People only just realising what Pope Francis’ real name was as Pope Leo is elected

Following the announcement that Pope Leo is the new pontiff, people have been left wondering about the meaning behind the name he picked and what his predecessor, Pope Francis', real name was.

Just over 24 hours since the new papal election began, the College of Cardinals landed upon a successor for the former Bishop of Rome with the news announced on Thursday (8 May) that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is now the new Head of the Catholic Church.

White smoke was seen emerging from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel yesterday afternoon, signalling the decision had been made after just shy of two days of voting in the conclave.

But what do we actually know about this new pope and why is he going by 'Pope Leo' in the first place?

What do we know about Pope Leo?

Pope Leo - who is considered a moderate when it comes to 21st century Catholic beliefs - is the first pope to hail from the United States, having been born in Chicago.

He also shares many of the same sentiments as his predecessor in that he's passionate about helping migrants and the poor, and has even previously condemned Donald Trump for his immigration policies.

One post he retweeted blasting the US leader read: “There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.”

Jesus Leon Angeles, who has known Pope Leo for eight years, described him as a 'very simple' person who is always keen to help others.

Having become ordained at just 27, Pope Leo hasn't spent too much time in his home country in the years since, and at one point served as a missionary in Peru.

He only became a cardinal in 2023, and has stayed relatively out of the spotlight, at one point even telling the Vatican’s official news website: "The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom."

(Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

What is the meaning behind Pope Leo’s name?

He has chosen the name Leo, as per a long-standing papal tradition. Therefore, he'll be known as Pope Leo XIV.

It's not actually an official rule that popes have to change their name once appointed, but it's become a strong tradition, with the majority opting to make the change.

Choosing a new name is the first act a pope does once they've been appointed and the reason is because their new role signifies a second birth of sorts, according to the Vatican.

Not all popes have opted to switch out their name. According to the Vatican, out of the 267 popes in history, 129 have chosen new names.

When it comes to which names popes will pick, sometimes it's simply the name of a predecessor as a sign of respect or to signal that they wish to follow in their footsteps in some way.

Meanwhile, others will opt away from this completely and choose something different to signify a new chapter.

In terms of Leo, it's the fifth most popular moniker chosen by leaders of the Catholic Church.

Given the fact that Leo XIII was a founding figure of the Catholic social justice tradition, opting for the name Leo could be a nod to strong leadership and doctrinal clarity, with some experts claiming it could indicate a leader who is strong during a time of global crisis.

The last pope to bear the name was Leo XIII who held the position from 1878 to 1903.

Pope Francis was actually born Jorge Mario Bergogli (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

What was Pope Francis' real name?

Only after Pope Leo was announced as the new Bishop of Rome did people clock that Francis wasn't actually the late pope's real name.

"Just learned that pope francis’ real name was Jorge and that makes me like him even more," penned one Twitter user.

A second confessed: "Raised Catholic and just found out that Francis, Leo, etc is not their real name it’s just their pope name..."

"You do know that the previous Pope's real name wasn't Francis, right?" penned a third while a fourth shared: "Pope Francis' real name was Jorge!"

And a final Twitter user echoed: "Just found out Francis wasn't even the last pope's real name!"

Interestingly, Pope Francis deviated from usual tradition with his name choice.

Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was the first-ever pontiff to opt for that name, and it's believed he did this to honour St. Francis of Assisi who was known for his dedication to poverty, peace and the environment.