Leon is a first name of Greek origin-the Greek λέων (léon; leōn), meaning "lion," has spawned the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

"Leo,"

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

"Lyon," Irish "Leon" and Spanish "León." Perhaps the oldest attested historical figure to bear this name was Leon of Sparta, a 6th-century BCE king of Sparta, while in

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities o ...

Leon was a

Giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...

killed by

Heracles Heracles ( ; grc-gre, Ἡρακλῆς, , glory/fame of Hera), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptiv ...

. During the Christian era Leon was merged with the Latin cognate Leo, with the result that the two forms are used interchangeably.Withycombe, E.G. (1945) ''The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names'', 3rd edition, Oxford University Press A similar Greek name to Leon is Leonidas, meaning "son of a lion", with

Leonidas I Leonidas I (; grc-gre, Λεωνίδας; died 19 September 480 BC) was a king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, and the 17th of the Agiad line, a dynasty which claimed descent from the mythological demigod Heracles. Leonidas I was son of Kin ...

, king of Sparta, being perhaps the most famous bearer of that name. Leon (English, German, Dutch, Russian version) or Léon (French version) or León (Spanish version) may refer to:

Etymology

Ancient Greek λέων from Proto-Semitic *labiʾ- (not Indo-European).

People

Leon of Byzantium Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...

(died ~336 BC), Byzantine politician and/or historian, pupil of Aristoteles * Leon of Macedon (fl. 197 BC), Macedonian cavalry commander *

Leon (mathematician) Leon ( el, Λέων) was Ancient Greek mathematician and pupil of Neocleides. His book ''Elements'' was overshadowed by Euclid's work of the same name. Proclus Proclus Lycius (; 8 February 412 – 17 April 485), called Proclus the Succe ...

(fl. 400 BC), Greek mathematician, precursor of Euclid * Leon of Modena (1571–1648), Venetian scholar *

Leon of Pella Leon of Pella ( Greek: ) or Leo the Egyptian (4th century BC) was a historian, priest and theologian. He wrote the book ''On the Gods in Egypt ()'', based on an apocryphal letter of Alexander the Great to his mother Olympias. He was a contemporary ...

, Macedonian historian * Leon of Phlius (fl. ~620 BC), tyrant of his city * Leon of Salamis (died 406 or 403 BC), Athenian politician and naval commander * Leon of Sparta, Spartan king * Leon of Sparta (Ephor), Spartan Olympic victor in the chariot race 424, eponymous ephor 419/18 BC * Leo the Deacon, Byzantine historian *

León Aillaud León Aillaud Barreiro was an Interim Governor of the Mexican State of Veracruz in the period from June 22, 1911, to December 12, 1911. Early years Born in the city and port of Veracruz, in the year 1880. Did his primary school in his hometow ...

(1880–1936), Mexican politician *

Leon Ashley Leon Walton (May 18, 1936 – October 20, 2013), better known by his stage name Leon Ashley, was an American country music singer. He is known mainly for his single " Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)", which topped the country singles char ...

(1936–2013), American country music singer and songwriter *

Léon Bakst Léon Bakst (russian: Леон (Лев) Николаевич Бакст, Leon (Lev) Nikolaevich Bakst) – born as Leyb-Khaim Izrailevich (later Samoylovich) Rosenberg, Лейб-Хаим Израилевич (Самойлович) Розенбе ...

(1866-1924), Russian painter and scene- and costume designer * Leon Bates (1899–1972), American union leader * Leon Belasco (1902 – 1988), Russian-American musician and actor *

Leon Benois Leon Benois (russian: Леонтий Николаевич Бенуа; 1856 in Peterhof – 1928 in Leningrad) was a Russian architect from the Benois family. Biography He was the son of architect Nicholas Benois, the brother of artists Alexandr ...

(1856–1928), Russian architect *

Leon Berkowitz Leon Berkowitz (1911–1987) was an American artist and educator. He is best known for his color field paintings and the series, ''The Unities''. He co-founded the Washington Workshop Center, a gallery and school. Berkowitz was a leading member o ...

(1911–1987), American abstract painter *

Leon Best Leon Julian Brendan Best (born 19 September 1986) is a retired professional footballer who played as a striker. He has played for the Republic of Ireland national football team. Best represented Ireland at under-21 level and won his first full ...

