Singh (IPA: / ˈsɪŋ / SING) is a title, middle name, or surname that means "lion" in various South Asian and Southeast Asian communities.
From Sanskrit सिंह (siṃha) meaning "lion". In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh gave all his male Sikh followers the surname Singh, and it is now a very common surname or a middle name. The female equivalent is Kaur.
Sikhism is a traditional Indian religion in which all members have the same two surnames as an expression of unity. All men are named Singh, and all women are named Kaur.
Sikh Surnames: Why the Names Singh and Kaur Relate to Princesses and ...
Men were instructed to adopt the last name Singh, meaning lion, and women were encouraged to use Kaur, meaning princess. The use of Kaur, as opposed to adopting family names in marriage, promotes women as individuals with value and identities existing independently of their relationships with men.
Why do so many Sikhs have the last name Singh or Kaur?
Singh is used as a middle or last name and is traditionally given to Sikh males as a symbol of bravery, courage, and equality. It represents the warrior spirit and the commitment to upholding justice and righteousness.
Singh common surname and middle name in North India, later (1699) adopted by Sikhs as a title after their initiation ceremony, also a surname adopted by male Sikhs; 1620s in English, from Hindi Singh, from Sanskrit simhah "lion."
The name Singh, derived from the Sanskrit word for lion, has its origins in India. Historically, the name Singh was adopted by members of the powerful warrior caste known as the Kshatriyas.