Leonardo
Boy name · #91 in 2025 · Uniqueness 44/100
Leonardo ranks #91 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 3,789 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #103, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 475 boys born in 2025 was named Leonardo.
Babies named Leonardo per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 140-year story
Leonardo first appears in the Social Security records in 1885, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 4,427 boys were named Leonardo — good for #86 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Leonardo against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leonardo in class?
Leonardo scores 44 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Leonardo is most common
Geography matters for names, and Leonardo is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Leonardos were CA (838), TX (720), FL (244), NY (207), IL (203). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Leonardo
Statistically, parents drawn to Leonardo tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lorenzo, Emiliano, Lincoln, Harrison, and Luciano.
LorenzoEmilianoLincolnHarrisonLucianoEmilioJamesonMatteo
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leonardo | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,789 | #91 |
| 2024 | 3,966 | #84 |
| 2023 | 4,030 | #84 |
| 2022 | 4,367 | #75 |
| 2021 | 4,105 | #87 |
| 2020 | 4,104 | #86 |
| 2019 | 4,427 | #86 |
| 2018 | 4,223 | #93 |
| 2017 | 4,131 | #97 |
| 2016 | 4,325 | #96 |
| 2015 | 3,823 | #103 |
| 2014 | 3,450 | #114 |
| 2013 | 2,909 | #131 |
| 2012 | 2,684 | #152 |
| 2011 | 2,641 | #149 |
| 2010 | 2,617 | #150 |
| 2009 | 2,368 | #164 |
| 2008 | 2,346 | #168 |
| 2007 | 2,527 | #164 |
| 2006 | 2,187 | #183 |
| 2005 | 2,146 | #186 |
| 2004 | 1,964 | #195 |
| 2003 | 1,708 | #211 |
| 2002 | 1,460 | #230 |
| 2001 | 1,453 | #234 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leonardo a popular boy name?
Leonardo ranked #91 among boys in 2025 with 3,789 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #103.
When was the name Leonardo most popular?
Leonardo peaked in 2019, when 4,427 American boys received the name (ranked #86 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Leonardo?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 475 newborn American boys was named Leonardo. It scores 44/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.