Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Lion
Across 4 pages
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The names
Leontine
French female form of Leontios, Greek
"lion"
Leontine is the French form of a name that's more familiar by its spelling variation Leontyne, the name made famous by opera diva Price. An obscure choice, Leontine nevertheless feels right for our…
Napoleon
Greek
"lion of the new city"
Overly ambitious choice, recently borne by the hapless hero of cult movie hit Napoleon Dynamite.
Leandra
Feminine variation of Leander, Greek
"lion-man"
With the rise of many once-dated leonine names, from Leona to Lionel to Leonora, Leandra is an unusual choice that might be looking at a comeback..
Leya
Spanish; Hindi
"the law; lion"
Leya is a simple, attractive multicultural choice, but with some teasing peril. The "Star Wars" princess spelled her name Leia.
Leonid
Russian, variation of Leonidas "lion"
"lion"
This form got noticed as the first name of long-reigning Russian president Brezhnev; other bearers include playwright and short-story writer Andreyev, Leonid the Magnificent,a Russian performance…
Leyon
Walloon, from French
"lion"
Leyon is an alternate spelling of the French Léon used in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium.
Lyon
French
"lion"
The y makes it seem more like a name and less like an animal, but it's still not as appealing as several Leo choices.
Othniel
Hebrew
"lion of god, or strength of god"
Othniel is mentioned in the Bible and Tanakh (in the Book of Judges) where he is the first of the biblical judges mentioned. Othniel was related to Caleb, which might make these two names a nice…
Ruslana
Feminine variation of Slavic "Ruslan," from the Turkic/Persian word for "Lion"
"Lion"
Singer Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko, who goes by her first name, won the Eurovision contest in 2004 and remains a popular artist in Ukraine.
Ruslan
Slavic from Turkic
"lion"
A fairly common name in many Slavic countries, especially Russia – perhaps in part because it sounds close to the name of the country, although the two words are unrelated etymologically. The name…
Sher
Persian & Hindi
"lion"
A powerful, storied name, used by countless significant figures throughout history in Central and South Asia, whose appeal in the U.S. may be limited by its near-homonymy with the word "sure."
Lev
Hebrew, Russian
"heart; lion"
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…
Levan
Georgian, from Greek
"lion"
Levan is a cool Georgian variant of Leon, popular in its native country. With that sleek V sound in the middle, it may appeal to parents looking for a unique alternative to Levi.
Llio
Diminutive of Gwenllian, Welsh
"white, flaxen"
While it may look like a variation of popular Leo, Llio is in fact a Welsh name, derived from Gwenllian, the medieval name of a legendary princess who is a national heroine in Wales. Given to a small…
Lion
English animal name, Hebrew
"lion; my strength"
Lion is a masculine name taken straight from the name of the animal, associating it with strength, courage, and nobility across many cultures. With Germanic, French, and English language roots, Lion…
Lionel
French
"young lion"
Lionel is yet another traditional boy's name entering the girls' column--at least once-- via prizewinning novelist Lionel (born Margaret Ann) Shriver.
Leocadia
Spanish
"splendid brightness"
Leocadia marries a mix of sounds: the strength of a lion, with a rhythmic Latin ending. St. Leocadia was an early martyred Spanish saint, and "La Leocadia" is a famous Goya painting of Leocadia…
Rasalas
Arabic
"the northern (star) of the lion's head"
The dramatic-sounding name of a star in the constellation Leo that can be adapted as a unique Arabic name for boys . The similar-sounding Rasselas is the name of an allegorical fable by Samuel…
Alparslan
Turkish
"heroic lion"
Alparslan is a combination of the Turkish words alp , meaning "hero," and arslan , "lion." The name is a reference to Alp Arslan, the title given to 11th-century Seljuk sultan Muhammad bin Dawud…
Sundiata
Mandinka/Malinke, West African
"Sogolon's lion, lion king, lion prince"
A grand, bright, and powerful feeling name, Sundiata was notably borne by Sundiata Keita, the 13th century founder and prince of the Mali Empire in Western Africa. He is remembered and celebrated in…
