Fun Facts About the Name Leto
- 143 babies named Leto: U.S. records list 143 babies given the name Leto from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Leto Mean?
Leto is a name from Greek, borne in myth by the Titaness who was mother of Apollo and Artemis. The meaning of the Greek form Lētō (Λητώ) is not securely established. One long-standing suggestion connects it to the Greek verb lanthanein or lēthō, meaning "to escape notice" or "to forget," which would give a sense such as "the hidden one" or "forgetful." Other scholars treat the name as pre-Greek, without a clear Greek etymology, and some have proposed a connection to Lycian, the language of a region where Leto was especially honored. Because these explanations compete and none is proven, the meaning remains uncertain.
Leto Name History & Origins
Leto belongs to Greek myth as one of the Titans, a daughter of Coeus and Phoebe. By Zeus she became the mother of the twins Apollo and Artemis; in the traditional account she wandered while pregnant and gave birth to them on the island of Delos. Her cult was widespread in the Greek world and was especially strong in Lycia, in southwestern Anatolia, where the sanctuary called the Letoon near Xanthos was dedicated to her. In Roman religion she was known as Latona, and it is this Latin form that carried her worship into later European traditions. As an English given name, Leto is uncommon; its modern appearance is often associated with Frank Herbert's Dune novels, beginning in 1965, which use Leto as a noble name. That literary use is separate from the name's ancient Greek origin.
How Popular is the Name Leto?
Leto has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #5,769 in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,314 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #5,784 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #5,819 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #5,769 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #7,914 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #11,427 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #9,399 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #9,362 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #9,358 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #11,548 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #10,291 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #10,359 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #8,524 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #10,449 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #13,221 | 5 | 0.0002% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Leto Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Leto's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Leto's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.