Over the centuries, it has become customary for popes to change their birth name, adopting a papal name after their election. John is the most frequent papal name, taken by 23 popes. The last to bear this name, John XXIII, died in 1963. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, changed his name to Francis after his election in 2013, being the first pope to choose this pontifical name. After Francis' death in 2025, the Cardinals elected Robert Francis Prevost as his successor. Leo XIV is the first pope from the U.S. and the second one from the Americas. Previously, he served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
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Holy See. (May 4, 2025). Most frequent papal names taken by popes as of 2025 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from /statistics/1611877/most-common-papal-names-chosen-by-popes/
Holy See. "Most frequent papal names taken by popes as of 2025." Chart. May 4, 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 26, 2026. /statistics/1611877/most-common-papal-names-chosen-by-popes/
Holy See. (2025). Most frequent papal names taken by popes as of 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 26, 2026. /statistics/1611877/most-common-papal-names-chosen-by-popes/
Holy See. "Most Frequent Papal Names Taken by Popes as of 2025." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 4 May 2025, /statistics/1611877/most-common-papal-names-chosen-by-popes/
Holy See, Most frequent papal names taken by popes as of 2025 ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1611877/most-common-papal-names-chosen-by-popes/ (last visited July 26, 2026)
Most frequent papal names taken by popes as of 2025 [Graph], Holy See, May 4, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1611877/most-common-papal-names-chosen-by-popes/
