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