# Sinha

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Surname in the Indian subcontinent

Not to be confused with [Sinha (footballer)](/source/Sinha_(footballer)), a Brazlian-born Mexican footballer.

**Sinha** is a surname which originates in the [Indian subcontinent](/source/Indian_subcontinent). The surname is commonly used by many communities including the [Bengali Kayastha](/source/Bengali_Kayastha)[1] and the [Chitraguptavanshi Kayasthas](/source/Chitraguptavanshi_Kayastha) of the [Hindi Belt](/source/Hindi_Belt),[2][3] and is common in [India](/source/India), [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka), and [Bangladesh](/source/Bangladesh). It comes from a [Sanskrit](/source/Sanskrit) word meaning "[lion](/source/Asiatic_lion)" or "brave person".[4][5]

## Usage

### Indian subcontinent

In India, Sinha is commonly used as a surname by the Kayasthas of the [West Bengal](/source/West_Bengal) and Bihar.[1][2][6]

In Sri Lanka, the term 'Sinha' (or Siha/Sinhe/Singhe/Singha/Singho) has commonly been used by the [Sinhalese](/source/Sinhalese_people) (or [Sinhala](/source/Sinhalese_people)). When it comes to the term 'Sinhala' itself, the first part of the word, 'Sinha' stands for [lion](/source/Lion) while 'la' or 'le' stands for [blood](/source/Blood), giving the meaning 'Lion's blood'.[7] The word Simhmam (or Singam / Singham / Singhai / Singai) is the [Sri Lankan Tamil](/source/Sri_Lankan_Tamil_dialects) derivative. In northeast India, *Sinha*s held high positions as advisors during the times of the Mughal Empire. In northern and middle part of India as well as southern India Sinhraj/Sinharaj/Sinharaja or Rajasinha is also used, having the meaning Lion/Leo king.[8]

The more common surname [Singh](/source/Singh) in India has the same root. [Jayasinghe](/source/Jayasinghe) and other surnames like 'Wijesinghe', 'Weerasingha', 'Edirisinghe', 'Singaiariyan' in Sri Lanka may also share this root.

### Brazil

Sinha is also an unrelated name found in [Brazil](/source/Brazil). "Sinhá moça" is a Brazilian colloquialism that may be translated "miss" or "missy".[9]

## Notable persons with the surname Sinha

- [Akhoury Purnendu Bhusan Sinha](/source/A._P._B._Sinha) (1928–2021), Indian solid state chemist

- [Amara Sinha](/source/Amara_Sinha) (c. AD 375), Sanskrit grammarian and poet

- [Anindya Sinha](/source/Anindya_Sinha), Indian primatologist

- [Anubhav Sinha](/source/Anubhav_Sinha) (b. 1965), Indian film director

- [Anugrah Narayan Sinha](/source/Anugrah_Narayan_Sinha) (1887–1957), Indian politician

- [Anupam Sinha](/source/Anupam_Sinha), Raj Comics artist

- [Badri Narain Sinha](/source/Badri_Narain_Sinha) (1930-1979), Indian Police Service officer

- [Basawon Singh (Sinha)](/source/Basawon_Singh_(Sinha)) (1909–1989), Indian nationalist and freedom fighter

- [Bejoy Kumar Sinha](/source/Bejoy_Kumar_Sinha) (1909–1992), Indian revolutionary

- [Bidya Sinha Saha Mim](/source/Bidya_Sinha_Saha_Mim), Bangladeshi film actress

- [Bikash Sinha](/source/Bikash_Sinha) (1945–2023) Indian physicist, Padma Bhusan awardee

- [Gayatri Sinha](/source/Gayatri_Sinha), Indian art critic and curator based in New Delhi

- [Gunjan Sinha](/source/Gunjan_Sinha) (b. 1967), Indian-American entrepreneur and business executive

- [Indra Sinha](/source/Indra_Sinha) (b. 1950), Indian/British author

- [J. K. Sinha](/source/J._K._Sinha), Indian Police Service officer

- [Jagmohanlal Sinha](/source/Jagmohanlal_Sinha) (1920–2008), Indian lawyer, former judge

- [Kaliprasanna Sinha](/source/Kaliprasanna_Sinha) (1841(?)–1870), also known as Hootum Pyancha, Bengali author, playwright, and philanthropist

- [Krityunjai Prasad Sinha](/source/Krityunjai_Prasad_Sinha), Indian theoretical physicist

- [Kumares C. Sinha](/source/Kumares_C._Sinha), Indian-American engineer, researcher, and educator

- [Mala Sinha](/source/Mala_Sinha) (b. 1936), Indian actress

- [Man Mohan Sinha](/source/Man_Mohan_Sinha) (1933–2018), Air Marshal I.A.F

- [Maniklal Sinha](/source/Maniklal_Sinha) (1916–1994), Indian writer, novelist, historian, Archaeologist

