Leon
A city in northwestern Spain, the former capital of the Kingdom of Leon.
Proper noun
- A city in northwestern Spain, the former capital of the Kingdom of Leon.
- 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.
Origin
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.
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Derived
Proper noun historical
- A former viscounty in Brittany, in northwestern France.
- A cultural region of the department of Finistère, Brittany, France, around the former polity.
- A surname from French.
Origin
From Breton Leon and French Léon.
Forms
Proper noun Entry 3
- A male given name from Latin or Ancient Greek.
- A surname from Latin.
Origin
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.