What does Leon mean?
Léon comes from the Latin and Greek for “lion.”
What does Raphael mean?
Raphaël is the French form of Raphael, “God has healed.”
Leon vs Raphael
Which is more popular?
Leon is more popular than Raphael today: about 2,583 US babies were given the name Leon in 2025, compared with 807 named Raphael.
| Leon | Raphael | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Lion | God has healed |
| Origin | French | French |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | lay-OHN | rah-fah-EL |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1882 |
| Peak year | 1924 (2,677) | 2025 (807) |
| In 2025 | 2,583 | 807 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Leon
Raphael
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Leon | Raphael |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 14,110 | 3,992 |
| 2010s | 11,768 | 4,722 |
| 2000s | 5,062 | 3,173 |
| 1990s | 5,176 | 2,952 |
| 1980s | 7,627 | 2,286 |
| 1970s | 9,854 | 1,762 |
| 1960s | 13,823 | 1,107 |
| 1950s | 21,341 | 893 |
| 1940s | 23,578 | 655 |
| 1930s | 23,005 | 688 |
| 1920s | 25,577 | 1,001 |
| 1910s | 15,280 | 767 |
| 1900s | 2,859 | 136 |
| 1890s | 2,103 | 96 |
| 1880s | 1,475 | 28 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leon or Raphael more popular?
Leon is more popular than Raphael today: about 2,583 US babies were given the name Leon in 2025, compared with 807 named Raphael.
What is the difference between Leon and Raphael?
Leon means Lion (French origin), while Raphael means God has healed (French origin).
Which name is older, Leon or Raphael?
In US records, Leon first appears in 1880 and Raphael in 1882, so Leon has the longer recorded history.