Pope Leo XIV will be the new name for Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was elected pope.

The 69-year-old will preside over the 1.4 billion members of the Catholic Church’s global community and is the first American to hold the position of pope.

He was born in Chicago, is regarded as a reformer, and served as a missionary in Peru for many years before being appointed archbishop.

He is also a Peruvian national and is well-known for working with underserved groups and fostering unity within the local church.

For what reason do popes select different names?
Changing their baptismal name is one of the first things a new pope does.

Although the choice is based on a long-standing custom, things haven’t always been that way.

Popes used their own names for over 500 years.

Then, to make their given names simpler or to allude to earlier popes, they adopted symbolic names.

Popes have frequently chosen the names of their immediate or distant predecessors over the years out of respect or admiration, as well as to indicate their intention to continue the most pertinent pontificates and follow in their footsteps.

Pope Francis, for instance, claimed that his name honored St. Francis of Assisi and that he was influenced by Cardinal Claudio Hummes, a friend from Brazil.

Why did the new Pope decide to name him Leo XIV?
The new pope has not yet explained his decision to adopt the name Pope Leo XIV.

Numerous popes have used the name Leo over the years, though there may be a variety of explanations.

Between 440 and 461 AD, Pope Leo I—also called St. Leo the Great—served as pope.

Known for his dedication to peace, he was the 45th pope in history.

Legend has it that Pope Leo I was deterred from invading Italy by the miraculous appearance of Saints Peter and Paul during a meeting with Attila, the Hun king, in 452 AD.

Raphael then painted a fresco depicting the scene.

Leo XIII was who?
Pope Leo XIII, an Italian whose baptismal name was Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci, was the last pope to adopt the name Leo.

He led the Catholic Church until his death in 1903 and was elected in 1878, making him the 256th person to hold the throne of St. Peter.

As a pope, he is known for his commitment to social justice and social policies.

His encyclical, or letter to the Church’s bishops, “Rerum Novarum”—a Latin phrase meaning “Of New Things”—is what made him most famous.

Social justice and workers’ rights were among the subjects covered in the encyclical.

Which papal names are most commonly used?
One of the most well-liked papal names is Leo.

The most widely used name is John, which was initially selected in 523 by Pope and martyr Saint John I.

Italian Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who was elected Pope John XXIII in 1958 and declared a saint by Pope Francis in 2014, was the last pope to adopt this name.