There are few animals we borrow from more than the lion. A single roar carries more than five miles across open savanna (1), and the pride behind it is the most social family group any big cat keeps, so a lion name promises nerve and belonging at the same time.
This list of 100 names that mean lion pulls from Arabic, Swahili, Hebrew, Greek, Japanese, and a dozen traditions besides. Every entry carries its meaning, a plain pronunciation guide, famous namesakes where real ones exist, and how common the name actually is for babies born in the United States.
Some picks are everywhere: Leo ranked 19th for American boys in 2025, with Daniel just behind at 22nd (2). Others, like Kithlish and Zamrez, are so rare that federal records have never listed them at all. Both kinds are worth a look.
Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Leo, Daniel, Miles, Emery and Savannah.
100 Popular Names Meaning Lion
Find the ideal names that mean lion for your king or queen of the jungle to appreciate.
Abbas
Abbas carries more than one meaning: stern, somber, and father all sit beside lion. Its weight comes from Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, the 6th-century uncle of the Prophet Muhammad; that history makes Abbas a serious, grown-up choice rather than a cute one, and it moves easily between Arabic and English speakers.
- Origin: Arabic, Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: AEB-ahz
- Variations: Abas, Abbaas
- Namesakes: Abbas Karimi, an Afghan swimmer and gold medalist at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. Abbas Kiarostami, an Iranian filmmaker who directed the Koker trilogy (1987 to 1994).
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Abbas #2,284 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 61 births that year. Its best showing was #1,671 in 2018, and it has been in the federal data since 1975.
Ander
Ander traces back to the Greek andros, meaning man, and picks up the senses of brave and manly in Swedish. In Spain it is worn mostly as a Basque name, two syllables that land cleanly in almost any accent; think of it as a courageous warrior name without the length of Alexander.
- Origin: Greek, Scandinavian
- Meaning: Lion man
- Pronunciation: AEND-er
- Variations: Anders
- Namesakes: Ander Murillo, a Spanish footballer for Athletic Bilbao. Ander Gil, the 62nd president of the Senate of Spain since 2021.
- Popularity: 365 U.S. boys were named Ander in 2025, which put the name at #728. It peaked at #566 in 2023 and first charted in 1908. Births over the last 10 years run 493% above the 10 years before them, the biggest gain of any name here.
Areille
Areille is a lesser-seen spelling of the Hebrew Ariel, and it keeps the same reading of a very holy lion. Under the standard spelling, Ariel belongs to the sprite in Shakespeare’s The Tempest and to Disney’s Little Mermaid, so the sound is familiar even when the letters are not; pick it if you want that softness with a spelling nobody in the class will share.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion of God
- Pronunciation: Ah-riy-EHL
- Variations: Ariel, Arielle
- Popularity: Areille last appeared in U.S. data in 1990 at #11,514. Its best showing was #10,951 in 1989, and it first charted in 1989.
Ariel
Ariel comes from the Hebrew Av’-re-el and gathers up altar, light, and lion of God. In the Bible it is the name given to Jerusalem, and in Christian lore Ariel sometimes appears as a lion-headed angel; it works for a boy or a girl, which is part of why it has stayed in use so long.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion of God
- Pronunciation: AER-iy-Ehl
- Variations: Areille, Arielle, Arriel, Aryel, Ariele
- Namesakes: Ariel Winter, an American actress appearing in the series Modern Family. Ariel Pestano, a Cuban baseball player, and gold medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Ariel at #356 among U.S. girls in 2025 (851 births). Its strongest year on record was 1991, at #66, and it first charted in 1892.
Arsalan
Arsalan is a form of the Turkish arslan, or great lion, and it also reads as fearless, warrior, and brave. Across the Middle East and South-Central Asia it turns up as a surname as often as a first name; it looks long on paper and is simple to say out loud.
- Origin: Turkish
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: AARS-ah-Lahn
- Variations: Arslan
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Arsalan #2,287 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 61 births that year. Its best showing was #2,032 in 2023, and it has been in the federal data since 1985.
Aryeh
Aryeh is built on the Hebrew root ari, meaning lion. In the Talmud the word stands for the king of the beasts, and the lion was an ancient symbol of the Israelite Tribe of Judah; that double life, animal and emblem, gives Aryeh a quiet seriousness, and Ari makes an easy short form.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: AAYR-yeh
- Variations: Arye, Arieh
- Namesakes: Aryeh Nehemkin, an Israeli member of the Knesset from 1981 until 1988. Aryeh Kasher, an Israeli writer, and winner of the 1990 Bialik Prize for Hebrew literature.
- Popularity: 153 U.S. boys were named Aryeh in 2025, which put the name at #1,281. It peaked at #1,281 in 2025 and first charted in 1954.
Aslan
Aslan reads as fearless, warrior, and brave in Turkish, and it once served as a title for Turkish emperors in the Middle Ages. Most English speakers meet it first in C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, where Aslan is the lion himself. Few names arrive with a story that well known and a meaning that literal.
- Origin: Turkish, Persian
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: AAZ-Laen
- Variations: Arslan
- Namesakes: Arslan Seyhanlı, a Turkish wrestler who competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Arslan Asad Butt, a Pakistani actor, and winner of the 2018 Hum Award for Best Soap Actor.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #860 in 2025, from 280 births, or about one in every 6,098 babies. Records go back to 1979, and the best year was 2025 at #860.
Athaleyah
Athaleyah is one of the very few lion names built for girls from the start. It grew out of Athaliah, the daughter of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, so it comes with a dramatic biblical backstory; the spelling softens the older name and gives your daughter something almost nobody else answers to.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Lioness of God
- Pronunciation: Aeh-thah-LIY-Ah
- Variations: Athalya, Athalyah
- Popularity: Athaleyah last appeared in U.S. data in 2018 at #15,992. Its best showing was #15,992 in 2018, and it first charted in 2018.
Azmaray
Azmaray comes from Pashto, the Iranian language spoken across parts of Pakistan. It sits close to Zmaray, read as one who is fierce like a lion and as lion of God; three syllables, a clear meaning, and no chance of a duplicate on the playground.
- Origin: Pashto
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: AHZ-mah-Ray
- Popularity: Azmaray has never appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration data, which begins at five births in a year, so any popularity figure would be a guess.
Babar
Babar means lion, tiger, and brave, with roots pulled loosely from Persian, Pashto, Urdu, and Arabic. The Persian babr, meaning tiger, sits underneath it; it is common in Pakistan and reads warm rather than fierce.
- Origin: Persian
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: BAA-Baar
- Variations: Baber, Babu, Babor
- Namesakes: Babar Awan, the Pakistani adviser to the Prime Minister for Parliamentary Affairs from 2020 to 2022. Babar Khan, a Pakistani actor appearing in the series Ek Tamanna Lahasil Si.
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration publishes a name only once it reaches five U.S. births in a year, and Babar has never crossed that line, so there is no American ranking to quote.
