Lion Names
Lions have stood for courage and royalty for thousands of years, from the Nemean lion of Greek myth to the lions of Judah and the Lion King’s Pride Rock. That makes naming one — whether it’s a plush toy, a sports mascot, a story character or a big golden cat who acts like royalty — a lot of fun. We’ve gathered more than 100 lion names, including names that literally mean “lion” in a dozen languages, legendary lions from books and film, and names for lionesses and cubs.
Many of these also work beautifully for pets: a ginger kitten called Leo or Simba is a classic (see our orange cat names). For other big cats, try our tiger names, or look at names that mean king for more regal ideas.
Names that mean “lion” around the world
Nearly every culture that met the lion has a name built on it. These are real given names with a lion etymology.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Leo | Lion | Latin |
| Leon | Lion | Greek |
| Leonardo | Brave lion | Italian (Germanic roots) |
| Lionel | Little lion | French |
| Leander | Lion man | Greek |
| Aslan | Lion | Turkish |
| Arslan | Lion | Turkic |
| Singh | Lion | Sanskrit / Punjabi |
| Simha | Lion | Sanskrit |
| Sher | Lion, tiger | Persian |
| Shir | Lion | Persian |
| Haidar | Lion | Arabic |
| Asad | Lion | Arabic |
| Usama | Lion | Arabic |
| Ari | Lion | Hebrew |
| Arieh | Lion | Hebrew |
| Ariel | Lion of God | Hebrew |
| Simba | Lion | Swahili |
| Leone | Lion | Italian |
| Leonidas | Son of the lion | Greek |
| Llewellyn | Traditionally linked to “lion” (llew) | Welsh |
| Lev | Lion | Russian / Hebrew |
| Leib | Lion | Yiddish |
| Lavi | Lion | Hebrew |
| Kfir | Young lion | Hebrew |
| Leonel | Little lion | Spanish |
| Leonid | Son of the lion | Russian (from Greek) |
| Ghazanfar | Lion | Persian / Arabic |
| Hamza | Strong, steadfast; Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib was called “Lion of God” | Arabic |
Lioness names that mean lion or strength
Lionesses do most of the hunting in a pride, so their names deserve a little power. For more, see our strong girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Leona | Lioness | Latin |
| Leonie | Lion | French |
| Leontyne | Lion-like | Latin via French |
| Ariella | Lioness of God | Hebrew |
| Levia | Lioness | Hebrew |
| Leonela | Little lioness | Spanish |
| Shera | Lioness (feminine of Sher) | Persian / Hindi |
| Simhika | Lioness | Sanskrit |
| Zola | Quiet, tranquil | Zulu |
| Imani | Faith | Swahili |
| Zuri | Beautiful | Swahili |
| Kali | Black; the fierce goddess | Sanskrit |
| Sekhmet | “Powerful one,” Egyptian lioness goddess | Ancient Egyptian |
| Bastet | Cat and lioness goddess | Ancient Egyptian |
Famous lions from film, books and history
Lions have starred in plenty of stories. These names come with a built-in legend.
| Name | Where the lion comes from | Personality |
|---|---|---|
| Mufasa | King of Pride Rock, <em>The Lion King</em> | Wise, fatherly |
| Nala | Simba’s mate, <em>The Lion King</em> | Brave, loyal |
| Sarabi | Simba’s mother; Swahili “mirage” | Dignified |
| Kovu | <em>The Lion King II</em>; Swahili “scar” | Misunderstood |
| Kiara | Simba’s daughter, <em>The Lion King II</em> | Adventurous |
| Scar | The villain of Pride Rock | Scheming |
| Elsa | The lioness of <em>Born Free</em> | Gentle, wild at heart |
| Cecil | Zimbabwe’s famous black-maned lion | Majestic |
| Clarence | <em>Daktari</em>’s cross-eyed lion | Sweet, goofy |
| Christian | The London lion who hugged his rescuers | Affectionate |
| Leo the Lion | The MGM mascot who roars before films | Showman |
| Alex | <em>Madagascar</em> | Performer |
| Nemean | The lion slain by Hercules | Invincible |
| Androcles | The man who pulled a thorn from a lion’s paw (Aesop) | Kind |
| Cowardly Lion | <em>The Wizard of Oz</em> | Timid but brave |
| Lambert | Disney’s <em>Lambert the Sheepish Lion</em> | Soft-hearted |
| Richard | Richard the Lionheart, King of England | Heroic |
Regal names for a king of beasts
Big manes deserve big names. These royal and mythic names suit a proud male lion.
