
The short answer
Leonel is a masculine name used in Spanish and Portuguese. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Spanish and Portuguese form of Lionel." It ranked #350 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, spanish and Portuguese form of Lionel. The entry lists its usage as Spanish, Portuguese.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Leonel ranked #350 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #350 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Spanish) and that sit near Leonel in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Leonel mean?
Behind the Name does not give Leonel a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: spanish and Portuguese form of Lionel.
Is Leonel a popular name?
Leonel ranked #350 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Leonel a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Leonel appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Leonel — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.