Bagubhalan
Bagubhalan is rare enough that no popularity figures exist for it anywhere. Beyond lion it also reads as very strong, and it may be connected to Baghlan, a city in northern Afghanistan; the full name is a mouthful in English, though Bagu handles daily use.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: Bah-GUB-hah-Laan
- Popularity: No U.S. federal record: Bagubhalan stays below the five-births threshold the Social Security Administration uses before it will list a name.
Baillie
Baillie doubles as a Scottish surname meaning steward and bailiff, a word that came over from France. The lion of God reading is why it sits on this list, even though most people will hear it as Bailey; that mismatch is the appeal: a familiar sound with a meaning worth explaining.
- Origin: English, Scottish
- Meaning: Lion of God
- Pronunciation: BEY-Liy
- Variations: Bailey, Bailee, Baileigh, Bailie, Bailley
- Popularity: Baillie last appeared in U.S. data in 2013 at #13,389. Its best showing was #2,742 in 1991, and it first charted in 1989.
Balasingam
Balasingam means young lion and belongs almost entirely to the Tamil language of India. It is long, formal, and unlikely to be guessed at first hearing, which suits a family name being carried forward; Bala is the natural short form.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Young lion
- Pronunciation: Baal-ah-SING-ham
- Variations: Balasingham
- Namesakes: Balasingam Singaram, a Malaysian field hockey player who competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration publishes a name only once it reaches five U.S. births in a year, and Balasingam has never crossed that line, so there is no American ranking to quote.
Basel
Basel began as Basilia in the 3rd century, when it described the estate of Basilius. It is also a Quranic boys’ name built on the Arabic root b-s-l, giving the senses of courageous and lion; two very different histories, one short and steady name.
- Origin: Arabic, Latin
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: BAAZ-Ahl
- Variations: Bazel, Basal, Basle
- Popularity: 11 U.S. boys were named Basel in 2025, which put the name at #7,256. It peaked at #2,471 in 1914 and first charted in 1914.
Benroy
Benroy joins the Hebrew ben, meaning son, with roy, meaning red or king. It is used mainly in India and stays rare wherever it appears; Ben carries the everyday load, and Benroy is there for the full introduction.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Son of a lion
- Pronunciation: BEHN-roy
- Popularity: Benroy has never appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration data, which begins at five births in a year, so any popularity figure would be a guess.
Cakusola
Cakusola is one of the more poetic girls’ names here, with African origins and the reading the heart of a lion. It is treated as an ancestral name, a blessing for a child who holds the spirit of a lion; there are no popularity figures to check anywhere, which tells you plenty on its own.
- Origin: African
- Meaning: Lion-hearted
- Pronunciation: Keh-KUW-sow-Lah
- Variations: Cakusolah, Cakusolla, Cakusollah
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration publishes a name only once it reaches five U.S. births in a year, and Cakusola has never crossed that line, so there is no American ranking to quote.
Celia
Celia is often traced to Cecil, from the Latin caecus, meaning blind, though the origins are argued over, and its place on this list rests on sound rather than a documented lion connection. The name itself is soft and old-fashioned in the best way, and it shortens to Cece without any effort.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Heavenly
- Pronunciation: SIYL-Yah
- Variations: Ceilia, Celea, Cellia
- Namesakes: Celia Jiménez, a Spanish chef and the first female chef in Spain to win a Michelin star. Celia Walden, a French-British journalist, and editor of The Daily Telegraph’s Spy.
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Celia #774 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 351 births that year. Its best showing was #193 in 1914, and it has been in the federal data since 1880.
Chephirah
Chephirah appears in the Bible as a place, Chephar-Haammonai, meaning hamlet of the Ammonites. As a name it reads as little lioness, which lands gently on a baby girl; expect to spell it out, and expect nobody else to have it.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Little lioness
- Pronunciation: CHE-feh-Raa
- Popularity: Chephirah has never appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration data, which begins at five births in a year, so any popularity figure would be a guess.
Clawdia
Clawdia is a modern respelling of Claudia, which came from the Latin Claudius and means crippled. The rewritten first syllable turns that on its head and points straight at a lion’s claws; Clawdia Koopa also appears in the Mario Brothers video game, so the spelling is not without precedent.
- Origin: English, Latin
- Meaning: Lame
- Pronunciation: KLAW-diy-Ah
- Variations: Claudia, Claudea, Claudya
- Popularity: Clawdia has never reached the five-birth-a-year floor the Social Security Administration requires before it publishes a name, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Cub
Cub is the ordinary word for the young of bears, wolves, and lions, borrowed as a name. It is playful rather than grand, and it suits a family that wants something short and unfussy; Cubby is waiting the moment anyone gets sentimental.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Lion cub
- Pronunciation: CUHB
- Namesakes: Michael “Cub” Koda, an American singer known for the song, Smokin’ in the Boys Room. Cub Swanson, an American mixed martial artist in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Cub at #9,084 among U.S. boys in 2025 (8 births). Its strongest year on record was 2017, at #7,193, and it first charted in 2015.
Dandelion
Dandelion sounds like a flower child name, and it is one, but the word itself means lion’s tooth. It traces to the French dent-de-lion, a nod to the plant’s jagged leaves; few names hide an animal inside a plant this neatly.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Lion’s tooth
- Pronunciation: DAEN-dah-Laey-ahn
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Dandelion #15,460 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 5 births that year. Its best showing was #11,430 in 2023, and it has been in the federal data since 2021.
Daniel
Daniel ranked #22 for U.S. boys in 2025, second only to Leo on this list, and its lion connection comes from the prophet thrown into the lions’ den. The lions were tamed, Daniel walked out unharmed, and the story has done the rest. The name itself means God is my judge in Hebrew rather than lion, but no other pick here carries a lion scene this famous. Dan, Danny, and Dane are all built in.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my judge
- Pronunciation: DAEN-Yahl
- Variations: Daniell, Danial
- Namesakes: Daniel D. Tompkins, the sixth vice president of the U.S. from 1817 to 1825. Daniel Craig, an English actor best known for playing James Bond in five films.
- Popularity: 8,085 U.S. boys were named Daniel in 2025, which put the name at #22. It peaked at #5 in 1985 and first charted in 1880.
Dhaigham
Dhaigham describes the lion as king of the jungle and is used mostly for Muslim boys. What popularity figures exist are for the surname, and barely; if you want the meaning without a name anyone has heard, this is the far end of the list.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: DAAY-huwn
- Popularity: No U.S. federal record: Dhaigham stays below the five-births threshold the Social Security Administration uses before it will list a name.
Diata
Lion names run through many traditions on this list, from Hebrew female names to West African ones like Diata. Diata itself points to a lion’s bravery, given to a child expected to be fearless; it is short, it is rhythmic, and it will need spelling once or twice.
- Origin: African
- Meaning: One who is brave as a lion
- Pronunciation: Diy-AH-Tah
- Variations: Diatah, Diatta, Diattah, Dyata
- Namesakes: Akpene Diata Hoggar, a Ghanaian model who won the 2018 Miss Universe Ghana contest.
- Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration records start at five births in a year, and Diata has never appeared in them, so no popularity figure can be quoted.
