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WHAT’S IN A name? When it comes to the papacy – everything.
In modern times, adopting a papal name has been a way for the pope to set the tone of their papacy, and it’s also often a nod to the endevours of the pope who held that name before them.
After some initial misreporting about what his papal name would be – several news outlets incorrectly stated that he would be “Leon XIV” – it was confirmed yesterday that Cardinal Robert Prevost had chosen the name Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV’s name carries deep historical and symbolic significance – so, despite being known as a moderate, Cardinal Robert Prevost’s choice may be a good omen for progressives and trade unions.
The practice of choosing a papal name began in 533 AD with Pope John II, who changed his name from Mercurius to avoid the association with the Roman god Mercury.
This tradition has continued for centuries – the selection of a papal name is not dictated by canon law, but is a longstanding custom.
Popes often choose names that honor previous pontiffs, saints, or figures they admire, signalling their intended focus or mission.
For instance, Pope John Paul II chose his papal name in tribute to his predecessor.
Pope John Paul I is sometimes referred to as the September Pope, because he was elected pope on 26 August, 1978 and died a mere 33 days later on 28 September.
The name chosen by John Paul II also combined the names of his predecessors John XXIII and Paul VI in order to emphasise continuity.
In recent years, the choice of a papal name has become a powerful way for a new pope to signal the themes and priorities of his leadership.
Pope Francis, for example, selected his name to reflect a commitment to humility and social justice, drawing inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi.
There hasn’t been a Pope Leo in more than 120 years, but the last one, Pope Leo XIII, is best remembered for his ‘Rerum Novarum’ document – which explicitly outlined workers rights to a fair wage, safe working conditions and the right to belong to a trade union.
Commonly known by the title ‘On the Condition of the Working Classes’, the lengthy ‘Rerum Novarum’ sets out a body of papal teaching in response to the state of industrial society in the late 19th century.
In doing so, Leo XIII, who reigned as pope from 1878 to 1903, has shaped Catholic social teaching ever since. He has been labelled the founding father of Catholic social doctrine in modern times.
It’s not entirely appropriate to project the issues of Leo XIII’s era onto today. In the late 19th century, industrialisation was reshaping society, many nations were undergoing or emerging from intense social upheaval, and the papacy had been largely inward-looking.
Though not progressive by today’s standards, Leo XIII was considered a groundbreaking figure within the Church at the time, particularly for his stance on workers’ rights.
So, as a number of religious affairs columnists have noted, if Pope Francis was the ‘people’s Pope’, then Leo XIV is all set to be the ‘workers Pope’ if he emulates his previous namesake.
Another predecessor, Pope Leo I, was known for repelling the barbarian invasion of Rome by Atilla the Hun in the year 452, dissuading him from sacking the city through diplomacy according to historical reports.
Prevost may also be harkening back to this Leo with his chosen name - it may symbolically mean that he intends to stand up to oppressive political forces in the world.
That being said, Pope Leo XII was an ultra-conservative who brought in laws forbidding Jewish people from owning property within the Papal States of Italy.
Pope Leo XI was best known for lasting a whopping 26 days in office before his death, and Pope Leo X was the one in charge when Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to a church law and launched the Protestant Reformation.
So, hopefully, Leo XIV isn’t looking to emulate all of his predecessors.
Here is the official record confirming that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost accepted the election canonically making him Supreme Pontiff and the name he has chosen.
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 9, 2025
The document was drawn up by the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Monsignor Diego Giovanni Ravelli,… pic.twitter.com/ZTpgS7ZweI
Unfortunately, many onlookers in the English-speaking world were given the wrong name of the new pontiff as he emerged on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica yesterday evening.
Shortly after the new pope was confirmed to be Cardinal Robert Prevost, BBC News alerted to their app users that he “will be known as Pope Leon XIV”.
It was a simple mistake made by several other news outlets, as Pope Leo’s name was initially announced by Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti in Italian - Papa Leone.
The English version of the name is Leo.
The BBC were quick to issue a correction on the name.
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