| Leo | Oliver | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Lion | Olive tree |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | LEE-oh | OL-iv-er |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2022 (8,293) | 2024 (15,396) |
| In 2025 | 8,173 | 14,939 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Leo | Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 47,481 | 89,293 |
| 2010s | 44,706 | 98,160 |
| 2000s | 12,274 | 20,935 |
| 1990s | 4,738 | 6,570 |
| 1980s | 4,541 | 4,153 |
| 1970s | 5,365 | 3,732 |
| 1960s | 9,487 | 3,340 |
| 1950s | 15,536 | 4,987 |
| 1940s | 16,962 | 6,057 |
| 1930s | 22,864 | 6,709 |
| 1920s | 36,960 | 10,900 |
| 1910s | 26,656 | 8,657 |
| 1900s | 5,629 | 2,088 |
| 1890s | 4,691 | 2,035 |
| 1880s | 2,098 | 2,287 |
Leo is the Latin word for “lion,” long associated with courage and strength, and shared with the zodiac sign.
Oliver is usually traced to the Latin oliva, “olive tree” — a long-standing symbol of peace — though some scholars link it to the Norse Áleifr (an ancestor of Olaf).
Oliver is more popular than Leo today: about 14,939 US babies were given the name Oliver in 2025, compared with 8,173 named Leo.
Leo means Lion (Latin origin), while Oliver means Olive tree (Latin origin).
In US records, Leo first appears in 1880 and Oliver in 1880, so Leo has the longer recorded history.