Dilan
Dilan means “joy” and points to a very particular joy at weddings. In Ireland the reading shifts to like a lion or loyal, a name once handed to the bravest warriors. In Turkish it means love. Three languages, three warm readings, one easy spelling.
- Origin: Irish, Turkish
- Meaning: Like a lion
- Pronunciation: DIHL-Ahn
- Variations: Dillen, Dillyn, Dilun, Dilyan
- Namesakes: Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, the Dutch Minister of Justice and Security since 2022. Dilan Gwyn, a Swedish actress known for Where Atilla Passes (2015).
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Dilan #805 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 309 births that year. Its best showing was #662 in 2024, and it has been in the federal data since 1980.
Durga
Durga comes out of Sanskrit texts as Mother Durga, a figure who stands for dharma. Dharma is described as being like a lion by itself, and Mother Durga rides that lion through every challenge; the name means invincible one, which is a great deal to hand a baby, in the best sense.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Invincible one
- Pronunciation: DUAOR-Gaa
- Namesakes: Durga Paudel, a Nepali member of the House of Representatives since 2018. Durga Chew-Bose, an Indian-Canadian writer known for Too Much and Not the Mood (2017).
- Popularity: The last U.S. appearance for Durga was 2024, at #15,930; its strongest year was 2006, when it reached #11,708, in a record that opens in 2000.
Emeleria
Emeleria is a genuine mystery. There are no popularity figures for it, some sources guess at a Japanese origin, and the only known bearer turned up in Argentina; what is certain is the meaning, lion, and the fact that your daughter would own it outright.
- Origin: Unknown
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: Eh-meh-LEH-riy-Ah
- Popularity: Emeleria is absent from U.S. Social Security Administration data altogether; the agency only tracks a name once it reaches five births a year, and this one hasn’t.
Emery
Emery is a pet form of the Old German Emmerich, and its readings run from brave and powerful as a lion to industrious. It has moved comfortably between boys and girls for decades; soft consonants, three syllables, no nickname required.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Brave as a lion
- Pronunciation: EHM-eh-Riy
- Variations: Emerey, Emeri, Emerie, Emory
- Namesakes: Emery Lehman, an American speed skater and bronze medalist at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Emery Welshman, a Canadian soccer player for Sigma FC.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Emery at #74 among U.S. girls in 2025 (3,208 births). Its strongest year on record was 2023, at #70, and it first charted in 1906.
Faraal
Faraal is used mainly as an Urdu name for Muslim girls, either as the name of a lion or as height. In the Farya spelling it reads as family of lions; outside those uses it survives mostly as an almost extinct surname.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Name of a lion
- Pronunciation: Fah-RAAL
- Variations: Faryal
- Popularity: No U.S. federal record: Faraal stays below the five-births threshold the Social Security Administration uses before it will list a name.
Gao
Gao is a Chinese surname, which means it comes first when a name is read aloud in China. It also carries high and tall. It shows up as the GaoLion power animal in the Power Rangers game. One syllable, easy anywhere.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: GAOW
- Namesakes: Gao Yang, a Chinese shot put athlete and silver medalist at the 2012 World Junior Championships. Gao Hanyu, a Chinese actor appeared in the series Flight Attendant Diary (2011).
- Popularity: Gao was last seen in U.S. data in 2008 at #18,454, well off its best showing of #3,279 in 1989; the record for it opens in 1980.
Ghazanfar
Ghazanfar comes from the Arabic ghadanfar and served as an official title for a golden lion. It also means “brave” and appears as the title of Caliph Ali. The name is long and formal on paper. It shortens comfortably in daily use.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Name of a lion
- Pronunciation: Gaa-ZAHN-faar
- Variations: Ghazanfer
- Namesakes: Ghazanfar Abbas Chheena, a Pakistani member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from 2018 to 2023. Ghazanfar Ali, a Pakistani field hockey player who competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Ghazanfar: the Social Security Administration only lists a name once it clears five births in a year, and this one hasn’t.
Griffin
Griffin comes from the Welsh Gruffydd. In that language, griff reads as strong chief. The griffin of Welsh mythology carries the head, beak, and wings of an eagle on a lion’s body, which is where the lion comes in. It is one of the few picks here that sounds current and ancient at the same time.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: Mythical creature
- Pronunciation: GRIH-Fahn
- Variations: Griffen, Griffon, Griffyn, Gryffin, Gryffon
- Namesakes: Griffin Dunne, an American actor known for An American Werewolf in London (1981). Griffin Colapinto, an American surfer, and winner of the 2017 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing event.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Griffin at #222 among U.S. boys in 2025 (1627 births). Its strongest year on record was 2023, at #214, and it first charted in 1881.
Gurion
Gurion is the Hebrew word for a young lion. The phrase Ben Gurion, son of Gurion, carries it forward as a family name. It is soft in the mouth for a name that means a lion cub. It packs an unusual amount of history into so few letters.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Cub
- Pronunciation: GYUH-riy-Ahn
- Namesakes: Israel Gurion, an Israeli musician and a member of The Dudaim folk duo. Gurion Hyman, a Canadian anthropologist responsible for liturgical compositions for the Sabbath prayer service.
- Popularity: No U.S. birth data exists for Gurion: the Social Security Administration’s threshold is five births a year, a line this name has not crossed.
Hafsa
Hafsa reads as young lioness. It belonged to the fourth wife of the Prophet Muhammad. It also means “moon” in Algerian and paradise woman in an Indigenous Australian reading. It is used most by girls in Sunni Muslim families.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Cub
- Pronunciation: HHAAF-Saa
- Variations: Hafsah
- Namesakes: Hafsa Şeyda Burucu, a Turkish karateka, and the 2012 European Karate Champion. Hafsa Bekri-Lamrani, a Moroccan poet known for Jellabiates (2001).
- Popularity: 148 U.S. girls were named Hafsa in 2025, which put the name at #1,452. It peaked at #1,452 in 2025 and first charted in 1981.
Haidar
Haidar means lion and virtuous, and it is used mostly by Shia Muslims. It also extends to a fortunate and brave man. The lion sense comes from courage in Islamic tradition, where lions stand for valor. The pronunciation lands hard on the first syllable and eases off on the second.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: HHAY-Daar
- Variations: Haydar, Hajdar, Heidar
- Namesakes: Haidar Haidar, a Syrian writer known for the novel Walimah li A’ashab al-Bahr. Salim Haidar, the Lebanese minister of defense from 1952 to 1953.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #4,075 in 2025, from 26 births, or about one in every 66,667 babies. Records go back to 1996, and the best year was 2025 at #4,075.
Hari
Hari means lion in Hindi and Sanskrit. The connection comes through color: the tawny yellow-orange of a lion’s coat. It is also another name for the Hindu god Vishnu, tied to forgiveness. Hare and Harihar are both natural companions to it.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: HHAA-Riy
- Variations: Harri
- Namesakes: Hari Kondabolu, an American stand-up comedian and writer for Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. Hari Sreenivasan, an American broadcast journalist for ABC News.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Hari at #4,446 among U.S. boys in 2025 (23 births). Its strongest year on record was 2002, at #2,903, and it first charted in 1968.
