Sinha
An Indian surname, often linked to Sanskrit words for “lion” or used as a family name in north and east India.
The #8,155 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 75,933 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Sinha is generally connected with Sanskrit simha, meaning “lion.” In North Indian usage it is closely related to Singh, a better-known form of the same lion-based name element. In some traditions it functions as a hereditary surname or title rather than a literal nickname.
History
Sinha is especially associated with communities in eastern and northern India, including Bengali and Bihari usage. It is also found among speakers of Hindi and related languages, and its use spread through migration within India and later overseas. Older writers sometimes treated it as a Sanskrit title for “lion,” alongside Singh.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some 19th-century writers described Sinha as the Sanskrit counterpart to Singh, both ultimately tied to the idea of the lion.
From the historical record
“472 MODERN NOMENCLATURE. [conclusion. expected. The lion's home is, of course, the East, and Sinha, his Sanscrit title, is represented by the Singh, so familiar in the names of Hindu chiefs. The Arabs have Arslan in many combinations ; the Greeks introduced Leo, which has been followed by the Romans, and come into…”
— History of Christian Names