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74 Fierce Names That Mean Lion

Nameberry
Updated Fri Sep 03 2021
Baby names meaning lion are among the most appealing of all the trendy new names with animal meanings. The reason has everything to do with the lion's majesty and ferocity as king of the beasts.

Names with lion meanings are particularly appropriate for babies born under the sign of Leo, which runs from late July until late August. Leonine names might also fit a child with tawny golden skin or hair, or one who simply has a loud roar!

The names on this list may literally mean lion, like Lionel, or may relate to famous lions such as Nala, or might have a more figurative relationship with lions, such as Daniel who in the bible entered the lion's den.

If you're looking for a name with a lion-related meaning for your baby boy or baby girl, this list includes a wide-ranging selection.
  1. Leo

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "lion"

    • Description:

      Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for thirteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US thanks in part to Leonardo "Leo" DiCaprio.
  2. Alisher

    • Origin:

      Persian; Turkish; Kazakh; Uzbek

    • Meaning:

      "lofty, sublime + lion; brave prince"

    • Description:

      A name of Persian, Turkish, Kazakh, and Uzbek origin, Alisher can be considered a compound name, blending the popular Arabic name Ali with the Persian shir meaning "sublime lion", or a purely Persian choice meaning "brave prince".
  3. Leon

    • Origin:

      Greek variation of Leo

    • Meaning:

      "lion"

    • Description:

      Currently overshadowed by the bright and lively Leo, Leon feels a slightly more serious, more quietly confident than its short and trending counterpart.
  4. Daniel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my judge"

    • Description:

      Daniel is one of only a handful of male names that sounds both classic and modern, strong yet approachable, and popular but not cliched. It also has a solid Old Testament pedigree. The only real downside: There are about 10,000 Daniels named each year, making it a less than distinctive choice.
  5. Luan

    • Origin:

      Portuguese, Albanian, Vietnamese, or Irish

    • Meaning:

      "moon; lion; ethics; warrior"

    • Description:

      Luan is a handsome, unusual boy's name with surprisingly diverse origins. It's a rare Portuguese name meaning "moon", an Albanian name meaning "lion", a Vietnamese name meaning "justice; ethics", and a Gaelic name meaning "hound; warrior".
  6. Griffin

    • Origin:

      Welsh, variation of Griffith

    • Meaning:

      "strong lord"

    • Description:

      Griffin is one of the newer and most appealing of the two-syllable Celtic surnames. In English, griffin is the name of a mythological creature, half eagle, half lion. It re-entered the list in 1983 after an absence of 75+ years.
  7. Leonie

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "lion"

    • Description:

      Leonie is a chic French and German form of a name that exists in a range of variations from Leona to Leonia to Leon to Leo to Lionel, all newly fashionable after a couple of generations in style limbo.
  8. Ariel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "lion of God"

    • Description:

      Ariel is a male Biblical name, seen there as the messenger of Ezra, and also used as a symbolic name for the city of Jerusalem, while Shakespeare used it for a (male) sprite in The Tempest.
  9. Leona

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "lioness"

    • Description:

      A Top 100 name from 1896 to 1921, Leona reached as high as Number 72. Since then, Leona had seemed to be one of the most unfashionable of the pride of lion names, but singer Leona Lewis has done a lot to rejuvenate it. Leona returned to the Top 1000 in 2009 after decades of being away.
  10. Lev

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Russian

    • Meaning:

      "heart; lion"

    • Description:

      This concise one-syllable name, has two possible derivations and two positive meanings associated with it. In Hebrew, it means "heart", while in Russian it means "lion". So strong and simple Lev has both a soft and a fierce side.
  11. Kiara

    • Origin:

      Variation of the Italian Chiara or the Irish Ciara or Aboriginal Australian, Korean

    • Meaning:

      "light, clear; little dark one; cockatoo; first ray of sun"

    • Description:

      Kiara can be considered a variation of both the Italian name Chiara and the Irish name Ciara. Chiara is the Italian form of Clara, meaning "bright" or "clear," while Ciara is the feminine form of male given name Ciar, derived from the old Irish cíar, meaning "dark."
  12. Lionel

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "young lion"

    • Description:

      Lionel is one leonine name that hasn't taken off as cousins Leo and Leonardo have, though it did reenter the Top 1000 in 2010 after several years away; it was at its highest point in the 1920s and 1930s.
  13. Aslan

    • Origin:

      Turkish

    • Meaning:

      "lion; fearless"

    • Description:

      Aslan, derived from the Old Turkic word arslan, meaning "lion," is best known in the West as the name of the heroic lion in C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" series, who serves as an allegorical stand-in for Jesus Christ. It was also used as a positive epithet for several Turkish emperors in the Middle Ages.
  14. Quillan

    • Origin:

      Iris, Zodiac sign of Leo, the lion

    • Meaning:

      "cub"

    • Description:

      If you like Dylan but find it too popular, Quillan could be a distinctive alternative.
  15. Leandro

    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian variation of Leander

    • Meaning:

      "lion-man"

    • Description:

      Leandro is a variation of the Ancient Greek name Leander, created by combining the Latin words leo and Andro together, to get a meaning that suggests strength, power, and bravery. The Hero and Leander myth lends the name a romantic, poetical feel, while it's association to Bishop Leander of Seville gives it a more saintly quality.
  16. Laith

    • Origin:

      Arabic, Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "lion; wet"

    • Description:

      With a distinctive sound and a robust feel, Laith is a name that also has a touch of breezy charm to it. Currently in the UK Top 1000, it is a cross-cultural boy name that's also on the rise in the US.
  17. Leonidas

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "lion"

    • Description:

      Leonidas is an ancient name that has started rising again along with centuries-old names such as Augustus and Cato. The original Leonidas was the most famous of Sparta's warriors, sacrificing his life at the Battle of Thermopylae; there is also a saint Leonidas.
  18. Ariella

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Ariel

    • Meaning:

      "lion of God"

    • Description:

      This variation of Ariel, with the extra-feminine suffix, has been on the rise in recent years and has now surpassed the original. The similarity to the name of the Little Mermaid gives Ariella a princessy flair. Ariella entered the charts in 2008, and has now risen into the Top 200. The cute nickname Ari is on trend as seen with the popularity of Ariana and Arianna, as are any girl names ending in "-ella", making Ariella a natural hit. Arabella is another name with the best of both of these trends.
  19. Nala

    • Origin:

      African, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      A Disney name—Nala was the friend who became the wife of Simba, hero of The Lion King. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2015.
  20. Levon

    • Origin:

      Armenian, variation of Leon

    • Meaning:

      "lion"

    • Description:

      Levon, an unusual alternative to Levi. has two musical associations: it's the title of an Elton John song, inspired by late, great drummer for The Band, Levon Helm--whose birth name was Mark. Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke chose Levon for their son.