Haruun
Haruun is Arabic and Hebrew at once. It links to the prophet Aaron. Beyond warrior lion it reads as on high, exalted, and mountain of strength. The double u is the distinctive part, since Harun and Haroon are the more common spellings.
- Origin: Arabic, Hebrew
- Meaning: Warrior lion
- Pronunciation: HHaa-RUWN
- Variations: Harun, Haroun, Haroon
- Namesakes: Harun Erdenay, a Turkish basketball player and former President of the Turkish Basketball Federation. Harun bin Idris, the 8th Menteri Besar of Selangor from 1964 to 1976.
- Popularity: Haruun sits below the reporting line the Social Security Administration sets at five U.S. births a year, so there is no ranking on record.
Haydar
Haydar also means warrior, like several boys’ names here. Haidar Allah, lion of Allah, refers to the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. That link is where the name’s standing comes from. It has more spellings than most, so pick one and stay with it.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: HHEY-Daar
- Variations: Haidar, Hajdar, Hayder, Heidar, Haider, Heydar
- Namesakes: Haydar Ergülen, a Turkish poet and winner of the 1997 Behçet Necatigil Poetry Award. Haydar al-Kuzbari, a Syrian colonel who took part in the 1961 Syrian coup d’état, which broke up the United Arab Republic.
- Popularity: 13 U.S. boys were named Haydar in 2025, which put the name at #6,589. It peaked at #6,589 in 2025 and first charted in 2010.
Jala
Jala is an African-Mende name that is also at home in Arabic-speaking families. It grows out of the Arabic jalan, giving greatness, special one, and illustrious. Four letters and one clean pair of syllables keep it easy to say. The meaning does the heavy lifting from there.
- Origin: African, Arabic
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: JHAH-Laa
- Variations: Jalah, Jalla, Jallah
- Namesakes: Jasmin Fazlić (known as Jala Brat), a Bosnian rapper who competed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #11,325 in 2025, from 8 births, or about one in every 200,000 babies. Records go back to 1973, and the best year was 2001 at #1,189. Births over the last 10 years are down 71% on the 10 years before them, the steepest drop on this list.
Jansher
Jansher is a super mysterious name meaning lion of a lion. It is found in Pakistan and is thought to be specifically Afghani in origin. It also reads as one who lives like a lion. It is used mainly as a Muslim name for boys.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Life of a lion
- Pronunciation: JHAAN-shur
- Namesakes: Jansher Khan, a Pakistani squash player ranked number one worldwide from 1988 to 1998.
- Popularity: The federal data starts at five U.S. births in a year, and Jansher has yet to reach it, leaving no ranking to cite.
Jocelyn
Jocelyn began in Old German as a word for someone of the Gauts tribe. The Hebrew line gives it joyful. From there it lifts the lion reading into lion of God. It has been worn by women for generations without ever feeling dated.
- Origin: French, Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion of God
- Pronunciation: JHOWZ-eh-Lihn
- Variations: Jocelin, Jocelynn, Joselyn, Joslyn, Josselin
- Namesakes: Jocelyn Moorhouse, an Australian filmmaker who directed Proof (1991). Jocelyn Gill, an American astronomer who took part in a NASA solar eclipse flight in 1963.
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Jocelyn #393 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 788 births that year. Its best showing was #50 in 2007, and it has been in the federal data since 1900.
Kasar
Kasar means one who resembles a roaring animal. In Sanskrit it lands directly on resembling a lion. It is also a village in the Aydin Province of Turkey. The two syllables leave nothing to explain twice.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Like a lion
- Pronunciation: KAA-saar
- Variations: Kasarr
- Popularity: Kasar has not turned up in U.S. Social Security Administration records, which only start counting a name at five births in a year.
Kefira
Kefira means young lioness. It comes from the same Hebrew family as Aryeh and Gurion. It is also used as a Hindi female name, so it crosses traditions easily. Either way it gives a girl a lion name that still sounds gentle.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion cub
- Pronunciation: Keh-FIY-rah
- Variations: Kefeara, Kefeira, Kefirah, Kefyra, Kephira
- Popularity: Kefira last appeared in U.S. data in 2018 at #16,910, its best showing on record; the data goes back to 2006.
Kesarinandan
Kesarinandan is a patronymic name. It reads as son of Kesari or descendant of Kesari. It also carries saffron and lion. Kesari is the everyday short form for a name this long.
- Origin: Hindi, Indian
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: Keh-SAAR-iy-NAAN-dan
- Popularity: Kesarinandan has no U.S. federal record; it stays under the five-birth threshold the Social Security Administration requires before listing a name.
Kiara
Kiara is usually treated as the female form of the Irish Ciaran, built on the Gaelic ciar, meaning dark. In Italian, taken from Chiara, it means “light” instead. Kiara is also the lioness in The Lion King, and in Swahili the name reads as princess. Few names collect that many meanings and still sound this simple.
- Origin: Irish, Gaelic
- Meaning: Dark-haired
- Pronunciation: Kiy-AH-Raa
- Variations: Keara, Kiarra, Kieara, Kiera
- Namesakes: Kiara Nowlin, an American gymnast who competed at the 2007 World Age Games. Kiara Brinkman, an American writer known for the novel Up High in the Trees (2007).
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Kiara #229 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 1335 births that year. Its best showing was #78 in 1999, and it has been in the federal data since 1968.
Kithlish
Kithlish appears in the Bible as a town in Judah, read as a man’s wall. As a name it means the company of a lioness. There is no statistical information on it at all. That gap is either a problem or exactly the point.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Company of a lioness
- Pronunciation: KIYTH-lesh
- Popularity: There is no U.S. ranking for Kithlish; the Social Security Administration does not publish a name until it reaches five births in a year, and this one hasn’t gotten there.
Kosey
Kosey means lion in Egyptian. It holds the same meaning across other African languages. It is barely used today, so a boy named Kosey is unlikely to meet another. The sound is friendly rather than fierce, a nice contrast with the meaning.
- Origin: Egyptian
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: KOW-ziy
- Variations: Kosi, Kosie, Kosy
- Popularity: There is no federal record for Kosey in the United States, since it has not reached the five-births-a-year line the Social Security Administration sets.
Lais
In Brazil and Portugal, Lais reads as popular woman. It also doubles as a Muslim and Hindu name meaning lion. Lais is also a district in Indonesia’s South Sumatra Province. That single syllable carries more history than its four letters suggest.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: LAAIYZ
- Variations: Laes, Laise, Lays
- Namesakes: Arthur Antunes de Moraes e Castro (known as Laís), a Brazilian footballer for the Brazil national football team.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Lais at #16,240 among U.S. girls in 2025 (5 births). Its strongest year on record was 2022, at #8,815, and it first charted in 2014. That makes it the rarest of the charted names here, about one in every 333,333 births.
Laith
Laith means lion and brave in Arabic. It also lives a second life as a Scottish boy’s name. In Scotland the association is with the river Leith in Edinburgh. It is one of the rare picks that fits as well in Amman as in Glasgow.
- Origin: Arabic, Scottish
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: LAYTH
- Variations: Laeth, Laethe, Laithe, Lathe, Layth
- Namesakes: Laith Nakli, a British-Syrian-American actor known for The Wall (2017). Laith Wallschleger, an American actor appearing in the series Worst Cooks in America.
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Laith #896 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 266 births that year. Its best showing was #896 in 2025, and it has been in the federal data since 1969.
Lander
Lander goes back to the Greek Leiandros, meaning like a lion, from leon, lion, and andros, man. It reads more like a surname than a given name in English. That fits the current naming trend exactly. Short, sturdy, no nickname needed.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Lion-man
- Pronunciation: LAEN-Der
- Variations: Landar, Landers, Landor
- Popularity: Lander went to 41 U.S. boys in 2025, landing at #3,022; its peak came far earlier, at #2,283 in 1949, in a record that opens in 1913.
Leandra
Leandra is the feminine form of Leander, lion man, from the Greek Leandros: leon for lion and aner for man. It hands a girl one of the strongest meanings on this list. It does that without borrowing a boy’s name outright. Lea and Andi are both sitting right there.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Lion woman
- Pronunciation: Leh-AEN-drah
- Variations: Leeanda, Leeandra, Leiandra
- Namesakes: Leandra Leal, a Brazilian actress appearing in the soap opera Senhora do Destino. Leandra Medine Cohen, an American author known for the Man Repeller website.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #3,620 in 2025, from 42 births, or about one in every 38,462 babies. Records go back to 1913, and the best year was 1989 at #734.
Lencho
Lencho belongs to the Oromo culture of Ethiopia. It is also a Spanish boy’s name meaning crowned with laurel. That suits any lion king. The ch in the middle keeps it lively.
- Origin: African
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: LEHNCH-ow
- Namesakes: Lencho Letta, the Ethiopian Deputy Secretary General of the Oromo Liberation Front from 1974 to 1995.
- Popularity: Lencho has never reached the five-birth-a-year floor the Social Security Administration requires before it publishes a name, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Leo
Leo is the plainest lion name there is, since it is simply the Latin word for the animal. It has long served as the short form of Leonard and Leopold, and in the Middle Ages it became a byname for the lionhearted. It is also the zodiac sign whose symbol is a lion. Three letters, no explanation required, and the highest-ranked name here at #19 in 2025, just ahead of Daniel at #22.
- Origin: Latin, Greek
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: LEE-ow
- Variations: Leio, Lyo
- Namesakes: Leo G. Carroll, an English actor appearing in six Hitchcock films, including North by Northwest. Leo “the Lion” Cantor, a Jewish-American football player for the New York Giants.
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Leo #19 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 8173 births that year. Its best showing was #18 in 2023, and it has been in the federal data since 1880. It is the highest-ranked name on this list.
Leon
Leon is the hinge between the Latin Leo and the Spanish Leon. In the Middle Ages many German-Jewish families used it as a given name. It reads as lion-hearted in German and fierce one from Naples in Italian. It fell out of fashion for decades and has been climbing back since.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: Lee-AAN
- Variations: Leone
- Namesakes: Leon Brittan, the British European Commissioner from 1989 to 1999. Leon Russell, an American musician inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
- Popularity: 2583 U.S. boys were named Leon in 2025, which put the name at #138. It peaked at #73 in 1926 and first charted in 1880. U.S. use has recovered about 6.5 times over from its 1997 low.
Leonard
Leonard joins leon, meaning lion, with hardu, meaning brave. The readings pile up from there: lion strength, lion-strong, lion-hearted. It is a grandfather name that has aged into charm. Both Leo and Lenny are waiting inside it.
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Brave lion
- Pronunciation: LEHN-Ahrd
- Variations: Leanard, Lenard, Lennard, Leonnard
- Namesakes: Leonard Cohen, a Canadian singer-songwriter awarded the ninth Glenn Gould Prize in 2011. Leonard Pitts, an American journalist, and winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #637 in 2025, from 438 births, or about one in every 3,906 babies. Records go back to 1880, and the best year was 1923 at #37.
Leonidas
Leonidas means son of a lion. It belongs first to Leonidas I, the king of Sparta. A Hebrew reading adds lion strength on top. It is a big name for a small person, and it shortens to Leo or Lee whenever that helps.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of a lion
- Pronunciation: Liy-ow-NIY-Daes
- Variations: Leontius, Leonida
- Namesakes: Leonidas Pyrgos, a Greek fencer and the first Greek Olympic medalist in the modern Olympic Games in 1896. Leonidas Pantelides, the Cypriot Ambassador to the U.S. since 2016.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Leonidas at #510 among U.S. boys in 2025 (591 births). Its strongest year on record was 2022, at #421, and it first charted in 1880.
Lev
Lev braids the Russian lion together with the Hebrew heart. It is the Russian form of Leo and turns up as a Czech surname. Russians say it closer to Liy-EHV than to the flat English Lev. It shortens naturally to Levi, so it works whether a parent wants the short form or the full one.
- Origin: Russian, Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: LEHV
- Variations: Leiv, Levi
- Namesakes: Lev Weinstein, a Soviet sports shooter and bronze medalist at the 1952 Olympics. Lev Khrshchonovich, the chief architect of Kazan.
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Lev #1,001 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 227 births that year. Its best showing was #1,001 in 2025, and it has been in the federal data since 1971.
Lion
Lion is the most literal pick here, taken from the Latin leonem and the Greek leon. Used up front, it is bold. Used as a middle name it gives a child the meaning without the daily attention. Either way, nobody has to ask what it means.
- Origin: English, Latin
- Meaning: Lion (animal)
- Pronunciation: LAEY-Ahn
- Namesakes: Lion Feuchtwanger, a Jewish-German writer known for the Josephus trilogy. Lion van Minden, a Dutch epee fencer who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
- Popularity: Lion went to 37 U.S. boys in 2025, putting it at #3,219, just off its 2022 peak of #2,940; the record for it opens in 1922.
Liona
Liona lets you call a daughter Lion and comes from the same Greek leon and Latin leo as the rest of the family. It is softer than Leona and rarer than Lion, at #6,458 versus #3,219 in 2025. The stress falls on the second syllable, which is the part people get wrong first.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Lioness
- Pronunciation: Liy-OW-naa
- Variations: Lyona, Leona
- Namesakes: Liona Boyd, a Canadian guitarist called the First Lady of the Guitar.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #6,458 in 2025, from 18 births, or about one in every 90,909 babies. Records go back to 1909, and the best year was 1915 at #3,634.
Lionel
Lionel is a French offshoot of Leon that arrived in English as a nickname. It is lion plus the suffix -el, which makes the lion small enough to carry. It has a formal, old-world feel and an easy short form in Leo.
- Origin: French, Latin
- Meaning: Little lion
- Pronunciation: LAEYO-nehl
- Variations: Leonel, Lional, Lionell, Lionnel, Lyonel
- Namesakes: Lionel Logue, an Australian speech and language therapist who helped King George VI with speech. Lionel Wigram, a British film producer and co-founder of the Oxford Film Foundation.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Lionel at #659 among U.S. boys in 2025 (419 births). Its strongest year on record was 1933, at #295, and it first charted in 1880.
Llanquipan
Llanquipan is hard to pin down. Its African attribution is vague, it also reads as fallen branch, and it is used in the Araucanian language of the Mapuche people in Chile. What survives clearly is solitary lioness, which is a striking thing to hand a daughter.
- Origin: African
- Meaning: Solitary lioness
- Pronunciation: LAAN-kwih-Pahn
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Llanquipan: the Social Security Administration only lists a name once it clears five births in a year, and this one hasn’t.
Llewella
Llewella carries the phrase one whose lion-like bravery shines bright. Around that it collects shining one, lion-like, leader, likeness, and luminescent. The double L opening is Welsh and worth practicing before the birth announcement.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: Lioness
- Pronunciation: Luw-EHL-ah
- Variations: Lewella
- Namesakes: Llewella Gideon, an English actress appearing in Absolutely Fabulous. Llewella Chapman, an English writer known for Fashioning James Bond (2021).
- Popularity: Llewella sits outside U.S. federal records altogether, below the five-birth threshold the Social Security Administration requires.
Loni
Loni is a short form of the Greek Leona, meaning lioness. It also works as a nickname for Apollonia, belonging to Apollo, and as a Hawaiian name meaning heaven. It leans female but has served boys named Leonard for years.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Lioness
- Pronunciation: LAAN-iy
- Variations: Lonny, Lonnie, Lonie, Lani
- Namesakes: Loni Anderson, an American actress known for the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1978 to 1982). Loni Hancock, an American member of the California State Senate from 2008 to 2016.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #7,012 in 2025, from 16 births, or about one in every 100,000 babies. Records go back to 1943, and the best year was 1980 at #570.
Maahes
Maahes is the most mythic name on this list. In ancient Egypt he was a lion-headed god of war whose name reads as he who is true beside her, and he stood for the rays of the sun, as golden as a mane. It is rare, strange, and completely unmistakable.
- Origin: Egyptian, Greek
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: MAAAH-Hhihz
- Variations: Maihes, Mahes
- Popularity: Maahes sits below the reporting line the Social Security Administration sets at five U.S. births a year, so there is no ranking on record.
Mai
Mai means lion in Vietnamese and dance in Japanese. It picks up more readings along the way, including the Native American coyote, the French month of May, and the Hebrew bitter. One syllable that travels almost anywhere.
- Origin: Vietnamese
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: MAEY
- Variations: Mae, Maie, May, Mey
- Namesakes: Mai Ito, a Japanese long-distance runner who competed at the 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. Mai Zetterling, a Swedish actress known for Torment (1944).
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Mai #3,016 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 55 births that year. Its best showing was #795 in 1990, and it has been in the federal data since 1880.
Menhit
Menhit is an ancient Egyptian war goddess whose name means she who massacres. She is shown as a lioness, fitting for a warrior. It is a fierce choice, and the spelling keeps it from ever looking soft.
- Origin: Egyptian
- Meaning: Lioness goddess
- Pronunciation: MEHN-hit
- Variations: Menchit
- Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration records start at five births in a year, and Menhit has never appeared in them, so no popularity figure can be quoted.
Miles
Miles is the English form of the Old German Milo, built on milu, meaning merciful. In Latin, miles described a soldier, and by the Middle Ages the word had attached itself to the lion-hearted knight. It is one of the few names that reads gentle and tough at once.
- Origin: English, German
- Meaning: Lion-hearted soldier
- Pronunciation: MAEY-ahls
- Variations: Milles, Myles, Mylz
- Namesakes: Miles Walker, the first-ever Isle of Man Chief Minister from 1986 to 1996. Miles Boykin, an American football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #44 in 2025, from 6,072 births, or about one in every 281 babies. Records go back to 1880, and the best year was 2024 at #37.
Nala
Nala means “queen,” lion, and successful in Swahili, and first drink of water in Arabic. Most people know it from The Lion King, where Nala is Simba’s friend and the queen of the pride by the closing scene. Short, warm, and instantly readable.
- Origin: African, Indian
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: NAA-Laa
- Variations: Nahla, Nalla, Nallah
- Namesakes: Nala Damajanti, a 19th-century snake charmer who toured with P.T. Barnum’s circus.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Nala at #856 among U.S. girls in 2025 (317 births). Its strongest year on record was 2019, at #679, and it first charted in 1979.
Nalea
Nalea puts lioness and queen in the same name. It also reads as lei of love through its Hawaiian side. Lea is the ready short form if the full name feels like a lot.
- Origin: African, Hawaiian
- Meaning: Lioness
- Pronunciation: NAH-Lyah
- Variations: Najilah, Najyla, Najylah
- Popularity: The Social Security Administration ranked Nalea #12,791 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 7 births that year. Its best showing was #7,841 in 2020, and it has been in the federal data since 2001.
Napoleon
Napoleon rests on the Italian name Nevoleone, which joins the Greek neapolis, meaning Naples, with leone, meaning lion. It also carries new city. The name comes with an emperor attached, so it is not a quiet choice.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Lion from Naples
- Pronunciation: Nah-POW-liy-Ahn
- Variations: Napoleone
- Namesakes: Napoleon Bonaparte, a Corsican-French military commander and Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814. Napoleon Kaufman, an American football player for the Oakland Raiders.
- Popularity: 22 U.S. boys were named Napoleon in 2025, which put the name at #4,651. It peaked at #505 in 1913 and first charted in 1880.
Nemean
Nemean is the name of the mythical Nemean lion, also called Leo Nemeaeus, a monster that lived near Nemea until Hercules killed it. Nemea is still a place in the Peloponnese. As a baby name it is almost unknown, which makes it a real find for a family that loves Greek myth.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Mythical lion
- Pronunciation: NEH-miy-An
- Popularity: Nemean has no U.S. federal record; it stays under the five-birth threshold the Social Security Administration requires before listing a name.
Odette
Odette means a lion in the form of a human, or someone who holds the furious powers of a lion. In French it also reads as wealthy, and in ballet it belongs to the swan of Swan Lake. That mix of swan and lion is the whole charm of it.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Lion-like person
- Pronunciation: Ow-DEHT
- Variations: Odet, Odete, Odett
- Namesakes: Odette Lusien, a French swimmer who competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics. Odette Piñeiro, the Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Education from 2009 to 2010.
- Popularity: Odette stood at #883 among U.S. girls in 2025, on 303 births, matching its strongest year on record; the name first charted back in 1894.
Othniel
Othniel is a biblical boy’s name with uncertain roots, read as God is my strength or God has helped me. It may have belonged to one of the judges of Israel, sent to save the people from the king of Mesopotamia. With that history behind it, the God’s lion reading makes sense.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God’s lion
- Pronunciation: AOTH-niy-Ahl
- Variations: Othniele, Othniell, Othnielle, Othnyel
- Namesakes: Othniel Looker, the fifth governor of Ohio from March to December 1814. Othniel Charles Marsh, an American paleontologist known for discovering multiple new species.
