August
German form of Latin Augustus
“great, magnificent”
Mostly boys · Latin
“lion”
Say it LEE-ohPronunciation may vary by region.
A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for fourteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US. Brave but sparky, Leo has ranked in the Top 20 in the US, England and Wales, Armenia, Australia, Slovenia, Germany, Spain and beyond.
Derived from the Latin meaning "lion", Leo is one of those names, like Luke and Finn, that many people assume must be short for something but that is authentically a complete name in its own right. That said, Leo can but short for any number of names, from Leonardo in Latinate languages to Leon and Leopold in Germanic languages. We've even heard of little girl Leonoras and Leonies called Leo: How cute is that?
Leo's simplicity makes it an international star, ranking in the Top 100 in countries as diverse as Ireland and Israel, Spain and Sweden, Austria and Australia. Leo is a truly diverse name, a perfect choice for any family crossing countries or blending cultures.
A little perspective
Recorded US births over time
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 19 | 8,173 |
| 2025 | Girls | 5,492 | 23 |
| 2024 | Boys | 24 | 7,823 |
| 2024 | Girls | 6,550 | 18 |
| 2023 | Boys | 18 | 8,160 |
| 2023 | Girls | 4,818 | 28 |
| 2022 | Boys | 22 | 8,293 |
| 2022 | Girls | 4,423 | 32 |
| 2021 | Boys | 31 | 7,803 |
| 2021 | Girls | 4,373 | 32 |
| 2020 | Boys | 36 | 7,229 |
| 2020 | Girls | 4,405 | 31 |
| 2019 | Boys | 40 | 7,504 |
| 2019 | Girls | 5,723 | 22 |
| 2018 | Boys | 50 | 6,773 |
| 2018 | Girls | 6,410 | 19 |
| 2017 | Boys | 62 | 5,965 |
| 2017 | Girls | 6,979 | 17 |
| 2016 | Boys | 74 | 5,299 |
| 2016 | Girls | 8,679 | 13 |
| 2015 | Boys | 91 | 4,603 |
| 2015 | Girls | 9,872 | 11 |
| 2014 | Boys | 97 | 3,976 |
| 2014 | Girls | 7,506 | 16 |
Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.
No nicknames are listed yet. The name can stand beautifully on its own.
Keep the possibilities coming
More names with a similar feeling or shared roots.
German form of Latin Augustus
“great, magnificent”
English, diminutive of Charles, French from Ger…
“free man”
Hebrew
“Yahweh is God”
Hebrew
“help”
Latin
“happy, fortunate”
Irish, Scandinavian, Norse
“fair, white; from Finland”