Leonardo
Say it: lee-oh-NAR-doh
BoyMeans usually explained as "lion-hard", strong as a lion8 letters4 syllables
#188
in Ireland (2025)
25
babies in 2025
#163
best rank (2023)
334
babies since 2002
Up 188
10-year rank change
Leonardo through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #188 |
| 2024 | 26 | #185 |
| 2023 | 31 | #163 |
| 2022 | 29 | #177 |
| 2021 | 16 | #270 |
| 2020 | 20 | #237 |
| 2019 | 26 | #202 |
| 2018 | 24 | #223 |
| 2017 | 8 | #418 |
| 2016 | 13 | #329 |
| 2015 | 10 | #376 |
| 2014 | 13 | #325 |
| 2013 | 14 | #309 |
| 2012 | 9 | #401 |
| 2011 | 13 | #326 |
| 2010 | 14 | #301 |
| 2009 | 5 | #532 |
| 2008 | 7 | #444 |
| 2007 | 9 | #342 |
| 2006 | 4 | #492 |
| 2005 | 3 | #518 |
| 2004 | 5 | #391 |
| 2003 | 6 | #337 |
| 2002 | 4 | #393 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Leonardo mean?
Usually explained as "lion-hard", strong as a lion
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Leonard, from Old High German leo (lion) and hart (hard).
Say it right
leeohNARdoh
In Italian it is closer to lay-oh-NAR-doh.
The story of Leonardo
Leonardo is the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Leonard. Leonard goes back to an Old German name made from leo, “lion”, and hart, “hard” or “strong”, so it is usually explained as “strong as a lion”. The first part may instead come from a word for “people”, so that meaning is not certain. Saint Leonard, a Frankish holy man of the sixth century, spread the name across Europe.
The best-known bearer is Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian painter, inventor and scientist of the Renaissance.
Leonardo first appears in the CSO records in 2002. It grew through the 2010s, and its best year was 2023, when 31 boys were named Leonardo and it reached number 163. In 2025 there were 25.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Leonardo (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Leonard (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Leonardo (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Leo
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Leonardo | 25 | 334 |
In Northern Ireland
#314 in 2025 with 5 babies. Best rank #249 (2021); 59 babies since 2013.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.