Leonard is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Leonard means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Leonard across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Leonard has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Leonard is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “brave as a lion”. borne by a medieval saint.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 295,746 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 3,529 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 229 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 9 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 923 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 102 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 Leonard per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1921 (5,675/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2019 (235/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1973 (44/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1985 (14/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2019 (3/yr).
Leonard has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1921, when it ranked #83 nationally (given to 5,675 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Leonardo · Lenard · Lenord · Leonarda · Lennard · Lenoard · Leanard · Lennart
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →