Leonardo

Leonardo is the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese form of Leonard, derived from the Germanic elements leud, meaning people, and hard, meaning brave or strong, giving the overall sense of brave people or strong people. The name was borne by several medieval saints but is most famously associated with the Italian Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci, whose influence made the name a lasting cultural touchstone. It has remained widely used across the Romance-speaking world and beyond. Related forms include Leonard in English and French, Leonhard in German, and the short form Leo.