Leon
Say it: LEE-on/ˈliː.ɒn/
BoyMeans lion4 letters2 syllables
#73
in Ireland (2025)
#76 with spellings combined
81
babies in 2025
#44
best rank (2008)
3,787
babies since 1968
Down 22
10-year rank change
Leon through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 81 | #76 |
| 2024 | 97 | #63 |
| 2023 | 77 | #83 |
| 2022 | 108 | #62 |
| 2021 | 115 | #61 |
| 2020 | 88 | #78 |
| 2019 | 141 | #51 |
| 2018 | 110 | #61 |
| 2017 | 140 | #53 |
| 2016 | 128 | #58 |
| 2015 | 147 | #54 |
| 2014 | 152 | #54 |
| 2013 | 149 | #56 |
| 2012 | 161 | #54 |
| 2011 | 171 | #52 |
| 2010 | 154 | #57 |
| 2009 | 172 | #52 |
| 2008 | 188 | #44 |
| 2007 | 106 | #75 |
| 2006 | 97 | #73 |
| 2005 | 77 | #82 |
| 2004 | 76 | #82 |
| 2003 | 71 | #85 |
| 2002 | 67 | #81 |
| 2001 | 94 | #68 |
| 2000 | 71 | #77 |
| 1999 | 75 | #77 |
| 1998 | 37 | #110 |
| 1997 | 60 | #92 |
| 1996 | 65 | #86 |
| 1995 | 35 | #127 |
| 1994 | 20 | #153 |
| 1993 | 25 | #144 |
| 1992 | 31 | #135 |
| 1991 | 15 | #171 |
| 1990 | 29 | #139 |
| 1989 | 19 | #154 |
| 1988 | 18 | #154 |
| 1987 | 22 | #147 |
| 1986 | 33 | #125 |
| 1985 | 21 | #153 |
| 1984 | 15 | #166 |
| 1983 | 16 | #164 |
| 1982 | 40 | #123 |
| 1981 | 31 | #133 |
| 1980 | 21 | #157 |
| 1979 | 24 | #142 |
| 1978 | 25 | #140 |
| 1977 | 9 | #220 |
| 1976 | 14 | #186 |
| 1975 | 9 | #216 |
| 1974 | 10 | #208 |
| 1973 | 9 | #215 |
| 1972 | 5 | #254 |
| 1971 | 3 | #304 |
| 1969 | 7 | #216 |
| 1968 | 6 | #207 |
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 Leon mean?
Lion
Greek leon (lion), through Latin and French.
Say it right
LEEon
The story of Leon
Leon comes from the Greek leōn, meaning lion. It reached other languages through the Latin Leo and the French Léon, and it is sometimes used as a short form of Leonard or Leonardo. Leo, the Latin form, is counted by the CSO as a separate name.
In Irish, leon is the ordinary word for a lion, and An Leon is the Irish name for the star sign Leo.
Leon first reached the CSO list in 1968. It rose through the 1990s and peaked in 2008, when 188 boys were named Leon and it reached number 44. The CSO counts the accented spellings Léon and León separately, though few babies have had them. It has been less common in Northern Ireland, where its best place was 70th in 2010.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Leon (English and Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Leon (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Leon | 81 | 3,770 |
| Léon | under 3 | 11 |
| León | under 3 | 6 |
In Northern Ireland
#185 in 2025 with 11 babies. Best rank #70 (2010); 684 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.