Leo in Chinese
How to write Leo in Chinese, how to say it, and real Chinese names that sound like it.
Leo, written by sound
利奥
Lì'ào
- 利lì“sharp; gain”
- 奥ào“deep, hidden”
This is how Leo is written by sound: in the news, on maps and in translated books. Each character is there for its sound, so their meanings don't add up to anything.
You'll also see 里奥, the everyday spelling.
But it isn't a Chinese name. Chinese parents choose a name for what it means, like the ones below.
Real Chinese names that sound like Leo
Each one echoes the sound of Leo and means something good on its own. Tap the buttons to hear a character, watch it written, or write it yourself.
Cute name
磊磊Lěilěi
solid as rocks
lěi
open-hearted (stones)
lěi
open-hearted (stones)
Cute name
乐乐Lèlè
happy
lè
happy
lè
happy
More Chinese names for Leo
Not as close to Leo in sound, but each one is a real name with a meaning of its own.
Poetic name
千里Qiānlǐ
a thousand miles
qiān
thousand
lǐ
mile (li)
Stroke order follows the mainland China standard; a few characters are written differently in Taiwan.
Get your own Chinese name
Leo, get eight real names in the style you like (classic, poetic, wuxia…) and pick the one that feels like you. It takes a minute.
How Chinese names work
The family name comes first, and it is almost always one character: 王 Wáng, 李 Lǐ, 林 Lín. A few have two, like 欧阳 Ōuyáng.
The given name follows: one or two characters, chosen for what they mean. A virtue, a flower, a wish from the parents.
So with a family name in front, 磊磊 becomes a full name such as 林磊磊 (Lín Lěilěi).
About the name Leo
In the US, Leo was the 91st most popular boys’ name of the 2010s. In 2025 it is number 19. In England and Wales it was number 210 in 1996 and is number 3 in 2025.
Sources: US Social Security Administration, Office for National Statistics (UK).