Sinha is a surname which originates in the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

. The surname is commonly used by many communities including the

Bengali Kayastha Bengali Kayastha is a Bengali Hindu caste that originated from the Bengal region of Indian subcontinent, and is one of the main subgroups of the Kayastha community. The historical caste occupation of Kayasthas throughout India has been that of ...

and the

Chitraguptavanshi Kayastha Chitraguptavanshi Kayastha, also referred to as North-Indian Kayastha, is a subgroup of Hindus of the Kayastha community that are mainly concentrated in the Hindi Belt of North India. In Hindu texts and traditions, they are described to have de ...

s of the

Hindi Belt The Hindi Belt, also known as the Hindi Heartland or the Hindi speaking states, is a linguistic region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India where various Northern, Central, Eastern and Western Indo-Arya ...

, and is common in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

, and

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. It comes from a

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

word meaning "

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

" or "brave person".

Usage

Indian subcontinent

, Sinha is commonly used as a surname by the Kayasthas of the

West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...

and Bihar. 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

while 'la' or 'le' stands for

blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood is com ...

, giving the meaning 'Lion's blood'. The word Simhmam (or Singam / Singham / Singhai / Singai) is the

Sri Lankan Tamil Sri Lankan Tamils ( or ), also known as Ceylon Tamils or Eelam Tamils, are Tamils native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka. Today, they constitute a majority in the Northern Province, form the plurality in the Eastern Province a ...

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. The more common surname

Singh Singh ( IPA: ) is a title, middle name, or surname that means "lion" in various South Asian and Southeast Asian communities. Traditionally used by the Hindu Kshatriya community, it was later mandated in the late 17th century by Guru Gobind Si ...

in India has the same root. 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 Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. "Sinhá moça" is a Brazilian colloquialism that may be translated "miss" or "missy".

Notable persons with the surname Sinha

* Akhoury Purnendu Bhusan Sinha (b. 1928), Indian solid state chemist * Amara Sinha (c. AD 375), Sanskrit grammarian and poet * Anindya Sinha, Indian primatologist *

Anubhav Sinha Anubhav Sinha (born 22 June 1965) is an Indian film director, producer and writer known for his work in Hindi film industry. His films include ''Tum Bin'' (2001), ''Dus'' (2005) and ''Ra.One'' (2011) He also directed a series of socio-political ...

(b. 1965), Indian film director *

Anugrah Narayan Sinha Anugrah Narayan Sinha (18 June 1887 – 5 July 1957), known as ''Honorary titles of Indian leaders, Bihar Vibhuti'', was an Indian nationalist politician, participant in Champaran Satyagraha, Gandhian & one of the architects of modern Bihar, wh ...

(1887–1957), Indian politician * Anupam Sinha, Raj Comics artist * Basawon Singh (Sinha) (1909–1989), Indian nationalist and freedom fighter * Bejoy Kumar Sinha (1909–1992), Indian revolutionary * Bikash Sinha (1945–2023) Indian physicist, Padma Bhusan awardee *

Bidya Sinha Saha Mim Bidya Sinha Saha Mim is a Bangladeshi actress, model and Lux Channel I Superstar 2007. She made her film acting debut in Amar Ache Jol (2008) directed by Humayun Ahmed and produced by Impress Telefilm Limited. Personal life In 2022, Mim marrie ...

, Bangladeshi film actress * Gayatri Sinha, Indian art critic and curator based in New Delhi *

Gunjan Sinha Gunjan Sinha is an Indian-American entrepreneur and business executive. He is the Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of MetricStream. He is also best known as the founder of WhoWhere?, an internet search engine he sold to Lycos in 1998. He is also ...

(b. 1967), Indian-American entrepreneur and business executive *

Indra Sinha Indra Sinha (born 1950 in Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) is a British writer of Indian and English descent. '' Animal's People'', his most recent novel, was shortlisted for the 2007 Man Booker Prize and winner of the 2008 Commonwealth Wr ...

