BagatsingFilipino Filipinized form of Bhagat Singh, a combination of Sanskrit भगत (bhagat) meaning "devotee, follower" combined with सिंह (siṃhá) meaning "lion". A notable bearer was Ramon Bagatsing (1916-2006), the 19th Mayor of Manila who was of Indian descent.
Ben-GurionHebrew Means "son of the lion cub", from Hebrew גוּר (gur) meaning "lion cub, young lion". A notable bearer was the Polish-born David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973; real name David Grün), the founding father of the State of Israel who also served as the country's first prime minister.
BrancaleoneItalian Derived from the medieval Italian masculine given name Brancaleone, which means either "a lion's paw" or "he who captures the lion". In the case of the former meaning, the name is derived from Italian branca meaning "paw, claw" combined with Italian leone meaning "lion"... [more]
CangussuBrazilian The surname Cangussu has its origins in the Tupi-Guarani language and is a variation of Akangu’su, which means "jaguar".
CasleyEnglish Derived from Old English C(e)atta, a personal name meaning "cat" and leah "woodland, clearing"."
CatsDutch, Jewish Habitational name for a person from the village of Kats in Zeeland, Holland, or a nickname for someone who in some way resembled a cat, derived from Middle Dutch catte literally meaning "cat"... [more]
CattEnglish Nickname from the animal, Middle English catte "cat". The word is found in similar forms in most European languages from very early times (e.g. Gaelic cath, Slavic kotu). Domestic cats were unknown in Europe in classical times, when weasels fulfilled many of their functions, for example in hunting rodents... [more]
ChaiyasingThai From Thai ไชย (chai) meaning "victory" and สิงห์ (sing) meaning "lion".
De CatersDutch Nickname for someone thought to resemble a tom cat, derived from Middle Dutch cater, kater literally meaning "tom cat".
De LeeuwDutch, Flemish Means "the lion" in Dutch, a habitational name for someone who lived at a house or tavern with a sign depicting a lion. In some cases, it may have been a nickname denoting a wild or courageous individual.
DheerasingheSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit धीर (dhira) meaning "steady, firm, courageous" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
EdirisingheSinhalese Derived from Sinhalese ඉදිරි (idiri) meaning "front, forward" and Sanskrit सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
GaitánSpanish Originated from the Spanish word "gato," which means "cat." It is thought that the name may have been used to describe someone who had cat-like qualities, such as being agile or quick on their feet.
GattoItalian Derived from Old Italian gatto meaning "cat", ultimately from Late Latin cattus. This was a nickname for a person who resembled a cat in some way.
GirlingEnglish From a medieval nickname applied to a brave man (or, with heavy irony, to a cowardly one), from Old French cuer de lion "lion heart".
GouweleeuwDutch Means "golden lion", from an inflected form of goud "gold" and leeuw "lion". Probably given to someone who worked by or lived near a sign depicting a lion.
GunasingheSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit गुण (guna) meaning "quality, attribute, merit" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
GursulturJewish (Latinized), Kurdish, Hebrew This name is a composition of the following words: GUR; Hebrew for "lion cub", SUL; which is an abbreviation of Suleman (Kurdish for king Solomon), TUR; this word is derived from the Arba'ah Turim. The Arbaáh Turim are often called simply the Tur, which is an important Halakhic code.... [more]
GurusingaBatak From Sanskrit guru, meaning “Mentor”, and singha, meaning “Lion”.
KatDutch, Frisian, South African, Jewish Means "cat", a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a cat, or a nickname for someone who somehow resembled a cat, perhaps in agility or an independent nature.
KılıçaslanTurkish From Turkish kılıç meaning "sword" and aslan meaning "lion".
LauGerman nickname for a physically strong person from Middle High German louwelauwe "lion". In some cases the surname may have been a topographic or habitational name referring to a house or inn distinguished by the sign of a lion... [more]
LembergGerman Habitational name from a place called Lemberg in Silesia, originally Löwenberg, from Middle High German lewe, löwe "lion" and berg "mountain".
LeoItalian Nickname for a fierce or brave warrior, from Latin leo meaning "lion".
LeonesSpanish Habitational name for someone from the city of León in Spain. Coincides with the plural form of Spanish león "lion; cougar, puma".
LöbeGerman Variant of Löwe from Middle High German lēwelöuwe "lion" hence a nickname for a brave or regal person. In some cases the surname may have been a topographic or habitational name referring to a house or inn distinguished by the sign of a lion.
LomishviliGeorgian Basically means "child of a lion” in Georgian, from Georgian ლომი (lomi) meaning "lion" combined with an Eastern Georgian surname suffix -შვილი (-shvili) meaning "child".
LöwenhaarGerman Meaning "lion hair", from German löwe "lion" and haar "hair".
LowensteinJewish Combination of German Löwe "lion" and stein "stone". In some cases an ornamental name associated with the name Levi (see also Levy and Lew 2).
LöwenthalJewish, Swedish Ornamental name composed of German Löwe "lion" and T(h)al "valley". In some cases the Jewish name would have been an ornamental elaboration associated with the personal name Levi (or other names meaning "lion").
MarasingheSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit मार (mara) meaning "slaying, killing" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
MonteleoneItalian From various place names, meaning "mountain lion", or "mountain of the lion".
MunasingheSinhalese Derived from Sinhala මුහුණ (muhuna) meaning "face, visage" combined with Sanskrit सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
NamurArabic, Maltese Derived from Arabic نمر, نامور (namur) meaning "tiger". It is typical of Malta.
NgoyCentral African Means "lion" in Baluba cultures, identifying someone from a warrior or hunting family.
OnotoraJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 男虎 (onotora) meaning "male tiger", from 男 (o) meaning "male; man", の (no), an unwritten possessive particle, and 虎 (tora) meaning "panthera tigris", referring to someone with qualities of a male tiger.... [more]
PinchesEnglish (British, Rare) This is one of the very earliest of surnames. This is an English name. First recorded in the 12th century it was a nickname of endearment for a bright, chirpy, person, thought by his peer group to be active like a finch... [more]
SamarasingheSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit समर (samara) meaning "coming together, meeting" or "conflict, struggle" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
ScanagattaItalian Probably means "cat killer", from Italian scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and gatto "cat", with the figurative meaning of "cheat, scoundrel". (Compare Pelagatti)... [more]
SenasingheSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit सेना (sena) meaning "army" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
SherkhanzaiAfghan Meaning "son of Sherkhan" in Pashto. Sherkhan itself means "lion king" in Persian. This surname is found among Afghans belonging to the Barech, one of the Durrani Pashto tribes.
ShishikuraJapanese Shishi means "lion" and kura means "possess, have, storehouse, warehouse".
SihawongThai From Thai สีหะ (siha) meaning "lion" and วงศ์ (wong) meaning "lineage, family, dynasty".
SikumbangMinangkabau Allegedly from the phrase si kumbang meaning "black tiger", probably derived from Minangkabau kumbang which can mean "beetle" or "tiger, leopard". The name may have been used to refer to Tamil settlers from southern India who had darker skin and practised a tiger-like form of martial arts... [more]
StentEnglish (Archaic) Derived from the Old Norse name Steinn meaning "stone". Recorded in several forms including Stein, Steen, Stone and Ston, this surname is english. It is perhaps not surprisingly one of the first recorded surnames anywhere in the world.... [more]
SubasingheSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit शुभ (shubha) meaning "splendid, bright, auspicious" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
SuealueangThai From Thai เสือ (suea) meaning "tiger" and เหลือง (lueang) meaning "yellow".
SumanasingheSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit सुमन (sumana) meaning "good-minded, benevolent" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".