Leon sits comfortably in the UK charts at #101 in 2025 — recognisable but not overwhelming. Your child may occasionally share their name.
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UK Rank 2025
#101
US Rank #138
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About the Name Leon
Leon ranked #101 in 2025, down from its peak of #60 in 2009 โ still a familiar name, but past its high point. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 26 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 โ a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
Leon is fairly common in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Leon in their class.
In the US it sits at #141 โ notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
โญ Famous People Named Leon
Leon Wilkeson โ Leon Russell Wilkeson was an American musician.
Leon Black โ Leon David Black is an American private equity investor.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Leon
Unlikely. With around 526 UK babies named Leon per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Leon in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Leon has been fairly steady, ranked #101 in 2025 against #93 in 2020. Its best recorded position was #60 in 2009.
Leon is more popular in the UK (#100) than in the US (#141). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Leon include: Richard J. Leon, Leon Black and Leon Panetta. Short summaries for each appear below.
Leon appears in the US top 500 at #141 in 2024 โ moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
526
UK babies named Leon (2025)
~0.0
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.3
In a school of 600
↓ 8 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Leon
Almost certainly the only Leon in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Leon
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Leon Edward Panetta is an American retired politician and government official who served under several Democratic administrations as Secretary of Defense, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, White House Chief of Staff, director of the Office of Management and Budget, as well as a U.S. representative from California.