(born 1986), Irish football player *

Léon Bloy Léon Bloy (; 11 July 1846 – 3 November 1917) was a French Catholic novelist, essayist, pamphleteer (or lampoonist), and satirist, known additionally for his eventual (and passionate) defense of Catholicism and for his influence within French ...

(1846–1917), French writer *

Léon Blum André Léon Blum (; 9 April 1872 – 30 March 1950) was a French socialist politician and three-time Prime Minister. As a Jew, he was heavily influenced by the Dreyfus affair of the late 19th century. He was a disciple of French Socialist le ...

(1872–1950), French politician and Prime Minister * Léon Boëllmann (1862–1897), French composer * Leon Bourgeois (1851–1925), French politician and Prime Minister *

Léon Breitling Léon Breitling (27 January 1860 – 11 August 1914) was a Swiss watchmaker and a businessman, who founded the watch manufacturing company Breitling SA in Saint-Imier in 1884. Career overview Léon Breitling was born in 1860. His interest i ...

(1860–1914), Swiss watchmaker and businessman *

Leon Brittan Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, (25 September 193921 January 2015) was a British Conservative politician and barrister who served as a European Commissioner from 1989 to 1999. As a member of Parliament from 1974 to 1988, he serv ...

(1939–2015), British politician * Leon Burns (1942–1984), American football player *

Leon Camier Leon Stuart Camier (born 4 August 1986) is an English former solo motorcycle racer. For the 2021 season, Camier was announced as team manager for Honda World Superbike team, run under Honda Racing Corporation. After a long career in solo moto ...

(born 1986), British motorcycle racer * Léon Chagnaud (1866–1930), French businessman and politician. *

Leon Chua Leon Ong Chua (; ; born June 28, 1936) is an American electrical engineer and computer scientist. He is a professor in the electrical engineering and computer sciences department at the University of California, Berkeley, which he joined in 1971. ...

, a Chinese-American scientist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley * Leon Cooper (born 1930), American physicist and Nobel Prize laureate *

Leon Cooperman Leon G. Cooperman (born April 25, 1943) is an American billionaire investor and Hedge fund, hedge fund manager. He is the chairman and Chief executive officer, CEO of Omega Advisors, a New York-based investment advisory firm managing over $3.3 b ...

(1943–) American billionaire investor, hedge fund manager * Leon Czolgosz (1873–1901), American anarchist * Leon Dănăilă (1933-), Romanian neurosurgeon *

Léon Dierx Léon Dierx (; March 31, 1838 – June 11, 1912) was a French poet born in Saint-Denis, Réunion, Saint-Denis in 1838. He came to Paris to study at the Central School of Arts and Manufactures and subsequently settled there, taking up a post in th ...

(1838–1912), French poet * Léon Dion (1922–1997), Canadian political scientist * Leon Draisaitl (1995-), German ice hockey player * Leon Durham (born 1957), American baseball player * Leon Edel (1907–1997), American writer and literary critic * Leon Edney (born 1935), American admiral * Léon Arthur Elchinger (1908–1998), French Catholic archbishop * León Febres Cordero (1931–2008), Ecuadorian politician and President *

Leon Feldhendler Leon Felhendler (Lejb Felhendler) (1 June 1910 – 6 April 1945) was a Polish resistance fighter known for his role in organizing the 1943 prisoner uprising at Sobibor extermination camp together with Alexander Pechersky. Prewar life Felhendler ...

(1910–1945), Polish Jewish resistance fighter *

León Felipe León Felipe Camino Galicia (11 April 1884 – 17 September 1968) was an anti-fascist Spanish poet. Biography Felipe was born in Tábara, Zamora, Spain, while his parents were travelling. His father was a public notary and comfortably off. H ...

(1884–1968), Spanish poet * Leon Fleisher (born 1928), American pianist and conductor *

Léon Foucault Jean Bernard Léon Foucault (, ; ; 18 September 1819 – 11 February 1868) was a French physicist best known for his demonstration of the Foucault pendulum, a device demonstrating the effect of Earth's rotation. He also made an early measurement ...

(1819–1868), French physicist *

Leon Friedman (legal scholar) Leon Friedman (born February 6, 1933) is an American legal scholar and Joseph Kushner Distinguished Professor of Civil Liberties Law at Hofstra University Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's l ...

