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