
Origin, Meaning, and History of Leonie
The name Leonie is a feminine given name that has its roots in Latin, and it means ‘lioness.’ It is derived from the masculine personal name Leon which means ‘lion.’ As a surname, it is not as common but it was first found in Leon, where it got its name during Visigothic times.
Moses de León is the first person to have been recorded with the surname. He is a Spanish rabbi and Kabbalist who is thought of as the composer or redactor of Zohar. Much later, the name Juan Ponce de León became well-known as a Spanish explorer and conquistador and his association with the legend of the Fountain of the Youth.
The Latin forms of the name Leonia and Leonina were occasionally used during the 13th century and touched British shores in the 19th century. The name was more commonly used by German and French families before expanding in its usage.
The name Leonie is also a feminine form of the Dutch and German name Leonius. It is also pronounced differently in both languages. It is also spelled as Léonie in French and Leonia in Late Roman. The name also has other spelling variations, including Leon, Leoni, Leona, Leone, Leonelli, and Leonetti.
A few cute diminutives for the name Leonie are Lee, Leni, Leo, Lio, Lia, Lolly, Nell, and Olli.
The name has been used in video games and is a prominent work of literature. Leonie Pinelli is a character in the tactical role-playing video game Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
Aunt Léonie is a character from the French writer Marcel Proust’s novel In Search of Lost Time. It was first translated into English as Remembrance of Things Past. The novel contains seven volumes in one of his best works known for both its length and its theme of involuntary memory.
Leonie is also a 2010 Japanese film that was directed by Hisako Matsui, starring Emily Mortimer and Shido Nakamura.
How To Pronounce Leonie?
Famous People With The Name Leonie
- Léonie Fuller AdamsAmerican poet, appointed the seventh Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1948
- Léonie GilmourAmerican educator, editor and journalist, subject of the film “Leonie” and the book “Leonie Gilmour: When East Weds West”
- Leonie Kelly BennettDutch cricketer, was the third-youngest Twenty20 International debutante for the Netherlands
- Leonie Samantha ElliottEnglish actress, known for her roles in the BBC series “Call the Midwife” and the British anthology series “Black Mirror”
- Leonie KrailSwiss former competitive ice dancer, three-time Swiss national champion
- Leonie Rebekka MaierGerman footballer, played for the national team and currently plays as a defender for Everton
Leonie On The Popularity Chart
The name Leonie has seen an increase in its popularity and its rank, according to the US Social Security Administration.Read the graphs below to know more about the name.
Popularity Over Time
The popularity of the name is steadily increasing and reached its peak in 2016 and 2020 when 64 babies per million shared the name.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Leonie experienced a fluctuation in its rank towards the end of the 20th century but is gradually going up. From 13,041 in 1997, it improved to 2,721 in 2016.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sounds As Leonie
If you are looking for names that share a similar phonetic sound to Leonie, have a look at the suggestions provided below.
Names With Similar Meaning As Leonie
A name that signifies a lioness. Have a look at the names provided below for more ideas on names that mean the same as Leonie.
Name Numerology For Leonie


