Leonidas is an ancient name that has started rising again along with centuries-old names such as Augustus and Cato. The original Leonidas was the most famous of Sparta's warriors, sacrificing his life at the Battle of Thermopylae; there is also a saint Leonidas. More stately than Leon, more melodious than Leonard, Leonidas is a leonine name that commands respect. In Portuguese, Spanish, and French, the name is pronounced lee-OH-nee-dus, but Americans tend to say lee-oh-NYE-dus.
