What does Leon mean?
Léon comes from the Latin and Greek for “lion.”
What does Leroy mean?
From the Old French 'le roi', meaning 'the king', originally a Norman nickname or occupational byname. A literal 'the king' name.
Leon vs Leroy
Which is more popular?
Leon is more popular than Leroy today: about 2,583 US babies were given the name Leon in 2025, compared with 0 named Leroy.
| Leon | Leroy | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Lion | the king |
| Origin | French | french |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | lay-OHN | luh-ROY |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 0 |
| Peak year | 1924 (2,677) | 1924 (3,922) |
| In 2025 | 2,583 | 0 |
| Trend | Rising | Vintage |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Leon
Leroy
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Leon | Leroy |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 14,110 | 1,596 |
| 2010s | 11,768 | 2,173 |
| 2000s | 5,062 | 2,159 |
| 1990s | 5,176 | 3,554 |
| 1980s | 7,627 | 5,600 |
| 1970s | 9,854 | 8,408 |
| 1960s | 13,823 | 15,220 |
| 1950s | 21,341 | 24,588 |
| 1940s | 23,578 | 33,864 |
| 1930s | 23,005 | 36,255 |
| 1920s | 25,577 | 37,871 |
| 1910s | 15,280 | 21,275 |
| 1900s | 2,859 | 4,300 |
| 1890s | 2,103 | 2,544 |
| 1880s | 1,475 | 1,574 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leon or Leroy more popular?
Leon is more popular than Leroy today: about 2,583 US babies were given the name Leon in 2025, compared with 0 named Leroy.
What is the difference between Leon and Leroy?
Leon means Lion (French origin), while Leroy means the king (french origin).
Which name is older, Leon or Leroy?
In US records, Leon first appears in 1880 and Leroy in 0, so Leroy has the longer recorded history.