Leonard m
English: from an Old French personal name of Germanic origin, composed of the elements leon lion (a late borrowing from Romance) + hard hardy, brave, strong. This was the name of a 5th-century Frankish saint, who became the patron of peasants and horses. Although it was introduced into Britain by the Normans, Leonard was not a particularly common name there during the Middle Ages. It was revived during the 19th century and became very popular. It is now also common as a Jewish name (cf. LEON (SEE Leon).
Variant: Lennard.
Cognates: French: Léonard. Italian, Spanish, Portuguese: LEONARDO (SEE Leonardo). Catalan: Lleonard. German: Leonhard(t). Scandinavian: Lennart.
Short form: English: Len.
First names dictionary. 2012.