Pope Leo XIV.

That’s the name Cardinal Robert Prevost opted to take on Thursday after becoming the first American pope elected in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

The 69-year-old’s chosen name was unveiled just moments before the new pontiff appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to address the world for the first time — and it could indicate a deep sign of commitment to social issues.

The last pope to take the name Leo came more than a century ago when Pope Leo XIII led the church from 1878 to 1903. Many have speculated that Pope Leo XIV’s choice could be a nod to Leo XIII.

Born in French-occupied Rome in 1820, Leo XII is remembered as a pontiff devoted to Catholic social teachings, and is famous for his 1891 “Rerum Novarum,” which translates to “On New Things.”

The ground-breaking encyclical reflected on workers’ rights and capitalism at the beginning of the industrial revolution.

“I think this pope is saying something about social justice by choosing this name, that is going to be a priority,” said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the chair of religious studies at Manhattan University in the Bronx.

“I think a lot us had a question mark when they elected an American, and then he selected the name Pope Leo XIV,” she added. “It really means to me he will continue the work of Leo XIII.”

Dennis Doyle, professor emeritus of religious studies at the University of Dayton, told CBS News that a pontiff’s chosen name “indicates a certain spirit and direction and vision of the new pope.”

“The first thing that you would look for would be, which popes had that name before?” Doyle said. “That would signify something about the direction that the pope wants to take.”

In choosing the name Leo, Doyle also said it could indicate that Pope Leo XIV is interested in “promoting Catholic social teaching in today’s world.”

“Maybe Catholic social teaching, if taken seriously, could be something to help overcome polarization,” he said, adding that Leo XIII’s “Rerum Novarum” is considered the first encyclical related to Catholic social teaching.

Check here for live updates on Pope Leo XIV, the newly chosen pontiff

For nearly 1,500 years, the leader of the Catholic Church has opted to change his name following his election.

While there are set rules that dictate how the pontiff can choose their papal name, many choose to stick with tradition and honor one of their many predecessors.

The name Leo is now the fourth most used by popes, behind John, which has been used 23 times, followed by Benedict and Gregory, which have each been used 16 times.

The first to use the name, Pope Leo the Great, led the church between 440 and 461.  

Father Ed Tomlinson, a Catholic priest from the UK, said the name represents stoicism. Leo, Latin for lion, implies strength and courage.

“The papal name Leo unsurprisingly shows a Pope who is going to be strong during a time of crisis, historically,” Tomlinson told The Independent.

Meanwhile, Edward Deser, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Pasadena City College in California, said that the choice could indicate that the new pope has a profound respect for tradition and history.

“Pope Leo XIV’s choices to take a traditional name and to appear in traditional papal garb – as Benedict XVI did and Francis did not – are small but encouraging signs of a man who subordinates himself to the papal office and understands the importance of continuity with the past,” he wrote on X.

The late Pope Francis, meanwhile, was among the leaders who opted to name himself after a saint — with his entry being the first in centuries to add a new name that had not previously appeared on the papal registry.

Originally from Chicago, the newly elected pontiff spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and became a cardinal only in 2023.

He served as the influential head of the office that vets bishops for nominations, giving him prominence going into the conclave.

The new pope is due to celebrate Mass at the Sistine Chapel on Friday morning, and is expected to deliver his first Sunday noon blessing from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

With Post wires