How to say it
le · o · NAR · do
ˌli.əˈnɑr.doʊ
Masculine
Leonardo
Brave lion
What it means
Italianized Germanic name from leon ('lion') + hard ('brave, hardy'). Two of the most-recognized Leonardos in history come from Italy: da Vinci and DiCaprio.
Leonardo is the Italian and Spanish form of the Germanic Leonhard (leon 'lion' + hard 'brave'). It entered Latin through medieval saints, including Saint Leonard of Noblac, a 6th-century French monk and patron of prisoners. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) made the form globally recognizable; Leonardo DiCaprio gave it modern Hollywood currency. In the US the name surged with both Latin American immigration patterns and the Renaissance-art association. Leo is the common short, used widely as a given name in its own right. Lenny and Leon also circulate.
How to spell Leonardo
The standard spelling is Leonardo. Common variants include Leonard, Leonhard, Leonardo, but Leonardo is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #75 in 2022, currently #91 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Leo is the universal short and a fully standalone name. Lenny and Leon also circulate.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Leonardo da Vinci Italian Renaissance polymath, painter of the Mona Lisa
- Leonardo DiCaprio American actor, Titanic and The Revenant (Oscar)
Spelling variants
- Leonard
- Leonhard
- Leonardo
Names with the same feeling
See Leonardo from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Leonardo mean?
- Italianized Germanic name from leon ('lion') + hard ('brave, hardy'). Two of the most-recognized Leonardos in history come from Italy: da Vinci and DiCaprio.
- What does Leonardo mean in Germanic?
- In Germanic, Leonardo means "Brave lion." Leonardo is the Italian and Spanish form of the Germanic Leonhard (leon 'lion' + hard 'brave'). It entered Latin through medieval saints, including Saint Leonard of Noblac, a 6th-century French monk and patron of prisoners. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) made the form globally recognizable; Leonardo DiCaprio gave it modern Hollywood currency. In the US the name surged with both Latin American immigration patterns and the Renaissance-art association. Leo is the common short, used widely as a given name in its own right. Lenny and Leon also circulate.
- How do you pronounce Leonardo?
- Leonardo is pronounced ˌli.əˈnɑr.doʊ. Say it as le-o-NAR-do, with the stress on the "nar" syllable.
- How do you spell Leonardo?
- The standard spelling is Leonardo. Common spelling variants include Leonard, Leonhard, Leonardo.
- Is Leonardo a boy or girl name?
- Leonardo is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Leonardo?
- Leonardo ranked #91 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.