Léon

Léon is a masculine given name of French origin, derived from the Latin name Leo, meaning lion. In French, it is commonly written with an acute accent on the first e, Léon. The name has been adopted in various languages and cultures, and it is related to other forms such as Leon, León, and Leoni.

Notable people named Léon include Léon Foucault (1819–1868), a French physicist known for the Foucault pendulum and studies of Earth’s rotation; Léon Gaumont (1864–1946), a French film producer and founder of Gaumont; Léon Blum (1872–1950), a French socialist politician who served as prime minister; Léon Degrelle (1906–1994), a Belgian politician and fascist leader; and Léon Zitrone (1914–1995), a French journalist and television presenter.

The name Léon is also associated with popular culture through the 1994 film Léon: The Professional by Luc Besson, in which a professional hitman is named Léon.

In geographic usage, León refers to places in the Spanish-speaking world, notably the city of León in northwestern Spain and the autonomous community of Castile and León (Castile and León). The Spanish name León is written León, while the French rendering for the city is Léon.