 |
| 1979 | 17 | #166 |
| 1978 | 28 | #133 |
| 1977 | 20 | #153 |
| 1976 | 26 | #137 |
| 1975 | 23 | #143 |
| 1974 | 25 | #144 |
| 1973 | 33 | #123 |
| 1972 | 37 | #118 |
| 1971 | 51 | #105 |
| 1970 | 33 | #111 |
| 1969 | 34 | #107 |
| 1968 | 31 | #107 |
| 1967 | 41 | #94 |
| 1966 | 38 | #97 |
| 1965 | 35 | #99 |
| 1964 | 28 | #101 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Leo mean?
Lion
Latin, from leo (lion).
Say it right
LEEoh
The story of Leo
Leo is the Latin word for lion, and it is also the name of the lion constellation and star sign. It has a long Christian history: many saints and fourteen popes have been called Leo, most recently the American-born Leo XIV, elected in 2025. Leon and Lionel are related names.
In Ireland the best-known bearer of recent years is Leo Varadkar, who served twice as Taoiseach.
Leo has been in steady use in Ireland all through the CSO records, usually somewhere between 100th and 200th place until the 2000s. Then it began to rise, and it reached number 10 in 2025, its best year, with 261 boys. It is even more popular in Northern Ireland, where it ranked 5th in 2025. The CSO counts Leo and Léo separately; these figures combine them.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Leo (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Pope Leo XIV
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland, full name list 1997-2025
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Leo | 261 | 4,143 |
| Léo | under 3 | 9 |
In Northern Ireland
#5 in 2025 with 115 babies. Best rank #5 (2025); 1,848 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.