Leonia
A feminine name derived from Greek roots meaning "lionlike" or "brave".
Name Census estimates that about 368 living Americans carry the first name Leonia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Leonia today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leonia births was 1918 (41 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leonia. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Leonia is about 65 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Leonias were born before 1971.
People living today
368
~ 1 in 931,398 Americans
Peak year
1918
41 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
2021 SSA rank
#16,665
Tracked since 1882
Popularity
Leonia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leonia from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 315 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leonia by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Leonia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Leonias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia recorded the most babies named Leonia, while Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 26 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Leonia
The name Leonia has its origins in the ancient Greek language. It is believed to have derived from the Greek word "leōn," which means "lion." This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with strength, courage, and nobility, characteristics that were often symbolized by the lion in ancient Greek mythology and culture.
In the early days of Christianity, the name Leonia gained popularity as it was borne by several early Christian saints and martyrs. One of the most notable was Saint Leonia, a 3rd-century martyr who was executed during the Roman persecution of Christians under the reign of Emperor Diocletian.
Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, the name Leonia was prevalent in various parts of Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain. It was often given to daughters of noble families, indicating a connection to the lion as a symbol of bravery and regal bearing.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Leonia can be found in the writings of the 12th-century Italian philosopher and theologian, Peter Abelard, who mentioned a woman named Leonia in his letters.
Leonia Michiel, a Venetian noblewoman born in 1508, was a prominent figure during the Renaissance. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of artists like Titian and Veronese.
In the 19th century, Leonia Shee, an Irish painter born in 1815, gained recognition for her portraits and historical paintings. She exhibited at the Royal Academy in London and was a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy.
Another notable bearer of the name was Leonia Jennie Piper, an American writer and spiritualist born in 1859. She was known for her alleged psychic abilities and was studied extensively by researchers in the field of parapsychology.
Leonia Massine, a Russian ballerina born in 1905, was a prominent figure in the world of dance. She performed with the prestigious Ballets Russes and was celebrated for her grace and technique.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Leonia, each contributing to its rich legacy and cultural significance across various fields and eras.
People
Leonia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leonia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leonia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leonia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 368 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leonia going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 931,398 US residents.
Is Leonia a common name?
We classify Leonia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,567 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leonia most popular?
The single biggest year for Leonia was 1918, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leonia is about 65 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Leonia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leonia in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.