Leon
Meaning of Leon
Leon springs from the ancient Greek word for “lion,” and it still carries that quiet, prowling confidence today. Used in English, Spanish, and Italian–LEE-ahn to le-ON to LEH-on, depending on where you’re standing–the name feels at home on either side of the Atlantic. History lends it plenty of shine: think Spartan hero Leonidas, philosopher-king Leo(n) the Great, jazz legend Leon Russell, or modern soul singer Leon Bridges. Parents drawn to vintage revivals will spot Leon’s arc on U.S. charts: a top-100 staple a century ago, it napped mid-century, then padded back into fashion and now sits comfortably inside the Top 150. Short, strong, and just a touch European, Leon is the sort of name that can curl up sweetly on a birth announcement yet roar in a boardroom or on a stage. In other words, it’s a compact bundle of courage and charm—perfect for a little cub with big-hearted potential.
Pronunciation
Spanish
- Pronunced as le-OHN (/leˈon/)
American English
- Pronunced as LEE-ahn (/ˈliːɑn/)
British English
- Pronunced as LEE-ahn (/ˈliːən/)
Italian
- Pronunced as LEH-on (/le.ɔn/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Leon
| Leon Trotsky, born Lev Davidovich Bronstein, was a key Russian revolutionary and Soviet leader alongside Lenin whose Marxist ideas inspired Trotskyism before his exile in 1929 and assassination in 1940. |
| Leon Edward Panetta is an American statesman who served as Defense Secretary, CIA Director, White House Chief of Staff, OMB Director, and US Representative from California. |
| Leon Goretzka is a German midfielder for Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. |
| Leon Bridges is an American singer, songwriter, and producer whose 2015 debut Coming Home reached number six on the Billboard 200, went platinum, and earned a Grammy nomination. |
| Leon M. Lederman - Leon Lederman was an American experimental physicist who won the 1988 Nobel Prize for neutrino research, led Fermilab, and founded the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. |
| Leon Spinks was an American boxer who, in just his eighth pro fight, stunned Muhammad Ali to win the undisputed heavyweight title in 1978, but was stripped of the WBC belt and lost the rematch months later. |
| Leon Fleisher was an American classical pianist, conductor, and teacher renowned worldwide and hailed as one of the most refined and transcendent musicians from the United States. |
| Leon Patrick Bailey is a Jamaican right winger for Serie A club Roma on loan from Premier League club Aston Villa and a member of the Jamaica national team. |
| Leon Marcus Uris was an American historical novelist known for the bestsellers Exodus and Trinity. |
| Leon Petrażycki - Leon Petrazycki was a Polish philosopher, legal scholar, and sociologist who helped pioneer the sociology of law. |
| Leon Schlesinger was an American animator who founded the studio that became Warner Brothers Cartoons and produced Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies from 1933 to 1944. |
| Leon Hirsch Keyserling was an American economist and lawyer who chaired the Council of Economic Advisers from 1950 to 1953, advising President Truman and helping craft Fair Deal legislation. |
| Leon Piniński - Leon Jan Pininski was a Polish scholar and politician who taught Roman law, briefly led Lwow University, and devoted much of his career to politics in Lwow under Austria-Hungary and later Poland. |
| León Gieco - Leon Gieco is an Argentine folk rock singer songwriter and musician who blends folk and rock with socially and politically charged lyrics, earning the nickname the Argentine Bob Dylan. |
| León Febres Cordero - Leon Febres-Cordero was the 35th President of Ecuador from 1984 to 1988, known for market reforms and a crackdown on guerrillas. |
