Ultimately from Latin Leo and leo (“lion”), from Ancient Greek Λέων (Léōn) and λέων (léōn, “lion”), likely ultimately from a non-Indo-European language. Sometimes via other related languages such as French Léon and sometimes as a diminutive of related names such as Leonard and Leonardo.
From Spanish León, from Latin legiō (“legion”), named for the Legio VII Gemina, which settled there. In reference to the New York town and Texan river, taken from the former Spanish kingdom. The Texan lake is named for the river. The Floridian county is named for the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon. The Texan county is named for Martin de Leon, founder of Victoria, Texas. The town in Monroe Co., Wisconsin, was named for the Mexican city. The Iowan town was changed to honor the "Fighting Doctor" of the Mexican–American War David Camden de Leon after it was discovered that Iowa already had a city named Independence. The Kansan town was named for the one in Iowa. The California town was named for the nearby Leon Mine. Doublet of legion via Old French.
Meanings
A city in northwestern Spain, the former capital of the Kingdom of Leon.
(historical) A former polity in the Iberian Peninsula, a kingdom with the city as its capital.
A province of Castile and León, Spain around the city.
A historical region of Spain around the province.
A surname from Spanish.
A municipality and village in Doctor Manuel Belgrano department, Jujuy province, Argentina, properly León.
A department of Nicaragua.
A city in Guanajuato, Mexico.
A city, the county seat of Decatur County, Iowa, United States.
A city in Butler County, Kansas, United States.
A town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States.
A town in Love County, Oklahoma, United States.
A town in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States.
A town in Waushara County, Wisconsin, United States.
A river in Texas, United States.
A lake in Texas, United States.
(historical) A former town in San Diego County, California, United States.
(abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of Leon County, a county in Florida around the state capital Tallahassee.
ru Лео́н (city in Spain) · el Λεώνη (region in northwest Spain) · es León (city in Spain) · bg Леон (department of Nicaragua) · lv Leona (city in Spain) · ca Lleó (city in Spain) · bg Леон (city in Spain) · ar لِيُونَة (region in northwest Spain) · hi लेओन (city in Spain) · ja レオン (city in Spain) · ext Lión (region in northwest Spain) · lt Leonas (region in northwest Spain) · ar لِيُون (region in northwest Spain) · la Legio (city in Spain) · ja レオン (region in northwest Spain) · ca Lleó (region in northwest Spain) · lt Leonas (department of Nicaragua) · mr लेओन (city in Spain) · bg Леон (region in northwest Spain) · hi लेओन (region in northwest Spain) · ko 레온 (city in Spain) · el Λεόν (city in Spain) · uk Лео́н (city in Spain) · roa-leo Llión (region in northwest Spain) · es León (region in northwest Spain) · ext Lión (department of Nicaragua) · mr लेओन (department of Nicaragua) · zh 萊昂 /莱昂 (city in Spain) · ota لیون (city in Spain) · es León (department of Nicaragua) · pt Leão (city in Spain) · pt Leão (region in northwest Spain) · mr लेओन (region in northwest Spain) · ru Лео́н (region in northwest Spain) · ast Llión (region in northwest Spain) · lt Leonas (city in Spain)