(born 1933), American legal scholar *

Leon Friedman (politician) Leon Friedman (October 23, 1886 – September 1, 1948) was a Democrat who served from 1932 to 1940 as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from his native Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Friedman was a member of a prominent l ...

(1886 – 1948), American politician *

Léon Gambetta Léon Gambetta (; 2 April 1838 – 31 December 1882) was a French lawyer and republican politician who proclaimed the French Third Republic in 1870 and played a prominent role in its early government. Early life and education Born in Cahors, Ga ...

(1838–1882), French politician and Prime Minister * Leon Garfield (1921–1996), British author *

Léon Gaumont Léon Ernest Gaumont (; 10 May 1864 – 10 August 1946) was a French inventor, engineer, and industrialist who was a pioneer of the motion picture industry. He founded the world’s first and oldest film studio Gaumont Film Company, and worked in ...

(1864–1946), French inventor and industrialist *

Léon Gérin Léon Gérin (; May 17, 1863 – January 15, 1951) was a Canadian lawyer, civil servant, and sociologist. Born in Quebec City, Canada East, the son of Antoine Gérin-Lajoie, Gérin studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet before receiving a law degr ...

(1863–1951), Canadian lawyer *

León Gieco Raúl Alberto Antonio Gieco, better known as León Gieco (born on November 20, 1951 in Cañada Rosquín, Argentina) is an Argentine folk rock performer, composer and interpreter. He is known for mixing popular folkloric genres with Argentini ...

(born 1951), Argentinian musician and interpreter *

Leon Goldensohn Leon N. Goldensohn (October 19, 1911 – October 24, 1961) was an American psychiatrist who monitored the mental health of the twenty-one Nazi defendants awaiting trial at Nuremberg in 1946. Born on October 19, 1911, in New York City, Gol ...

(born 1911), American psychiatrist and author of The Nuremberg Interviews * Leon M. Goldstein (died 1999), American President of Kingsborough Community College, and acting Chancellor of the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the public university system of New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven senior colleges, seven community colleges and seven pro ...

Léon Goossens Léon Jean Goossens, CBE, FRCM (12 June 1897 – 13 February 1988) was an English oboist. Career Goossens was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, and studied at Liverpool College of Music and the Royal College of Music. His father was violinist and ...

(1897–1988), British oboist * Léon Guérin (1807-1885), French author, poet, and naval historian *

Leon Haslam Leon Lloyd Haslam (born 31 May 1983, in the London Borough of Ealing) is a motorcycle road racer based in Derbyshire, England. In February 2022, Haslam confirmed he would be racing in British Superbikes for Lee Hardy Racing on a Kawasaki ...

(born 1983), British motorcycle racer * Leon Hatziioannou (born 1965), Canadian football player * León Herrera Esteban (1922–2003), Spanish military officer and politician *

Leon Jackson Leon Jackson (born 30 December 1988) is a Scottish singer. He won the fourth series of British talent show ''The X Factor'' in 2007. Following his win, Jackson was the main star of his on-web series entitled ''Leon's Life'', which ran from 20 ...

(born 1988), Scottish singer *

Leon Jacobs Leon Jacobs (born October 3, 1995) is a Nigerian-American professional American football linebacker for the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Wisconsin. The San Pedro native holds the ...

(born 1995), American football player * Leon James (born 2001), Thai footballer * Leon Jaworski (1905–1982), American lawyer * Leon Johnson (disambiguation), multiple people * Leon S. Kennedy (character), protagonist of horror video game series

Resident Evil ''Resident Evil'', known in Japan as is a Japanese horror game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter and first-person shooter games, with players typically surviving in environments ...

León Klimovsky León Klimovsky (16 October 1906 – 8 April 1996) was an Argentina, Argentine film director, screenwriter and film producer. Biography A trained dentist, born in Buenos Aires, his real passion was always the cinema. He pioneered Argentine cult ...

(1906–1996), Argentine film director, screenwriter and film producer *

Leon Klinghoffer Leon Klinghoffer (September 24, 1916 – October 8, 1985) was an American man who was shot, killed and thrown overboard from the cruise ship ''Achille Lauro'' by members of the Palestinian Liberation Front who hijacked the ship in 1985. P ...

