Leonard

Leonard is a Germanic given name composed of the elements leon, meaning lion, and hard, meaning brave or hardy, yielding the overall sense of brave lion or lion-hearted. It was borne by Saint Leonard of Noblac, a sixth-century Frankish hermit who became the patron saint of prisoners and captives, which helped spread the name widely across medieval Europe. The name remains common across English, Dutch, German, Polish, and Romanian traditions, with the French form Léonard being perhaps most famously associated with the Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci. Related forms include Leonardo, Lennard, and the short forms Leo and Len.