| Name | Meaning / reference | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Rex | King | Latin |
| Regulus | Little king; the heart star of Leo | Latin |
| Maximus | The greatest | Latin |
| Caesar | Title of Roman emperors | Latin |
| Augustus | Venerable, majestic | Latin |
| Titan | Giant deity of Greek myth | Greek |
| Zeus | King of the Greek gods | Greek |
| Ra | Egyptian sun god | Ancient Egyptian |
| Apollo | Greek god of the sun | Greek |
| Solomon | Peace; the wise king | Hebrew |
| Judah | Praised; the “Lion of Judah” | Hebrew |
| Darius | Holds firm to the good | Persian |
| Cyrus | Sun, or throne | Persian |
| Kingston | King’s town | English |
| Sultan | Ruler, authority | Arabic |
| Pharaoh | Great house; Egyptian ruler | Ancient Egyptian |
| Tau | Lion | Setswana / Sesotho |
| Jabari | Brave, fearless | Swahili |
Cute names for lion cubs (and plush lions)
Short, round-sounding names fit baby lions, stuffed animals and ginger kittens alike. More ideas on our cute pet names page.
| Name | Why it’s cute | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sunny | Golden and cheerful | Bright-eyed cubs |
| Nugget | Small and golden | The smallest in the litter |
| Mango | Warm orange color | Playful cubs |
| Biscuit | Tan and cozy | Sleepy cubs |
| Goldie | Golden coat | Girl cubs |
| Honey | Sweet, amber-colored | Gentle cubs |
| Rory | Sounds like “roar-y” | Noisy cubs |
| Toffee | Caramel coat | Plush lions |
| Pumpkin | Round and orange | Chubby cubs |
| Tawny | The color of a lion’s coat | Any cub |
| Butterscotch | Soft golden tone | Cuddly toys |
| Fuzzy | Spotted, woolly cub coat | Newborns |
Funny lion names
A little wordplay goes a long way with big cats.
| Name | The joke | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Richie | Singer pun | A lion who loves music |
| Roary McRoarface | Internet-style naming | The loudest lion |
| Mane Event | “Main event” | A show-stealer |
| Purrcules | Purr + Hercules | A strong but sweet lion |
| Sir Mane-a-Lot | Knightly nickname | A lion with a huge mane |
| Clawdius | Claw + Claudius | A regal troublemaker |
| Lyin’ Ted | “Lion” / “lying” | A lion who fibs about snacks |
| Dandelion | Dandy lion | A fluffy, golden lion |
| Chewbacca | The mane says it all | A shaggy lion |
| Catsby | Cat + Gatsby | A fancy lion |
| Mr. Whiskers | Classic cat name, oversized | An ironic pick |
Tips for choosing a lion name
- Start with the meaning. Leo, Aslan, Arslan and Simba all literally mean “lion,” which makes them feel intentional.
- Think about the mane — or the lack of one. Lionesses and cubs suit softer names like Nala, Zuri or Honey; a big-maned male can carry Maximus or Rex.
- Borrow from Africa. Swahili names such as Simba, Jabari and Zuri connect a lion to its home continent. Browse our Swahili names for more.
- For pets, keep it short. If the “lion” is actually a ginger cat or a fluffy dog, two syllables are easiest to call. Our badass cat names are full of big-cat energy.
- Check the story behind famous names. Scar is fun for a mischievous pet, but maybe not for a gentle one.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good name for a lion?
Leo, Simba, Aslan, Mufasa, Rex and Jabari are popular male lion names; Nala, Leona, Zuri, Kiara and Elsa are favorites for lionesses.
What name means lion?
Leo and Leon (Latin/Greek), Aslan and Arslan (Turkish), Simba (Swahili), Singh and Simha (Sanskrit), Asad and Haidar (Arabic) and Ari (Hebrew) all mean “lion.”
What does Simba mean?
Simba is the Swahili word for “lion.” It became world-famous as the hero of Disney’s The Lion King (1994).
What was the lion in Narnia called?
The lion in C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia is Aslan, which is Turkish for “lion.”
What is a female lion name that means strong?
Leona (lioness), Sekhmet (the powerful one), Ariella (lioness of God) and Shera are strong choices for a lioness.