A new trademark filing from Hyundai with the United States Patent and Trademark office is raising eyebrows. Earlier this month, April 3 to be exact, Hyundai filed a trademark for "Leonis" and to use it on a future product, according to AutoGuide. Under the filing, Hyundai asks to use the new nameplate for a variety of vehicles including sports cars, RVs, buses, vans, trucks, and SUVs. Pretty much anything with wheels and a motor.
This isn't Hyundai's only filing in recent memory. We reported earlier this month Hyundai filed for the Palisade nameplate, which could go on its large SUV coming. The Leonis nameplate could likely go on a future crossover, as there is room in Hyundai's lineup for a compact crossover. It would make sense to add such a model considering how popular crossovers are at the moment.
Now Leonis doesn't really mean anything. It doesn't have some great king of Sparta to attach its meaning. So, no, it's not a nickname for Leonidas. However, that would be neat. A quick Google search links Leonis to the stars in the constellation Leo, which makes sense. The stars have fancy, astronomical names such as Alpha Leonis, Beta Leonis, and Gamma Leonis. No one ever said astronomers were the creative type.
Leonis is also the name of a fictional planet in "Battlestar Galactica." It's one of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. It's doubtful that is where Hyundai got the idea to trademark Leonis. Someone should interrogate the company's employees for any fans of the show just to be safe, though.
Whatever Hyundai uses the Leonis nameplate for, it will be more than a mouthful for some. Hyundai could just sit on the name and never use it. Automakers are known for doing that, likely reserving it for a product that never sees the light of day.
