Leander is a boy name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Leander means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Leander across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Leander has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Leander is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “lion man”. In Greek myth the lover who swam the Hellespont for Hero.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 6,956 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 197 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Leander per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2025 (122/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2024 (22/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2024 (3/yr).
Leander is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2025, when it ranked #3,104 nationally (given to 143 babies that year).
Leandro · Landry · Leandra · Linder · Leandre · Landri · Leandrew · Landra
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