When the question of naming Romania’s national currency arose in 1867, one proposal was “român” (“Romanian”). It was rejected because it could have created confusion: someone might have asked for “two Romanians”. The name “leu” was chosen instead, inspired by the Dutch thaler known as the “leeuwendaalder”, which circulated in the Romanian territories in the 17th century. And there is a historical twist: the same coin also contributed to the name of the American dollar.

(Staff: Romania / History & Economics)

Romania’s currency has been called the leu for more than a century and a half. It is a name we use every day without necessarily thinking about where it comes from. And yet, lions have never been part of Romania’s wild fauna. So where does the name come from? The answer takes us back to 17th-century Holland, to merchants and silver coins that travelled across Europe.

The Dutch thaler – the ancestor of the Romanian leu

The story begins in the Republic of the Seven United Provinces, in what is now the Netherlands. In 1575, a silver thaler bearing the image of a lion was first minted. It was called the “leeuwendaalder” – literally, the “lion thaler”. Because of its high-quality silver, the coin became highly popular in international trade and circulated widely in Eastern Europe, including in the Romanian territories, during the 17th century.

Merchants and local populations began referring to it in Romanian as “leu” or “leu turcesc” (“Turkish leu”), because it also circulated widely within the Ottoman Empire. Expressions such as “one and a half lei” or “silver leu” entered everyday usage, and the name became associated with a unit of monetary value.

A historical twist: the leeuwendaalder also helped give us the word “dollar”

The same Dutch thaler travelled even farther and became known in English as the “lion dollar”. Over time, the term evolved and contributed to the name of one of the world’s best-known currencies: the dollar. The Romanian leu and the American dollar therefore share a common historical ancestor – the Dutch lion thaler.

1867: What if Romania’s currency had been called “român”?

One fascinating detail is that, in 1867, when Romania introduced its national currency, the name “leu” was not the only option under discussion. It was proposed that the currency be called “român”. The proposal was rejected for practical reasons because everyday expressions could have sounded confusing. For example, asking for “two români” could have been understood as asking for two Romanian people rather than two monetary units.

The traditional name, inspired by the Dutch thaler, was therefore retained: leu. In 1867, the leu became Romania’s official currency, divided into 100 bani, and the name has survived to the present day.

The linguistic legacy of the lion thaler

The name “leu” did not remain confined to coins. It became part of the Romanian language and everyday expressions associated with money and value. The word has retained its place in Romanian speech for generations, carrying with it the memory of a coin that once travelled thousands of kilometres across Europe.

Conclusion

The name of Romania’s national currency is a fascinating example of how economic and cultural history can become part of everyday life. A Dutch thaler from the 16th century, a proposed name rejected because it could have caused confusion, and an unexpected connection with the American dollar all contributed to the word we still use today: leu.