Leonidas

This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Leōnídās ‎(Λεωνῐìδᾱς), “from “léōn ‎(λέων),” meaning “lion.” In turn, the name means “son of the lion.” Leonidas was a Greek hero-king of Sparta, the 17th of the Agiad line Leonidas I (490–480 BCE), third son of King Anaxandridas II of Sparta, who was believed in mythology to be a descendant of Heracles, possessing much of the latter’s strength and bravery. Leonidas I is notable for his leadership at the battle of Thermopylae. Leōn is a popular name of Byzantine and Roman history, e.g., Flavio Domizio Leontius - a politician of the Roman Empire, the praetorian prefect of the east consul in 344. In Greek, Latin, French, and Spanish, Leon mean “lion.” During the Christian era, Leon was merged with the Latin cognate “Leo,” resulting in the two forms being used interchangeably.