Looking for more information about the Leo sign symbol? Learn more about the origin and meaning of the symbol for Leo zodiac signs.

Leo is the 5th sign in the zodiac and represents those who were born between July 23 and August 21. Are you one of the natives of this sign? Then join us as we delve deeper into the origin and meaning of your zodiac sign.

Who knows, you’d be surprised to know lots of interesting things about yourself and the ‘zodiac-ish’ reasons why you behave the way you do.

Leo Symbol – Origin and Meaning For the Leo Zodiac Sign

Overview

Leo belongs to the fire element and rightly so as its ruling planet is the Sun. In Egyptian mythology, the Lion symbolizes ‘life-giving food’ because the Leo constellation has the sun during heavy rain seasons. For Green mythology, the Lion represents the Nemean Lion that Hercules slain. It is said to represent expanse, power, and exuberance.

Glyph

Visually, it’s easy to see that the form is that of a lion. For starters, the mane of the lion is seen in a stylized swoop. Then, there’s the tail curling at the end, which hints at the animal’s power. Beyond the representation of Leo, the glyph also symbolizes the sun–see the closed circle. But did you know that the symbol for Leo is actually a script form of the Greek letter “lambda.” It’s the first letter of the Greek word “leon”, which translates to “lion.”

READ: Leo Sign Symbols And Associations – Leo Zodiac Sign Elements

Animal representative

Lions are dubbed as the king of the jungle and for a good reason. Domineering, majestic, and powerful, this animal indeed has the qualities of a king. Leos share these same qualities with the lion. Leo males are all about fierce protection just like male lions. Meanwhile, Leo females are highly productive and take great pride in caring for their families just like female lions.

History of Leo

Trivia: the zodiac sign Leo and the constellation Leo do not entirely coincide with each other. First off, in the zodiac chart, the Leo sign is situated between Cancer and Virgo, taking the 5th 30 degrees of the zodiacal circle. Leo is also a fixed sign that comes after summer has already started in the Cancer sign. It denotes a hot, sunny summer that’s stable and unchangeable without any sign that spring will come next.

On the other hand, Leo is one of the earliest recognized constellations. It was first sighted as early as 4000 BC. Its first name was UR.GU.LA by the Babylonians, which means the great lion. Regulus, the brightest star of the Leo constellation was known as the star in the lion’s breast. Eventually, the constellation of Leo was named by several languages, all of which translated as “lion.” The Leo constellation resembles a lion and the brightness of Regulus, coupled with the fact that the Big Dipper is pointing to it, makes it easier for people to spot Leo in the night sky.

Myth of Leo

Two myths surround the zodiac, Leo. The first is that Leo has a connection to the first of 12 labors of Hercules where he had to kill the notorious Nemean Lion. The Lion used to live in a cave in Nemea where it terrorized the residents. It has impenetrable skin that even iron, bronze, or stone couldn’t puncture. This is where Hercules took up the job to kill it. His first attempt using arrows was a failure and the lion retreated to his cave to hide. After two months of searching for the cave, Hercules finally succeeded and strangled the lion using its own claws. The lion’s skin was made into a clock, which Hercules wore as proof of his strength. The animal cloak also made him look more intimidating.

The second myth is about the tragic love affair of Pyramus and Thisbe. It’s the kind of story that has Shakespeare written all over it since the lovers committed suicide in the end. At their meeting point, Thisbe arrived to see a lioness with a bloody mouth. She runs off, leaving her veil behind. Later on, Pyramus found the veil and killed himself thinking that Thisbe was killed by the lioness. Thisbe returned to find him dead then proceeded to stab herself using the same sword.

The truth about Leo:

Rather than relating Leo with a negative connotation, Leo represents royalty, success, and bravery. It relays the story of someone fearless and mighty who can hurt others and end up getting hurt themselves if they act out of fear. Leo natives must be righteous and courageous so they can have fun living their lives.

My Sign Is Leo

leo symbol