He’s undeniably regal, but somehow manages to sound brainy, too.

Today’s Name of the Day goes out to Lola’s firstborn: Leo.

Leo can be a short form of a dozen names, from the obscure to the ordinary, including:

• Leonidas, an ancient king of Sparta;
• Leonardo, between da Vinci and DiCaprio, a surprisingly popular pick in recent years;
• Leofwin, common in Old English but perhaps best saved for medieval re-enactors today;
• Leonard, with apologies to Mr. Cohen, this one doesn’t seem quite cool;
• Leon, which we once would’ve dismissed, but any Jolie-Pitt kid name promises to rise;
• Leopold, a saint’s name also worn by the rulers of Austria.

There are a few more, but we also think Leo wears well on his own.  Statistics agree with us – in the US, the short form ranks #238, far ahead of any other elaboration.

Anyone who’s read their horoscope probably knows that Leo means lion.  It’s derived from the Latin leonem, probably from Hebrew – labi – or possibly Egyptian – labai.  The link between leo the lion and Leo the ruler stems both from actual bearers of the name who held power, but also from an older sense of the word.  From the Middle Ages on, if you were called a lion, it was a positive comment about your bravery – think of King Richard the Lionheart.

Well before the Middle Ages, there had been a notable Leo.  Pope Saint Leo the Great held office in the 400s.  Among other accomplishments – centralizing the church, straightening out some thorny theological matters – this Leo managed to convince Attila the Hun to turn back and spare Rome.  Legend has it that Leo intimidated the Hun, possibly with an otherworldly vision; historians counter that the warrior’s armies were already stretched thin as they neared Rome and Attila was happy to withdraw.  It was quite the feat in any case, and a dozen future popes would adopt the name, most recently in the 1800s.

Leo was also popular among monarchs, especially in Armenia, and a fifth century Byzantine Emperor.

Among the best known Leos in pop culture are the MGM lions, who have roared at the start of countless films since 1924.  (The original cat was actually named Slats; not until 1950 did they employ a spokeslion named Leo.)

But Leos haven’t been all flash and power.  The creative force of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy lends the name a literary, brainy air.  And, of course, Leo is undeniably a throwback – he was most popular a century back, ranking in the US Top 50 most years from 1890 to 1924.  You’ll find characters like Jerry Seinfeld’s eccentric Uncle Leo that lend the name a daffy, dated air.

Overall, we think Leo’s a winner.  He fits right in with many of the most current throwback choices, and that vibrant “o” ending makes him quite distinctive.  He’s popular in Sweden, Norway and the UK, too.  Should your son be born in late July or August, he could actually wear his zodiac sign as a given name.  But even if he arrives in the chill of winter, it’s a friendly, interesting choice that manages to be powerful and masculine in a completely unexpected way.