- Popularity: Othniel has been in U.S. federal data since 1924, and in 2025 it stood at #2,746 for boys, with 47 births that year; its best showing came in 2018, at #2,186.
Pantaleone
Pantaleone joins the Greek pan, meaning all, with leon, meaning lion, for a name that reads as the lion of all. It belonged to a 2nd-century BC Bactrian king and to a 4th-century saint. Five syllables is a commitment, and Leone is the way out of it.
- Origin: Italian, Greek
- Meaning: Lion of all
- Pronunciation: PAEN-Taa-liy-Ahn
- Variations: Pantaleon
- Popularity: There is no federal record for Pantaleone in the United States, since it has not reached the five-births-a-year line the Social Security Administration sets.
Poldi
Poldi is the German nickname for Leopold and reads as patriotic in Hungarian. It is used for girls now and then, since anyone can grow up lion-hearted. Short, bouncy, and far easier to spell than Leopold.
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Lion-hearted
- Pronunciation: POWL-Diy
- Variations: Poldy
- Namesakes: Poldi Kielholz, a Swiss footballer who competed for the Swiss football team at the 1934 FIFA World Cup. Poldi Dur, an Austrian actress appeared in Cirus Saran (1935).
- Popularity: Poldi is absent from U.S. Social Security Administration data altogether; the agency only tracks a name once it reaches five births a year, and this one hasn’t.
Puma
Puma is the common word for a mountain lion, and it beats the Spanish gato monte, cat of the mountain, for everyday use. The word comes from the Incan language. As a name it is blunt and modern, and it puts a big cat in the room with no translation needed.
- Origin: Incan, Latin
- Meaning: Mountain lion
- Pronunciation: PUW-mah
- Namesakes: Sandra “Puma” Jones, an American singer and member of the reggae group Black Uhuru. Puma King, a Mexican wrestler with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.
- Popularity: The federal data starts at five U.S. births in a year, and Puma has yet to reach it, leaving no ranking to cite.
Raion
Raion is thought to come from the French rayon, meaning department, and it reads as district in English. It is also the Japanese word for lion, which is why it sits here. The name turns up in scattered places rather than any one country.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: RAEY-on
- Variations: Rayon
- Popularity: Raion sits outside U.S. federal records altogether, below the five-birth threshold the Social Security Administration requires.
Rasalas
Rasalas has one of the most specific meanings on this list: the northern star of the lion’s head. It names a star in the constellation Leo. Spelled Rasselas, it belongs to a character in a Samuel Johnson story. For a family that likes the night sky, it is hard to beat.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: The northern star of the lion’s head
- Pronunciation: RAA-sah-Laas
- Popularity: No U.S. birth data exists for Rasalas: the Social Security Administration’s threshold is five births a year, a line this name has not crossed.
Roary
Roary respells the Gaelic Rory into something that sounds like a lion at full volume. The original joins ruadh, meaning red, with ri, meaning king. Roary is also a mascot name for teams from the Florida Panthers and Detroit Lions to Middlesbrough in the UK, so it wears well on a small, loud person.
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: Red king
- Pronunciation: ROHR-iy
- Variations: Rory
- Popularity: Roary’s most recent U.S. appearance was 2021, at #13,684, down from a best showing of #7,095 in 1983; the record for it opens in 1982.
Ruslan
Ruslan sounds Russian because it is, though the root is the Turkish arslan, meaning lion. Eruslan, Uruslan, and Yeruslan are its close relatives. It is firm without being harsh, and Rus makes a natural short form.
- Origin: Russian
- Meaning: Lion-like
- Pronunciation: RHOOS-laan
- Namesakes: Ruslan Honcharov, a Ukrainian ice dancer and the 2006 Olympic bronze medalist. Ruslan Olehovych Ponomariov, a Ukrainian chess grandmaster and the 2011 Ukrainian Chess Champion.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Ruslan at #3,571 among U.S. boys in 2025 (32 births). Its strongest year on record was 2000, at #3,511, and it first charted in 1992.
Sab
Sab is one of many Arabic words for lion, and it also means beautiful. It is used from Algeria and Bangladesh to Egypt and Indonesia. Saba is the more common form, and Sab is the shorter, sharper one.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: SAAB
- Variations: Saba
- Popularity: Sab has not turned up in U.S. Social Security Administration records, which only start counting a name at five births in a year.
Sabuah
Sabuah stands out among girls’ names meaning lioness. It appears to be related to Sab and Saba, both Arabic words for the animal. This one is squarely for the ladies who roar.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Lioness
- Pronunciation: SAAB-uw-Ah
- Popularity: There is no U.S. ranking for Sabuah; the Social Security Administration does not publish a name until it reaches five births in a year, and this one hasn’t gotten there.
Safari
Safari grows out of the Arabic safar, meaning travel and tour, and the Swahili kusafiri, meaning journey. In parts of Africa it is given to babies born while the family is traveling. The lion link is the trip itself, the one people take hoping to see them.
- Origin: Swahili
- Meaning: Journey
- Pronunciation: Saa-FAAR-iy
- Popularity: U.S. rank #8,774 in 2025, from 12 births, or about one in every 142,857 babies. Records go back to 1992, and the best year was 2022 at #5,002.
Safia
Safia means lion’s share in Arabic and Swahili, and it also carries pure, best friend, and wisdom. It is traditionally a Muslim girls’ name. Soft sounds, strong meaning, no spelling trouble.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Lion’s share
- Pronunciation: Saa-FIY-yaa
- Variations: Saffiyah, Safya, Safieh
- Namesakes: Safia Minney, a British author of Naked Fashion: the New Sustainable Fashion Revolution. Safia Abukar Hussein, a Somali sprinter who competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Popularity: Social Security Administration data puts Safia at #2,403 among U.S. girls in 2025 (75 births). Its strongest year on record was 2025, at #2,403, and it first charted in 1975.
Savannah
Savannah comes from the Spanish sabana, itself from the Taino zabana. It names the treeless plain where lions actually live, a subtler route to a lion name than most picks here take. In the United States it also carries the pull of the Georgia city.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: Treeless plain
- Pronunciation: Saa-VAA-naa
- Variations: Sahvannah, Savanah, Savanha, Savanna, Savannha
- Namesakes: Savannah Wise, an American actress appearing in the series Smash. Savannah Guthrie, an Australian-American co-anchor of the NBC News morning show Today.
- Popularity: Savannah has been in U.S. federal data since 1880; in 2025 it ranked #135 for girls, on 2,141 births, well off its best showing of #30 in 2006.
Shalonna
Shalonna is a newer name, built in the African-American community with the sense of fierce and strong as a lioness. It is still rare enough that most people will meet it for the first time in your daughter. The Shalon spelling trims a syllable off.
- Origin: African American
- Meaning: Lioness
- Pronunciation: Shah-LOWN-ah
- Variations: Shalon
- Popularity: The last time U.S. data recorded Shalonna was 1990, at #12,628; its best year was 1976, at #7,960, the same year the record opens.
Sher
Sher is Persian for lion and also reads as the beloved one in Arabic. It has been adopted as a Chinese surname in places, though the Persian meaning is the original. One syllable, one clean sound, no ambiguity.
