Why Pope chose a historic name Leo XIV and what it means for the Catholic Church

Dubai: Cardinal Robert Prevost has taken the name Leo XIV, becoming the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Aged 69, Pope Leo XIV spent much of his vocation as a missionary in Peru and later led the Vatican’s influential office of bishops.

His choice of papal name — Leo — reflects both tradition and personal vision, a practice rooted deeply in Church history.

There are no official rules for selecting a papal name, but the choice often signals the new pope’s inspiration and intended direction.

“The name a pope takes is an indicator of his spirit, vision, and theological emphasis,” Dennis Doyle, theologian and professor emeritus at the University of Dayton, told CBS News.

He noted that one of the first things scholars consider is which previous popes shared the name, as that often provides clues about the new pontiff’s focus.

"Pope Leo" has been a popular choice, taken 13 times before. The last was Pope Leo XIII, who served from 1878 to 1903.

What's in a name?

The previous Leos were reformers, including Pope Leo XIII, elected in 1878.

His encyclical Rerum novarum spoke of human dignity and the dignity of labour, Rev. Christopher Robinson, part of the religious studies faculty of DePaul University, told Washington Post.

“By picking the name Leo XIV, he shows he is committed to the social teaching of the church, which was made foundational by his predecessor Leo XIII,” the Rev. Thomas Reese, a US priest and expert on the Vatican, of the new pope.

Popes have been selecting papal names for centuries.

They are often drawn to similar names, usually those of previous pontiffs they would like to emulate. There have been a lot of John fans — at least 21 popes have used the name (23 if you count two "John Pauls").

For Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, that name was Francis, chosen for St. Francis of Assisi, “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation,” he told reporters in 2013, shortly after his election.

The name dovetailed with his vision for the church: “How I would like a Church which is poor and for the poor,” he said.

Some papal names carry multiple references.

Pope Benedict XVI, for instance, honored both Benedict XV — who led the Church during World War I — and St. Benedict of Nursia, founder of the Benedictine Order.

Here are the most frequently chosen papal names:

• John: 23 times

• Benedict: 16 times

• Gregory: 16 times

• Clement: 14 times

• Leo: 14 times (including Leo XIV)

• Innocent: 13 times

• Pius: 12 times

Changing names wasn’t always standard practice. Out of 266 popes, only 129 have taken new names.

The tradition solidified in the 11th century, often reflecting continuity with early bishops or honouring the pope who elevated them to cardinal.

As as signal of papacy

Since the mid-20th century, however, popes have increasingly chosen names to signal the vision and message of their papacy.

Interestingly, some biblical names — such as Joseph, James, and Andrew — have never been used.

And no pope has ever taken the name Peter, out of reverence for Saint Peter, the apostle considered the Church’s first leader.