| Julian | Leo | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Youthful | Lion |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | JOO-lee-un | LEE-oh |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2017 (8,455) | 2022 (8,293) |
| In 2025 | 7,603 | 8,173 |
| Trend | Steady | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Julian | Leo |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 44,640 | 47,481 |
| 2010s | 79,530 | 44,706 |
| 2000s | 60,391 | 12,274 |
| 1990s | 27,674 | 4,738 |
| 1980s | 12,933 | 4,541 |
| 1970s | 6,800 | 5,365 |
| 1960s | 4,835 | 9,487 |
| 1950s | 4,827 | 15,536 |
| 1940s | 5,157 | 16,962 |
| 1930s | 4,860 | 22,864 |
| 1920s | 6,897 | 36,960 |
| 1910s | 4,650 | 26,656 |
| 1900s | 793 | 5,629 |
| 1890s | 558 | 4,691 |
| 1880s | 440 | 2,098 |
Julian comes from the Latin Julianus, from the family name Julius. Borne by saints and by the Roman emperor known as Julian the Apostate.
Leo is the Latin word for “lion,” long associated with courage and strength, and shared with the zodiac sign.
Leo is more popular than Julian today: about 8,173 US babies were given the name Leo in 2025, compared with 7,603 named Julian.
Julian means Youthful (Latin origin), while Leo means Lion (Latin origin).
In US records, Julian first appears in 1880 and Leo in 1880, so Julian has the longer recorded history.