(1916–1985), a Jewish-American man who was murdered *

Leon Koudelak Leon Koudelak is a Czechs, Czech classical guitarist. He has toured internationally in most parts of Europe, Asia and the Americas. He inspired the composer Michael Buchrainer to write guitar music. In addition to his concert career, he co-found ...

(born 1961), Czech guitarist * Leon Krier (born 1986), Luxembourg architect *

Leon Lai Leon Lai Ming SBS BBS MH (born 11 December 1966), is a Hong Kong actor, film director, businessman and Cantopop singer. He is one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" of Hong Kong pop music. He uses his Chinese name "Li Ming" or "Lai Ming", whi ...

(born 1966), Hong Kong actor and singer *

Leon Lederman Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again f ...

(1922–2018), American physicist and Nobel Prize winner * Leon Leyson (1929–2013), Polish-American

Holocaust survivor Holocaust survivors are people who survived the Holocaust, defined as the persecution and attempted annihilation of the Jews by Nazi Germany and its allies before and during World War II in Europe and North Africa. There is no universally accep ...

and author *

Léon Augustin Lhermitte Léon Augustin Lhermitte (31 July 1844, Mont-Saint-Père – 28 July 1925, Paris) was a French naturalist painter and etcher whose primary subject matter was rural scenes depicting peasants at work. Life and work He was a student of Leco ...

(1844–1925), French painter and etcher * Leon McKenzie (born 1978), British football player * Leon McQuay III (born 1994), American football player * Leon Parker Miller (1899–1980), American lawyer, politician, and judge *

Leon Milo Leon Milo (December 10, 1956 - August 31, 2014) is an American composer, percussionist and sound artist. He is known for music and sonic environments in which instruments, electronics, natural sounds and synthesis are unified. His music is inte ...

(born 1956), American musician *

Leon Moser Leon Jerome Moser (September 15, 1942 – August 16, 1995) was an American convicted murderer who was executed in Pennsylvania for the 1985 murders of his ex-wife and two daughters in Montgomery County. He was the second person to be executed i ...

(1942–1995), American murderer * Léon Motchane (1900–1990), French industrialist and mathematician. Founder of the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques in Bures-sur-Yvette * Leon Orr (born 1992), American football player * Leon Panetta (born 1938), American politician * Leon Pescheret (1892–1971), British-American designer, watercolorist, etcher, and illustrator. * Léon Pétillon (1903–1996), Belgian politician * Léon Abel Provancher (1820–1892), Canadian priest and naturalist *

Leon Punch Leon Ashton Punch (21 April 192828 December 1991) was a New South Wales politician, Deputy Premier, and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin, Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis. From 1975 to 1976 he was the Deputy Premier o ...

(1928–1991), Australian politician * Leon Radosevic (born 1990), Croatian basketball player * Leon Redbone (1949–2019), American singer and songwriter *

Leon Robinson Leon Preston Robinson (born March 8, 1962), usually credited as simply Leon, is an American actor who began his professional career as a film actor in the early 1980s. Robinson is best known for his roles as David Ruffin in the TV film '' The ...

(born 1962), American actor and singer *

Leon Rotman Leon Rotman (born 22 July 1934) is a retired Romanian sprint canoeist. He won two individual gold medals at the 1956 Olympics and a bronze medal in 1960. Life and sporting career Rotman is Jewish, and was born to a working-class Jewish family. ...

(born 1934), Romanian canoer *

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

(1942–2016), American singer and songwriter *

Léon Say Jean-Baptiste-Léon Say (6 June 1826, Paris – 21 April 1896, Paris) was a French statesman and diplomat. One of the 19th-century's noted economists, he served as French Finance Minister from 1872 until 1883. Biography The Say family is a mos ...

(1826–1896), French economist and politician * Leon Schiller (1887–1954), Austro-Hungarian director and composer *

Leon Schlesinger Leon Schlesinger (May 20, 1884 – December 25, 1949) was an American film producer who founded Leon Schlesinger Productions, which later became the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio, during the Golden Age of American animation. He was a distant rel ...

(1884-1949), American film producer * Léon Schlienger (1922–2002), French songwriter *

Leon Schuster Leon Ernest "Schuks" Schuster (born 21 May 1951) is a South African filmmaker, comedian, actor, prankster and singer. Early life Schuster was drawn to the filmmaking process at an early age. As a child he and his brother would play practical ...

