
The short answer
Leonidas is a masculine name used in Greek and Ancient Greek. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning ‘lion’ combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). Leonidas was a Spartan king of the 5th century BC who sacrificed his life and his army defending the pass of Thermopylae from the Persians." It ranked #510 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning ‘lion’ combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). Leonidas was a Spartan king of the 5th century BC who sacrificed his life and his army defending the pass of Thermopylae from the Persians. The entry lists its usage as Greek, Ancient Greek.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Leonidas ranked #510 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 | #510 | ssa-2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Leonidas mean?
Behind the Name does not give Leonidas a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: derived from Greek λέων.
Is Leonidas a popular name?
Leonidas ranked #510 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Leonidas a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Leonidas appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Leonidas — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.