The name Leandro has its origins in the Greek language. It is derived from the Greek words "leon" meaning lion and "andros" meaning man. The name essentially translates to "lion man" or "brave as a lion".

This name was quite popular in ancient Greece and was used to denote strength, courage, and bravery. It is believed that the name first appeared in ancient Greek texts and literature around the 5th century BC.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Leandro was in the ancient Greek myth of Hero and Leander. This tragic love story tells the tale of Leander, a young man from Abydos, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet his lover, Hero, who lived in Sestos.

In the 4th century BC, Leandro was the name of a Spartan general who fought in the Peloponnesian War. He was known for his strategic brilliance and unwavering bravery on the battlefield.

During the Renaissance period, Leandro was a popular name among Italian humanists and scholars. One notable figure was Leandro Alberti, an Italian Dominican friar and historian who lived from 1479 to 1552. He is best known for his work on the history of Bologna.

In the 16th century, Leandro Bassano was an Italian painter from the Venetian school. He was part of the renowned Bassano family of artists and is remembered for his religious and mythological paintings.

Another famous bearer of the name was Leandro Fernández de Moratín, a Spanish playwright and neoclassical poet who lived from 1760 to 1828. He is considered one of the most influential figures in Spanish literature during the Enlightenment period.