Pope Leo XIV, elected on May 8, has turned attention to a historically popular name, Leo. Naming consultant Colleen Slagen notes that Leo differs from traditional papal names and aligns with current trends in baby naming. NBC News' analyst George Weigel suggests Leo's choice might honor Pope Leo XIII for his support of the Church in the U.S. The name Leo has seen a resurgence in popularity since 2014, partly due to its appealing qualities, as highlighted in recent Social Security Administration data.
"It's one of the first pope names in a while that's very trendy, compared to John and Paul and Benedict and Francis," says baby naming consultant Colleen Slagen.
NBC News' senior Vatican analyst George Weigel previously noted that perhaps it was in honor of Pope Leo XIII, 'the first pope to address a particular set of letters to the church in the United States.'
According to data from the Social Security Administration, Leo ranked in the 100 most popular baby names from 1900 to 1937 and began to rise again into the top 100 starting in 2014.
Slagen explains names ending in 'o' are currently popular, along with 'soft-sounding, short, wearable, vowel-heavy names,' making Leo resonate with contemporary parents.
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