Leonard
Boy name · #637 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
Leonard ranks #637 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 438 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #650, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,110 boys born in 2025 was named Leonard.
The 145-year story
Leonard first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 200 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 5,650 boys were named Leonard — good for #39 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Leonard per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Leonard against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leonard in class?
Leonard scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Leonard is most common
Geography matters for names, and Leonard is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Leonards were CA (42), NY (28), FL (25), MN (22), TX (22). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Leonard
Statistically, parents drawn to Leonard tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Howard, Bernard, Edward, Clifford, and Raymond.
HowardBernardEdwardCliffordRaymondRichardRolandAlfred
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leonard | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 438 | #637 |
| 2024 | 409 | #670 |
| 2023 | 384 | #692 |
| 2022 | 373 | #707 |
| 2021 | 421 | #650 |
| 2020 | 421 | #635 |
| 2019 | 443 | #614 |
| 2018 | 417 | #635 |
| 2017 | 437 | #605 |
| 2016 | 450 | #598 |
| 2015 | 400 | #650 |
| 2014 | 385 | #666 |
| 2013 | 349 | #685 |
| 2012 | 338 | #703 |
| 2011 | 326 | #703 |
| 2010 | 388 | #626 |
| 2009 | 323 | #727 |
| 2008 | 400 | #619 |
| 2007 | 356 | #672 |
| 2006 | 384 | #618 |
| 2005 | 385 | #587 |
| 2004 | 385 | #579 |
| 2003 | 402 | #559 |
| 2002 | 396 | #562 |
| 2001 | 436 | #517 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leonard a popular boy name?
Leonard ranked #637 among boys in 2025 with 438 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #650.
When was the name Leonard most popular?
Leonard peaked in 1921, when 5,650 American boys received the name (ranked #39 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Leonard?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,110 newborn American boys was named Leonard. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.