- [Manjul Sinha](/source/Manjul_Sinha), Indian television director

- [Manodeb Sinha](/source/Manodeb_Sinha), Indian politician

- [Manoj Sinha](/source/Manoj_Sinha) (b. 1959), Indian politician, Ghazipur

- [Mizanur Rahman Sinha](/source/Mizanur_Rahman_Sinha) (1943–2026), Bangladeshi politician

- [Mukul Sinha](/source/Mukul_Sinha), Indian human rights lawyer

- [Nirmal Chandra Sinha](/source/Nirmal_Chandra_Sinha) (1911–1997), Indian Tibetologist and author

- [Paul Sinha](/source/Paul_Sinha) (b. 1970) British Bengali stand-up comedian, general practitioner, and professional quizzer

- [Raja Radhika Raman Sinha](/source/Raja_Radhika_Raman_Sinha) (1937–2008), Indian civil engineer and a writer of Hindi literature

- [Rameshwar Prasad Sinha](/source/Rameshwar_Prasad_Sinha) (d. 1965), Indian politician

- [Ranjit Sinha](/source/Ranjit_Sinha) (1953–2021), Indian police officer and former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation

- [Rashmi Sinha](/source/Rashmi_Sinha) (b. 1960), Indian businesswoman, CEO of SlideShare

- [Ratan Kumar Sinha](/source/Ratan_Kumar_Sinha) (b. 1951), Indian nuclear scientist and mechanical engineer

- [Ravindra Kumar Sinha](/source/Ravindra_Kumar_Sinha_(biologist)) (b. 1954), Indian biologist and environmentalist

- [Sachidanand Sinha](/source/Sachidanand_Sinha) (1871–1950), Indian lawyer, statesman, administrator, and educationist

- [Sandali Sinha](/source/Sandali_Sinha) (b. 1971), Indian actress

- [Sarat Chandra Sinha](/source/Sarat_Chandra_Sinha) (1914–2005), Indian writer and politician

- [Satyendra Narayan Sinha](/source/Satyendra_Narayan_Sinha) (1917–2006), Indian politician

- [Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, 1st Baron Sinha](/source/Satyendra_Prasanna_Sinha%2C_1st_Baron_Sinha) (1863–1928), Indian lawyer and statesman

- [Shantha Sinha](/source/Shantha_Sinha), Indian professor and activist

- [Sharda Sinha](/source/Sharda_Sinha) (1952–2024), Indian folk and classical singer

- [Shatrughan Sinha](/source/Shatrughan_Sinha) (b. 1946), Indian actor and politician

- [Shumona Sinha](/source/Shumona_Sinha) (b. 1973), naturalised French writer born in Calcutta

- [Siddharth Sinha](/source/Siddharth_Sinha), Indian filmmaker

- [Smrity Sinha](/source/Smrity_Sinha) (b. 1989), Indian film actress

- [Sonakshi Sinha](/source/Sonakshi_Sinha), Indian actress and model

- [Sri Krishna Sinha](/source/Sri_Krishna_Sinha) (1887–1962), Indian nationalist known as Bihar Kesari, first Chief Minister of Bihar

- [Srinivas Kumar Sinha](/source/Srinivas_Kumar_Sinha) (1926–2016), Indian politician and military officer

- [Surajit Chandra Sinha](/source/Surajit_Chandra_Sinha) (1926–2002), Indian anthropologist

- [Surendra Kumar Sinha](/source/Surendra_Kumar_Sinha) (b. 1951), Bangladeshi lawyer and jurist

- [Tapan Sinha](/source/Tapan_Sinha) (1924–2009), Indian and Bengali film director, Dadasaheb Phalke and Padma Shri awardee

- [Tapan Sinha (admiral)](/source/Tapan_Sinha_(admiral)), Indian admiral

- [Tarak Sinha](/source/Tarak_Sinha) (1950–2021), Indian cricket coach

- [Toshi Sinha](/source/Toshi_Sinha), Indian voice actress

- [U K Sinha](/source/U_K_Sinha) (b. 1952), Indian businessman and politician

- [Vidya Sinha](/source/Vidya_Sinha) (1947–2019), Indian film and television actress

- [Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha](/source/Yashvardhan_Kumar_Sinha) (b. 1958), Indian diplomat

- [Yashwant Sinha](/source/Yashwant_Sinha) (b. 1937), Indian politician

## Fictional characters

- Akash Sinha and Siddharth Sinha in [*Armaan* (2003 film)](/source/Armaan_(2003_film))

