The story behind Napoleon
From French Napoléon, from Italian Napoleone, name of an early saint, of uncertain origin; possibly from the Germanic clan name Nibelung. By folk etymology explained as Napoli (“Naples”) + leone (“lion”).
Other language forms and explanations (2)
Czech entry
Borrowed from French Napoléon.
Polish entry
Borrowed from French Napoléon, from Italian Napoleone.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /nəˈpəʊ.li.ən/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Czech: [ˈnapolɛon]
- Polish: /na.pɔˈlɛ.ɔn/
Popularity
Napoleon ranked #4651 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Napoleon
Napoleón
a male given name from French, equivalent to English Napoleon
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Napoléon
Borrowed from Italian Napoleone.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Algernon
From Old French als gernons (“having mustaches”), from als (contraction of a and les) + gernon, variant of grenon (“mustache”), from Vulgar Latin *granonem (“facial hair,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Celestin
Borrowed from French Célestin, from célestin (“celestine”). Doublet of Celestine.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Madelyn
An alteration of Madeline with -lyn.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Xemartin
From French Saint-Martin.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Napoleon
Adele
Borrowed from French Adèle, equivalent of Adela, from a Germanic root meaning “noble”. Compare athel, German edel, Old English æþele. From French Adèle. Borrowed from French…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aida
Borrowed from Italian Aida, made famous by Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida, which premiered in 1871. From Italian Aida.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aída
Borrowed from Italian Aida.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Napoleon
Abelardo
Borrowed from French Abélard.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abraham
Middle English Abraham English Abraham From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Adelajda
Borrowed from French Adélaïde.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length