Leonard

Leonard derives from the Old High German name Leonhard, composed of the elements lewo (lion, borrowed from Latin leo) and hard (brave, strong, hardy), giving the overall sense of lion-strong or brave as a lion. Saint Leonard of Noblac, a sixth-century Frankish nobleman who became a hermit and patron saint of prisoners, spread the name widely across medieval Europe. The name has been borne by numerous notable figures, including the Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci and the American composer Leonard Bernstein. Closely related forms include Leonardo, Leonhard, Lennart, and the French Léonard.