Leon comes from the Greek word leon and means "lion", a symbol of strength and courage since antiquity. It was the name of thirteen popes and several Byzantine emperors, and today it is one of the most popular boys' names in Germany. In the United States Leon ranked 500th in 2000 and has climbed almost every year since 2015, from number 314 to number 138 in 2025, its best position in this century.