Declining since 2019, #1,992 for boys today.
Popularity of Leopold since 1880
Babies named Leopold per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2020, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Leopold's real moment was 1895.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 44 |
| 1890s | 62 |
| 1900s | 83 |
| 1910s | 468 |
| 1920s | 560 |
| 1930s | 268 |
| 1940s | 188 |
| 1950s | 185 |
| 1960s | 127 |
| 1970s | 125 |
| 1980s | 94 |
| 1990s | 124 |
| 2000s | 347 |
| 2010s | 808 |
| 2020s | 560 |
Meaning & origin
Leopold reached its all-time US peak in 1895 when it ranked 78th, making it a staple of late 19th-century naming. Since 2019, its trajectory has been falling, and in 2025 it sits at 1992nd with a frequency of 1 in 22,475 boys. The name is most common in Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York, reflecting its historical popularity in German-immigrant communities. Despite its royal pedigree across Europe, Leopold remains relatively rare in modern America, appealing to parents drawn to vintage, bold names.
Leopold derives from the Old High German elements 'liut' meaning 'people' and 'bald' meaning 'bold', thus 'bold among the people'. The name was borne by several Holy Roman Emperors and Austrian archdukes, most notably Leopold I. It gained some popularity in the English-speaking world in the 19th century, partly through the Belgian prince Leopold who later became King Leopold I of Belgium.
Where Leopold is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Leopold” around the world
Where Leopold lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
260
babies in 2024
Quebec
28
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Leo, Poldi
Sibling names for Leopold
Names that share Leopold's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Eleanor, Beatrice, Matilda, Amelia, Louisa, Hortense, Marceline, Charlaine, Clotilda, Gizella, Gloriana, Sidonia, Clothilde, Ermalinda, Grizelda, Hildagarde, Leathia, Sybilla, Hildagard, Huberta, Lucindia, Princetta, Renarda, Violanda
Brothers: Albert, Victor, Oscar, Felix, Rudolph, Alphonse, Baldemar, Constantine, Ferdinand, Raynard, Emmerich, Reinhardt, Theopolis, Alarick, Bertran, Romuald, Sigismund, Wenzel
