Leontien as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Leontien

What is the meaning of the name Leontien ?

The baby name Leontien is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced Dutch: /leːˈɔntiən/ (approx. lay-ON-teen).

Leontien is Dutch in Origin.

Leontien is a Dutch feminine given name, a vernacular form of Leontine or Léontine, itself from Latin Leontina/Leontinus and ultimately from Greek leon, meaning 'lion.' The sense is 'lion-like' or 'belonging to the lion,' evoking strength and courage in many European naming traditions. In the Netherlands and Flanders the -tien ending functions as a familiar, homely variant rather than a strict diminutive; common Dutch pronunciation is lay-on-TEEN.

Usage rose in the Low Countries during the mid to late twentieth century, helped by visibility from public figures such as Olympic cyclist Leontien van Moorsel and actress-presenter Leontien Ceulemans. International cognates and variants include Leontine/Léontine (French), Leontina (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish) and Leontyna (Polish), Leontyne (English), and related shorter forms like Leona and Léonie/Leonie. Dutch nicknames include Tien, Tine, Tinie, or Tina, while masculine counterparts are Leon, Leo, and Romanian Leontin.