Boy nameCurrently #673 in the USSteady
Leonard
LEN-erd//ˈlɛnərd//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19217 lettersStarts with L
Meaning & origin
Brave lion
Leonard comes from the Germanic elements 'lewo' (lion) and 'hard' (brave, strong), meaning 'brave as a lion'. A well-used name for over a century, it retains a dignified, gentle strength.
Leonard's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Leonard |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 200 |
| 1881 | 206 |
| 1882 | 231 |
| 1883 | 200 |
| 1884 | 206 |
| 1885 | 204 |
| 1886 | 236 |
| 1887 | 207 |
| 1888 | 225 |
| 1889 | 229 |
| 1890 | 275 |
| 1891 | 235 |
| 1892 | 301 |
| 1893 | 275 |
| 1894 | 343 |
| 1895 | 342 |
| 1896 | 350 |
| 1897 | 310 |
| 1898 | 421 |
| 1899 | 321 |
| 1900 | 465 |
| 1901 | 362 |
| 1902 | 433 |
| 1903 | 448 |
| 1904 | 508 |
| 1905 | 495 |
| 1906 | 498 |
| 1907 | 552 |
| 1908 | 614 |
| 1909 | 665 |
| 1910 | 803 |
| 1911 | 958 |
| 1912 | 1,938 |
| 1913 | 2,287 |
| 1914 | 2,932 |
| 1915 | 4,004 |
| 1916 | 4,347 |
| 1917 | 4,710 |
| 1918 | 5,010 |
| 1919 | 5,036 |
| 1920 | 5,543 |
| 1921 | 5,675 |
| 1922 | 5,433 |
| 1923 | 5,507 |
| 1924 | 5,628 |
| 1925 | 5,500 |
| 1926 | 5,443 |
| 1927 | 5,341 |
| 1928 | 5,172 |
| 1929 | 4,869 |
| 1930 | 4,693 |
| 1931 | 4,308 |
| 1932 | 4,119 |
| 1933 | 3,977 |
| 1934 | 3,850 |
| 1935 | 3,826 |
| 1936 | 3,729 |
| 1937 | 3,500 |
| 1938 | 3,694 |
| 1939 | 3,725 |
| 1940 | 3,845 |
| 1941 | 3,997 |
| 1942 | 4,380 |
| 1943 | 4,631 |
| 1944 | 4,202 |
| 1945 | 4,131 |
| 1946 | 4,718 |
| 1947 | 5,172 |
| 1948 | 4,799 |
| 1949 | 4,563 |
| 1950 | 4,600 |
| 1951 | 4,751 |
| 1952 | 4,634 |
| 1953 | 4,439 |
| 1954 | 4,497 |
| 1955 | 4,273 |
| 1956 | 4,391 |
| 1957 | 4,357 |
| 1958 | 4,036 |
| 1959 | 3,754 |
| 1960 | 3,656 |
| 1961 | 3,449 |
| 1962 | 3,174 |
| 1963 | 3,063 |
| 1964 | 3,082 |
| 1965 | 2,722 |
| 1966 | 2,468 |
| 1967 | 2,436 |
| 1968 | 2,276 |
| 1969 | 2,278 |
| 1970 | 2,304 |
| 1971 | 2,055 |
| 1972 | 1,726 |
| 1973 | 1,675 |
| 1974 | 1,478 |
| 1975 | 1,454 |
| 1976 | 1,329 |
| 1977 | 1,313 |
| 1978 | 1,322 |
| 1979 | 1,275 |
| 1980 | 1,290 |
| 1981 | 1,198 |
| 1982 | 1,210 |
| 1983 | 1,113 |
| 1984 | 1,062 |
| 1985 | 967 |
| 1986 | 912 |
| 1987 | 977 |
| 1988 | 908 |
| 1989 | 921 |
| 1990 | 863 |
| 1991 | 833 |
| 1992 | 775 |
| 1993 | 672 |
| 1994 | 645 |
| 1995 | 528 |
| 1996 | 547 |
| 1997 | 455 |
| 1998 | 471 |
| 1999 | 479 |
| 2000 | 451 |
| 2001 | 436 |
| 2002 | 396 |
| 2003 | 402 |
| 2004 | 385 |
| 2005 | 385 |
| 2006 | 384 |
| 2007 | 356 |
| 2008 | 400 |
| 2009 | 323 |
| 2010 | 388 |
| 2011 | 326 |
| 2012 | 338 |
| 2013 | 349 |
| 2014 | 385 |
| 2015 | 400 |
| 2016 | 450 |
| 2017 | 437 |
| 2018 | 417 |
| 2019 | 443 |
| 2020 | 420 |
| 2021 | 421 |
| 2022 | 371 |
| 2023 | 384 |
| 2024 | 404 |
Leonard through the decades
- Leonard peaked in 1921, when 5,675 babies were named Leonard in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Leonard has risen 14% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Leonard currently ranks #673 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
LeoLen
Variants & spellings
Leonardo
Famous people named Leonard
- Leonard Bernstein — composer and conductor