The constellation is named after the Nemean lion, a creature from Greek mythology that was slain by the hero Heracles (Hercules in Roman mythology) as one of his twelve labors.
The association of the lion with this constellation dates back to ancient Babylonian astronomy, where the constellation was known as UR.GU.LA, meaning "the lion" or "the great one." The Greeks later adopted this association, and the name "Leo" became the standard name for the constellation in Western astronomy.
