It gave rise to similar names in other languages, including the Latin Leo, French Lyon or Léon, Irish Leon, Spanish León, Levon Լեվոն Armenian or Georgian Levan / ლევან.
During the Christian era, the name Leon was merged with the Latin cognate Leo, with the result that the two forms are used interchangeably.
[1] A similar Greek name, Leonidas, means "son of a lion".
Leonidas I, king of Sparta, was a famous bearer of that name.
The Ancient Greek word λέων ultimately comes from Proto-Semitic *labiʾ-, which is not Indo-European.