Leonel first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Leonel has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Leonel

A masculine name of French origin meaning "little lion".

Popularity of Leonel by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Leonel is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Leonel being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,070 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Leonel.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 1,070 0
2022 1,028 0
2021 866 0
2020 929 0
2019 972 0
2018 922 0
2017 903 0
2016 890 0
2015 821 0
2014 709 0
2013 606 0
2012 618 0
2011 581 0
2010 594 0
2009 578 0
2008 572 0
2007 554 0
2006 578 0
2005 633 0
2004 535 0
2003 447 0
2002 407 0
2001 410 0
2000 423 0
1999 373 0
1998 351 0
1997 303 0
1996 325 0
1995 301 0
1994 320 0
1993 325 5
1992 320 0
1991 307 0
1990 266 0
1989 254 0
1988 221 0
1987 204 0
1986 205 0
1985 183 0
1984 168 0
1983 148 0
1982 177 0
1981 171 0
1980 155 0
1979 139 0
1978 129 0
1977 98 0
1976 117 0
1975 122 0
1974 102 0

The history of the first name Leonel

The name Leonel is derived from the Greek name Leonidas, which means "son of the lion". It is a compound name formed from the Greek words "leon" meaning lion and the genitive suffix "-idas" meaning son of.

The name Leonidas was famously borne by the legendary king of Sparta who led the Spartan forces against the Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. His name and story have been immortalized in ancient Greek texts and histories.

The name Leonel is a romantic variation of the name Leonidas, popularized during the medieval period in parts of Europe, particularly in Spain and France. It is believed to have been introduced to these regions through the influence of classical Greek literature and culture.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Leonel can be found in the 14th century, when it was borne by Leonel of Antwerp, also known as Leonel of Anjou (1339-1368), a son of King Edward III of England and a prominent figure during the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable bearer of the name was Leonel Tomeu (1456-1531), a Catalan humanist, philosopher, and writer who was a pioneer of the Renaissance in Spain.

In the 16th century, Leonel de Cervantes (1510-1587) was a Spanish painter and sculptor who worked in the Mannerist style and was known for his religious paintings and sculptures.

Leonel Messi (1564-1623) was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, known for his sacred music and madrigals.

In the 19th century, Leonel Rivière (1838-1892) was a French artist and illustrator, renowned for his paintings and illustrations of rural life in Brittany.

While the name Leonel has been used throughout history, it has remained relatively uncommon compared to other variations such as Leon or Leonardo. However, it has endured as a distinctive and meaningful name with its roots in ancient Greek mythology and European history.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Leonel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Leonel, please contact us.

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"Leonel first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/leonel-meaning-and-history/.

"Leonel first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/leonel-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Leonel first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/leonel-meaning-and-history/.

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