- Baldev Sinha, Shanti Sinha, and Virender Sinha in [*Soldier* (1998 Indian film)](/source/Soldier_(1998_Indian_film))

- Professor Sinha's five daughters in *[Kahiin To Hoga](/source/Kahiin_To_Hoga)* (soap opera)

- Shekher Sinha, Sandhaya Sinha, and Jai Sinha in *[Dil Jo Bhi Kahey...](/source/Dil_Jo_Bhi_Kahey...)* (2005 film)

- Siddharth Sinha in *[Dil Chahta Hai](/source/Dil_Chahta_Hai)* (2001 film)

- Vikram Sinha in *[Krrish](/source/Krrish)* (2006 film)

## Places named after Sinha

- [Sigiriya](/source/Sigiriya), fortress in Sri Lanka; its short name derives from 'Sinha Giriya' meaning "The rocky place of lions"

- [Singapore](/source/Singapore), named from 'Singa Pura' / 'Sinha Pure', which means Lion City in Sanskrit, before 1819

## See also

- [All pages with titles containing *Sinha*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/intitle:%22Sinha%22)

v t e Family names derived from the word "lion" Germanic North Germanic: Lejon, Løve, Löve, Lövin West Germanic: De Leeuw, Leeuw, Lion, Lions, Löw, Löb/Loeb, Lewe/Loewe/Löwe, Lyon, Lyons Romance De León / Ponce de León, Leão, Leo, Leon, Leone, Leu, Lion Slavic Lev, Lew, Lvov, Lvovich, Lvovsky Slavic non-Slavic origin Abbasov, Arslanov, Arslanović, Asadov Haydarov/Heydarov Ruslanov Arabic Al-Assad, Asad, Asadi From epithets for lion: Abbas, Abbasi, Dergham, Ghazanfar, Hamza, Heydari, Hydari/Hyderi Other Indic: Singam/Singham, Singh (list), Sinha Turkish: Aslanov, Arsalan, Arslan, Aslan Hebrew: Ariel, Arias (hidden meaning), Ben-Ari, Lavi Yiddish: Leib, Leibel, Leibl Labovich, Lebovitz, Leibovich, Leibovici, Leibovitch/Leybovitch, Leibovitz Lebowitz, Leibowitz, Lejbowicz, Libowitz, Liebowitz

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Inden_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Inden_1-1) Inden, Ronald B. (1976). [*Marriage and Rank in Bengali Culture: A History of Caste and Clan in Middle Period Bengal*](https://books.google.com/books?id=P8b9A7J_v-UC&pg=PA40). University of California Press. p. 40. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-520-02569-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-520-02569-1).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Kumar_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Kumar_2-1) Kumar, Ashwani (2008). [*Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar*](https://books.google.com/books?id=num2I4NFGqIC&pg=PA195). University of California Press. p. 195. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-84331-709-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84331-709-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Koul, Ram Krishan (1982). [*Sociology of Names and Nicknames of India: With Special Reference to Kashmir*](https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Sociology_of_Names_and_Nicknames_of_Indi/U1lmAAAAMAAJ?hl=en). Utpal Publications. p. 47.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** John Simmons (1 April 2009). [*Twenty-six Ways of Looking at a BlackBerry: How to Let Writing Release the Creativity of Your Brand*](https://books.google.com/books?id=8f66aoAfcQQC). A&C Black. p. 173. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4081-0596-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4081-0596-2). Retrieved 1 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Dhirendra Mohan Prasad (1973). [*Ceylon's Foreign Policy Under the Bandaranaikes (1956–65): A Political Analysis*](https://books.google.com/books?id=IesBAAAAMAAJ). S. Chand. p. 217.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*India International Centre Quarterly*](https://books.google.com/books?id=p3pDAAAAYAAJ). India International Centre. 2001. p. 210. In spite of the ubiquitous presence of the surname Singh/Sinha which itself is associated with a lion symbolic of power and status, we have a whole range of surnames particularly in Kashmir, Gujarat, Maharashtra

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Leonore Loeb Adler; B. Runi Mukherji (1995). [*Spirit Versus Scalpel: Traditional Healing and Modern Psychotherapy*](https://books.google.com/books?id=khm6A1Z2Ln8C). Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 96. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-89789-406-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-89789-406-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Edward Balfour (1885). [*The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia: Commercial, Industrial and Scientific, Products of the Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal Kingdoms, Useful Arts and Manufactures*](https://archive.org/details/cyclopindiaeast03balfuoft). B. Quaritch. p. [659](https://archive.org/details/cyclopindiaeast03balfuoft/page/659)–660.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Machado de Assis. *Iaiá Garcia*. University Press of Kentucky.

Surname list
This page lists people with the [surname](/source/Surname) **Sinha**.
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