Sinha

Sinha is a Sanskrit term, it originates in the Indian subcontinent, common in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, covering South Asia. It comes from a Sanskrit word whose meaning is "lion" or "brave person".[1][2]

Usage

Indian subcontinent

In India, Sinha is used as a surname by the Bengali Kayasthas (also spelt Singha) and the Kayasthas of Bihar.[3][4][5]

In Sri Lanka, the term 'Sinha' (or Siha / Sinhe / Singhe / Singha / Singho) have commonly been used by the Sinhalese (or Sinhala). When it comes to the term 'Sinhala' itself, the first part of the word, 'Sinha' stands for lion while 'la' or 'le' stands for blood, giving the meaning 'Lion's blood'.[6] The word Simhmam (or Singam / Singham / Singhai / Singai) is the Sri Lankan Tamil 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.[7]

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

Brazil

Sinha is also an unrelated name found in Brazil. Sinha moca is a Brazilian colloquialism that may be translated “miss” or “missy.[8]

Notable persons with the surname Sinha

Tapan Sinha, Indian film director, who worked both in Bengali and Hindi cinema
Mala Sinha, Indian film actress
Kaliprasanna Sinha, Bengali language author, playwright, and philanthropist
Bikash Sinha, Indian scientist
Lord Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, first Governor of Bihar and Orissa, first Indian Advocate-General of Bengal, first Indian to become a member of the Viceroy's executive Council and the first Indian to become a member of the British ministry
Vidya Sinha, Indian film actress
Shatrughan Sinha, Indian film actor and politician
Sonakshi Sinha, Indian film actress
Shumona Sinha, Indian writer
Surajit Chandra Sinha, Indian anthropologist
Anubhav Sinha, Indian film director

Notable destinations named after Sinha

Sinhalaya – Name of the Kingdom of Sri Lanka before the invasion period in 1505 and after the independence from 1948 to 1950's.
Sigiriya – Short name derives from 'Sinha Giriya' giving the meaning "The rocky place of lions".
Singapore – Singapore's name comes from 'Singa Pura' / 'Sinha Pure' which means Lion City in Sanskrit before 1819.

References

John Simmons (1 April 2009). Twenty-six Ways of Looking at a BlackBerry: How to Let Writing Release the Creativity of Your Brand. A&C Black. p. 173. ISBN 9781408105962. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
Dhirendra Mohan Prasad (1973). Ceylon's Foreign Policy Under the Bandaranaikes (1956-65): A Political Analysis. S. Chand. p. 217.
India International Centre Quarterly. 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
Kumar, Ashwani (2008). Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar. University of California Press. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-84331-709-8.
Inden, Ronald B. (1976). Marriage and Rank in Bengali Culture: A History of Caste and Clan in Middle Period Bengal. University of California Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-52002-569-1.
Leonore Loeb Adler; B. Runi Mukherji (1995). Spirit Versus Scalpel: Traditional Healing and Modern Psychotherapy. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 96. ISBN 9780897894067.
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. B. Quaritch. p. 659–660.
Machado de Assis. Iaiá Garcia. University Press of Kentucky.

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[1] John Simmons (1 April 2009). Twenty-six Ways of Looking at a BlackBerry: How to Let Writing Release the Creativity of Your Brand. A&C Black. p. 173. ISBN 9781408105962. Retrieved 1 April 2009.

[2] Dhirendra Mohan Prasad (1973). Ceylon's Foreign Policy Under the Bandaranaikes (1956-65): A Political Analysis. S. Chand. p. 217.

[3] India International Centre Quarterly. 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

[Kumar-4] Kumar, Ashwani (2008). Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar. University of California Press. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-84331-709-8.

[Inden-5] Inden, Ronald B. (1976). Marriage and Rank in Bengali Culture: A History of Caste and Clan in Middle Period Bengal. University of California Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-52002-569-1.

[6] Leonore Loeb Adler; B. Runi Mukherji (1995). Spirit Versus Scalpel: Traditional Healing and Modern Psychotherapy. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 96. ISBN 9780897894067.

[7] 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. B. Quaritch. p. 659–660.

[8] Machado de Assis. Iaiá Garcia. University Press of Kentucky.