(born 1951), South African filmmaker, actor and musician *

Leon Shamroy Leon Shamroy, A.S.C. (July 16, 1901 – July 7, 1974) was an American film cinematographer known for his work in 20th Century Fox motion pictures shot in Technicolor. He and Charles Lang share the record for most Oscar nominations for Cinemato ...

(1901–1974), American film cinematographer *

Leon Simon Leon Melvyn Simon , born in 1945, is a Leroy P. Steele PrizeSee announcemen retrieved 15 September 2017. and Bôcher Memorial Prize, Bôcher Prize-winningSee . mathematician, known for deep contributions to the fields of geometric analysis, ...

(1881-1965), British intellectual and civil servant; President of the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

* Leon Sperling (1900–1941), Polish soccer player *

Léon Spilliaert Léon Spilliaert (also Leon Spilliaert; 28 July 1881 – 23 November 1946) was a Belgian symbolist painter and graphic artist. Biography Spilliaert was born in Ostend, the oldest of seven children of Léonard-Hubert Spilliaert, a perfu ...

(1881–1946), Belgian painter *

Leon Spinks Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...

(1953–2021), American boxer *

Leon Sullivan Leon Howard Sullivan (October 16, 1922 – April 24, 2001) was a Baptist minister, a civil rights leader and social activist focusing on the creation of job training opportunities for African Americans, a longtime General Motors Board Member, an ...

(1922–2001), American civil rights leader * Leon Sylvers III (born 1953), American singer, songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist *

Leon Taylor Leon Taylor (born 2 November 1977) is a former British competitive diver. During his diving career he won medals at all major international events including a silver at the Athens Olympics. Following his retirement from competition, Taylor t ...

(born 1977), British swimmer *

Léon Teisserenc de Bort Léon Philippe Teisserenc de Bort (5 November 1855 in Paris, France – 2 January 1913 in Cannes, France) was a French meteorologist and a pioneer in the field of aerology. Together with Richard Assmann (1845-1918), he is credited as co-discove ...

(1855–1913), French meteorologist * Léon Theremin (1896–1993), Russian inventor *

Leon Thijssen Leon Thijssen (born 15 January 1968, in Baarlo) is a Dutch show jumper.

(born 1968), Dutch show jumper * Leon Thomas III (born 1993), American actor * Leon Topalian, American businessman, CEO of Nucor *

Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...

(1879–1940), Russian revolutionary and politician * Leon Underwood (1890–1975), British sculptor, painter and writer * Leon Uris (1924–2003), American novelist *

Leon Vance Leon Robert Vance Jr. (August 11, 1916 – July 26, 1944) was a Medal of Honor recipient who served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Early life and family Leon Robert Vance Jr. was born and raised in Enid, Oklahoma. Va ...

(1916–1944), American aviators *

Leon V of Armenia Leo V or Levon V (occasionally Levon VI; hy, Լևոն, ''Levon V''; 1342 – 29 November 1393), of the House of Lusignan, was the last Latin king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. He ruled from 1374 to 1375. Leo was described as "Leo V, King ...

(1342–1393), King of Armenia * Léon Vaudoyer (1803–1872), French architect *

Léon Walras Marie-Esprit-Léon Walras (; 16 December 1834 – 5 January 1910) was a French mathematical economist and Georgist. He formulated the marginal theory of value (independently of William Stanley Jevons and Carl Menger) and pioneered the developme ...

(1834–1910), French economist * Leon Ware (born 1940), American singer, songwriter and producer * Leon White (1955–2018), American professional wrestler, better known as Big Van Vader * Leon Wilkeson (1952–2001), American bassist, member of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd *

Leon Norman Williams L.N. and M. Williams were a philatelic writing partnership made up of brothers Leon Norman Williams (known as Norman Williams) (25 March 1914 – 9 April 1999) and Maurice Williams (1905–1976). Early life and family Leon Norman Williams was b ...

(1914–1999), British barrister and philatelic writer

References

{{given name English masculine given names German masculine given names Romanian masculine given names Russian masculine given names French masculine given names Spanish masculine given names

Etymology

People

See also

References