US Popularity:613
Origin:British
Other Origin(s):French, Greek, Latin
Meaning:Little lion, lion cub
Set baby up to be king of the playground with the name Leonel, a British baby boy name used widely across several languages, like Spanish and Portuguese. Leonel most commonly derives from the French name Lionel, meaning “lion cub” and has a flavorful, exotic sound to it. It can also be shortened to the trendy masculine nickname Leo, translating to “lion” in both Latin and Greek. Apart from its association with the Dancing on the Ceiling singer Lionel Richie and the big cats of the African savannah, Leo can also refer to the astrological sign of the same name and is a synchronistic choice for baby born in late August or early September.

Leonel Name Popularity Data

The Bump Ranking

Overall:Leonel is currently #1999 on The Bump
Boy:Leonel is currently #1126 on The Bump Boy Names

U.S. Births

Overall:Leonel is currently #613 in U.S. births
Boy:Leonel is currently #307 in U.S. births

Yearly Ranking Change:

Year:
2023
#307
in 2023
+ 20
from 2022
In comparison to the previous year's data
Sources
  • Behind the Name, Leonel, November 2020

  • Behind the Name, Lionel, December 2022

  • Behind the Name, Léon, June 2023

  • Behind the Name, Leon, June 2023

  • Name Doctor, Leonel

  • 100,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky, pg. 459

  • 100,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky, pg. 461

Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial process.

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