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Home › Baby Names Directory › Leonid

Leonid

♂ Boy

Pronounced LAY-oh-nid /ˈleɪ.oʊ.nɪd/Medium

Meaning: Russian form of Leonidas — from Greek leon, 'lion' — 'son of the lion, lion-like'High

In 30 seconds: Lion-hearted and Russian: Leonid is the Slavic Leonidas — 'lion-like' (Spartan king Leonidas; cosmonaut Leonid). Strong, classic, and bold.
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Origin HighGreek, Russian
MeaningRussian form of Leonidas — from Greek leon, 'lion' — 'son of the lion, lion-like'
U.S. rank (2025)#5746 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births16 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 494

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219592025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Leonid is the Russian form of Leonidas — from Greek leon, 'lion' — 'son of the lion, lion-like'. A strong, classic name across Russia (Leonid the cosmonaut, the Leonid meteors).

In the U.S. it appears in Slavic families. Rare, lion at the root, and bold.

Did you know? Leonid is the Russian form of Leonidas, from Greek leon, 'lion' — borne by the Spartan king and cosmonaut Leonid; strong and heroic.
Overall data confidence 82%
Behind the Name — Leonid — etymology

Variations

LeonidasLyonya

Nicknames

LyonyaLeo

Famous Bearers

  • ★Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982)
    Soviet statesman who led the USSR as General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1964 to 1982
  • ★Leonid Kravchuk (1934-2022)
    First President of independent Ukraine, serving from 1991 to 1994
  • ★Leonid Hurwicz (1917-2008)
    Polish-American economist who won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2007 for mechanism design theory
  • ★Leonid Kutsenko (1946-)
    Soviet/Russian actor known for roles in numerous Russian films and television series

If you like Leonid…

Leonidas— the Greek form
Leo— a fellow lion-name
Leon— the 'lion' relative
Lev— the Russian 'lion' name

Explore names like Leonid

By themegreekrussianstrength
By meaningLion

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Leonid mean?

Leonid is the Russian Leonidas, from Greek leon — 'lion, lion-like'.

How do you pronounce Leonid?

It's said LAY-oh-nid /ˈleɪ.oʊ.nɪd/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Leonid a boy or girl name?

Leonid is a boy's name.

How popular is Leonid?

Leonid is a rare name in the U.S.

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