Leandre

Meaning of Leandre

Leandre, a masculine appellation rooted in the ancient Greek compound Leandros—comprising leōn (lion) and andrós (man)—conveys the semantic notion of “lion-man” or “manly lion” and is historically associated with the tragic myth of Hero and Leander. Adopted into French as Léandre and later assimilated into English usage, where it is pronounced /liˈændrə/, the name preserves its original etymological resonance even as it adapts to contemporary Anglo-American phonology. Although statistical data from the United States indicate that Leandre ranks near the 900th position annually, with fewer than twenty recorded occurrences in recent years, it maintains an appeal among parents who favor names that embody both classical pedigree and relative rarity. In onomastic studies, Leandre is examined as a case study in the transmission of Hellenic nomenclature through medieval hagiographic tradition and Enlightenment literature, offering insights into the enduring interplay between linguistic heritage and modern naming practices.