Skip to content
NomezoNomezo

Boy name · Swahili

Simba

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: lion

Simba is a boy's name that comes from Swahili and means "lion". It is used in African.

Meaning
Lion
Origin
Swahili
Gender
Boy
US rank
#6398 in 2025

Meaning and origin of Simba

As a boy's name, Simba comes from Swahili and means "lion". It is used in African.

Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names

Simba on Nomezo lists

What our editors wrote about Simba on 3 lists.

  • “Swahili for lion, a proud pick for a golden kitten”

    From Cat names, popular cat names

  • “The Lion King's golden cub, and No. 10 in U.S. News's cat list”

    From Orange cat names, famous orange cats and redheads

  • “Lion in Swahili, and power, strength in Shona, a name used in Zimbabwe”

    From Strong boy names, strong boy names meaning lion, bear, wolf or eagle

How popular is Simba?

US rank in 2025
#6,398
14 babies, 8 per million boys
Best rank
#3,985 in 2023
28 babies that year
Babies since 1994
At least 171
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 2020s, at 10 per million.
Babies named Simba per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 2020s
1880s0 per million
1890s0 per million
1900s0 per million
1910s0 per million
1920s0 per million
1930s0 per million
1940s0 per million
1950s0 per million
1960s0 per million
1970s0 per million
1980s0 per million
1990s1 per million
2000s0 per million
2010s2 per million
2020s10 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#7,534#9,560#8,072#7,112#5,423#5,525#5,402#3,985#7,681#6,398

Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.

Names spelled like Simba

One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.

  • SimonHe has heard (Hebrew, boy)
  • SebaPet form of Sebastián (Spanish, boy)
  • SimãoHe has heard (Hebrew, boy)
  • SimchaJoy (Hebrew, unisex)
  • SimranRemembrance (Punjabi, unisex)
  • SomaBrisk and true (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)

Names with a similar meaning

  • LeoA lion (Latin, boy)
  • LeonA lion (Greek, boy)
  • LeonardoBrave lion (Germanic, boy)
  • ArielLion of God (Hebrew, boy)
  • HaiderLion (Arabic, boy)
  • AriA lion (Hebrew, boy)
  • AriellaLion of God (Hebrew, girl)
  • ArielleLion of God (Hebrew, girl)
  • LeanderLion man (Greek, boy)
  • LennartBrave lion (Germanic, boy)

Middle names for Simba

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.

  • BradleyBroad clearing (Old English, boy)
  • BurtonFortified town (Old English, boy)
  • CarterCart driver (English, boy)
  • CooperBarrel maker (English, boy)
  • ElijahMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
  • EugeneWell born (Greek, boy)
  • LamarThe pool (Old French, boy)
  • TyroneLand of Eoghan (Irish Gaelic, boy)

More boy names from Swahili

  • AmaniPeace, harmony (Swahili, unisex)
  • BahatiLuck, fortune (Swahili, unisex)
  • BarakaA blessing (Swahili, boy)
  • FadhiliKindness or favor (Swahili, boy)
  • FarajiConsolation (Swahili, boy)
  • JabariBrave, fearless (Swahili, boy)
  • JasiriBrave, bold (Swahili, boy)
  • JumaBorn on Friday (Swahili, boy)
  • NuruLight, brightness (Swahili, unisex)
  • ShujaaHero, champion (Swahili, boy)

Simba: common questions

What does the name Simba mean?

Simba comes from Swahili and means "lion".

Is Simba a boy or girl name?

Simba is mainly a boy's name.

Where does the name Simba come from?

Simba comes from Swahili and means "lion". Today it is used in African.

How popular is the name Simba?

Simba ranked #6,398 in the US in 2025, with 14 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

What names are similar to Simba?

Names spelled like Simba include Simon, Seba, Simão, Simcha and Simran.

What middle names go with Simba?

Middle names that flow well with Simba include Bradley, Burton, Carter, Cooper and Elijah. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.