| Leo | Patrick | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Lion | Nobleman |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | LEE-oh | PAT-rik |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2022 (8,293) | 1964 (14,692) |
| In 2025 | 8,173 | 1,495 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Leo | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 47,481 | 10,101 |
| 2010s | 44,706 | 25,312 |
| 2000s | 12,274 | 44,782 |
| 1990s | 4,738 | 92,931 |
| 1980s | 4,541 | 111,408 |
| 1970s | 5,365 | 91,240 |
| 1960s | 9,487 | 122,717 |
| 1950s | 15,536 | 96,851 |
| 1940s | 16,962 | 48,619 |
| 1930s | 22,864 | 18,390 |
| 1920s | 36,960 | 11,460 |
| 1910s | 26,656 | 6,120 |
| 1900s | 5,629 | 2,141 |
| 1890s | 4,691 | 2,233 |
| 1880s | 2,098 | 2,285 |
Leo is the Latin word for “lion,” long associated with courage and strength, and shared with the zodiac sign.
Patrick comes from the Latin patricius, “nobleman, patrician.” St Patrick, the 5th-century missionary, is the patron saint of Ireland, and the name is deeply Irish.
Leo is more popular than Patrick today: about 8,173 US babies were given the name Leo in 2025, compared with 1,495 named Patrick.
Leo means Lion (Latin origin), while Patrick means Nobleman (Latin origin).
In US records, Leo first appears in 1880 and Patrick in 1880, so Leo has the longer recorded history.