- Origin: Persian
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: SHEHR
- Variations: Shar
- Namesakes: Sher Bahadur Singh, an Indian member of the Legislative Assembly from 2012 to 2017. Sher Lama, a Nepali-Hong Kong cricketer for Hong Kong.
- Popularity: Sher stood at U.S. rank #8,808 in 2025, on 9 births, or about one in every 200,000 babies; records go back to 1980, and its best year was 1981, at #4,107.
Shishi
Shishi comes from Chinese Buddhist stories about guardian lions, figures that stand for success. The name also carries Yahweh is merciful and gracious. Repeating the syllable makes it playful on a small child and still dignified later on.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Guardian lion
- Pronunciation: SHIY-Shiy
- Namesakes: Shishi Bunroku, a Japanese writer and director of the Bungakuza Theater in Tokyo.
- Popularity: Shishi has never reached the five-birth-a-year floor the Social Security Administration requires before it publishes a name, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Simba
Simba is the Swahili word for lion, used across East African countries like Kenya and Tanzania. It is also, unavoidably, the Disney lion, so everyone gets the reference in half a second. If that suits you, there is no more direct lion name on this list.
- Origin: Swahili
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: SIYM-Baa
- Variations: Simbah, Symba, Symbah
- Namesakes: Simba Makoni, the Zimbabwean Minister of Finance and Economic Development from 2000 to 2002. Simba Nhivi, a Zimbabwean footballer for Dynamos.
- Popularity: Simba has been in U.S. federal data since 1994; in 2025 it ranked #6,398 for boys, on 14 births, just off its best showing of #3,985 in 2023.
Singh
Singh rests on the Sanskrit simha, meaning lion, and is used for anyone regarded as a hero or a person of standing. In South Asian countries it also works as an official title, carried by the Hindu Kshatriya people. Short, familiar, and heavy with history.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: SIHNG
- Variations: Sing, Syngh
- Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration records start at five births in a year, and Singh has never appeared in them, so no popularity figure can be quoted.
Thimba
Thimba sounds like Simba and means something more pointed: lion hunter. An Arabic reading gives it as he who hunts lions. It is rare wherever it turns up, so the resemblance to Simba is the only familiar thing about it.
- Origin: Swahili
- Meaning: Lion hunter
- Pronunciation: THIM-bah
- Variations: Thimbah, Thymba, Thymbah
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Thimba: the Social Security Administration only lists a name once it clears five births in a year, and this one hasn’t.
Tiaret
Tiaret is one of several names here meaning lioness, and it comes from North Africa. It is also a town in Algeria. The ending gives it a French lilt that softens the meaning.
- Origin: African
- Meaning: Lioness
- Pronunciation: Tiy-RAHT
- Variations: Tiarett, Tiarette, Tiarret
- Popularity: Tiaret has no U.S. federal record; it stays under the five-birth threshold the Social Security Administration requires before listing a name.
Tocho
Tocho is a Hopi word for a mountain lion, and it stretches to describe someone as strong as the lion of the mountain. The Hopi are based in northeastern Arizona, where mountain lions are plentiful. Two syllables, easy to say, and tied to a real animal rather than a myth.
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: Mountain lion
- Pronunciation: TOHK-ow
- Variations: Tochio
- Popularity: Tocho is absent from U.S. Social Security Administration data altogether; the agency only tracks a name once it reaches five births a year, and this one hasn’t.
Usama
Usama comes from the Arabic root alif sin mim, read as the one with a name. It is one of the many Arabic words for lion that became a given name. Osama and Usamah are the alternate spellings.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: Uw-SAA-maa
- Variations: Osama, Oussana, Usamah
- Namesakes: Usama Ishtay, a Syrian-Venezuelan fashion designer known for working with Tyra Banks. Usama Alshaibi, an Iraqi-American filmmaker known for the documentary Nice Bombs.
- Popularity: Usama’s most recent U.S. sighting was 2001, at #9,187, well off its best showing of #3,368 in 1999; the record for it opens in 1977.
Yeruslan
Yeruslan traces to uruslan, from the Turkish arslan, meaning lion. Its best-known bearer is Yeruslan Lazarevich, a hero of Russian-Tatar folktales connected to the Persian hero Rostam. There is also a Yeruslan river in Russia. Folklore, geography, and a lion in four syllables.
- Origin: Russian, Turkish
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: YEH-roos-Laan
- Popularity: There is no federal record for Yeruslan in the United States, since it has not reached the five-births-a-year line the Social Security Administration sets.
Zaiden
Zaiden collects meanings the way few names do: strength, sower of seeds, beautiful, brave, and lion. Some trace it to the Hebrew Zadeni, meaning angel, and others to an Arabic male name meaning growth or increase. The Zayden and Zidan spellings are both in use.
- Origin: Indian, Arabic
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: ZEY-Dahn
- Variations: Zayden, Zidan
- Namesakes: Zaiden James, an American actor known for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).
- Popularity: Zaiden stood at #609 among U.S. boys in 2025, on 466 births, down from its strongest year, 2013, at #336; the name first charted in 2000.
Zamrez
Zamrez is rare enough that its only figures come from surname records, and there are not many of those. It also reads as brave. For parents who want a lion name nobody can trace, that combination is the appeal.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Lion
- Pronunciation: ZAAM-rez
- Popularity: Zamrez sits below the reporting line the Social Security Administration sets at five U.S. births a year, so there is no ranking on record.
Zariel
Zariel is often confused with the Hebrew Sariel, meaning prince of God, and it is also treated as a short form of Azariel, God helped me. As a Muslim girl’s name it reads as lion and princess together. Both halves suit a daughter with opinions.
- Origin: Arabic, Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion princess
- Pronunciation: ZEH-riy-Ahl
- Variations: Zariele, Zariell, Zarielle
- Popularity: 13 U.S. girls were named Zariel in 2025, which put the name at #8,352. It peaked at #6,975 in 2022 and first charted in 1999.
Zira
Zira is thought to be a variant of the Arabic Zara, meaning princess or flower, and it also carries moonlight. Disney fans will know Zira from The Lion King films, where she is anything but background. Short, sharp, and ready for attention.
- Origin: African, Arabic
- Meaning: Moonlight
- Pronunciation: Ziy-Raa
- Variations: Zirah, Zirra, Zirrah, Zyra, Zyrrah
- Popularity: Zira stood at U.S. rank #6,835 in 2025, on 17 births, or about one in every 90,909 babies; records go back to 1974, and its best year was 2023, at #5,749.
Zmarak
Zmarak comes from Pashto, spoken in northern Pakistan, and reads as like a little lion or lion’s son. It is found mostly in Muslim and Bengali communities. Two syllables, one very clear image.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Like a little lion
- Pronunciation: Zah-MAA-rak
- Namesakes: Zmarak Khan Achakzai, the Pakistani Provincial Minister of Balochistan for Agriculture and Cooperatives since 2018.
- Popularity: The federal data starts at five U.S. births in a year, and Zmarak has yet to reach it, leaving no ranking to cite.