(b. 1950), Indian/British author * Jagmohanlal Sinha (b. 1920), Indian lawyer, former judge * J. K. Sinha, Indian Police Service officer * Kaliprasanna Sinha (1841(?)–1870), also known as Hootum Pyancha, Bengali author, playwright, and philanthropist * Krityunjai Prasad Sinha, Indian theoretical physicist * Kumares C. Sinha, Indian-American engineer, researcher and educator *

Mala Sinha Mala Sinha (born Alda Sinha; 11 November 1936) is a former Indian actress who mainly worked in Hindi, Bengali films. Initially starting her career with regional cinema, she went on to become a top leading actress in Hindi Cinema in the 1960s a ...

(b. 1936), Indian actress * Man Mohan Sinha (b. 1933), Air Marshal I.A.F * Maniklal Sinha (1916–1994), Indian writer, novelist, historian, Archaeologist *

Manjul Sinha Manjul Sinha (died 15 January 2025) was an Indian television director. Life and career Sinha always wanted to be a director, having grown up in a prominent family who had keen interest in films, having a cinema hall at Patna, film distribution a ...

, Indian television director *

Manoj Sinha Manoj Sinha (born 1 July 1959) is an Indian politician serving as the 2nd and the current lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He served as the minister of state for Communications (independent charge) and minister of state for Railways i ...

(b. 1959), Indian politician, Ghazipur * Mukul Sinha, Indian humans rights lawyer *

Nirmal Chandra Sinha Nirmal Chandra Sinha (1911–1997) was an Indian tibetologist, author, the founder director of Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology (SIRT), presently known as the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Deorali near Gangtok. He was known for his co ...

(1911–1997), Indian tibetologist and author *

Paul Sinha Supriya Kumar "Paul" Sinha (born 28 May 1970) is a British professional quizzer and comedian. He has written and performed extensively on BBC Radio 4, and is one of the six Chasers on the ITV game show '' The Chase''. Early life Supriya Kum ...

(b. 1970) British Bengali stand-up comedian and general practitioner *

Rameshwar Prasad Sinha Rameshwar Prasad Sinha (also transliterated as Rameshwar Prasad Singh) was an Indian statesman and a participant in the Indian independence movement. He was a Member of the Constituent Assembly of India which was elected to write the Constitutio ...

(d. 1965), Indian politician * Ranjit Sinha (1953–2021), Indian police officer and former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation * Rashmi Sinha (b. 1960), Indian businesswoman, CEO of SlideShare * Ravindra Kumar Sinha (b. 1954), Indian biologist and environmentalist *

Raja Radhika Raman Sinha Raja Radhika Raman Prasad Sinha (1890-1971) was the ruler of Surajpura Raj, a prominent writer of Hindi literature, as well as a Padma Bhushan awardee. Born into a royal family in the district of Shahabad, in the Indian state of Bihar on 10 Sept ...

(1937–2008), Indian civil engineer and a writer of Hindi literature *

Ratan Kumar Sinha Ratan Kumar Sinha, is an Indian nuclear scientist and mechanical engineer. He had served as the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), Government of India f ...

(b. 1951), Indian nuclear scientist and mechanical engineer * Sachidanand Sinha (b. 1937), Indian poet * Sandali Sinha (b. 1971), Indian actress * Sapna Sinha (b.1989), Indian-german AI researcher * Sarat Chandra Sinha (1914–2005), Indian writer and politician *

Satyendra Narayan Sinha Satyendra Narayan Sinha (12 July 1917 – 4 September 2006) was an Indian politician and statesman, participant in the Indian independence movement, a leading light of Jaya Prakash Narayan's ‘ ''complete revolution''’ movement during the E ...

(1917–2006), Indian politician *

Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, 1st Baron Sinha Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, 1st Baron Sinha, KCSI, PC, KC, (24 March 1863 – 4 March 1928) was a prominent British Indian lawyer and statesman. He was the first Governor of Bihar and Orissa, first Indian Advocate-General of Bengal, firs ...

(1863–1928), Indian lawyer and statesman * Shantha Sinha, Indian professor and activist *

Sharda Sinha Sharda Sinha (1 October 1952 – 5 November 2024) was an Indian folk and classical singer. Hailing from Bihar, she predominantly sang in Maithili and Bhojpuri language and is called ''Bihar Kokila'', the cuckoo of Bihar. Sinha has sung many f ...

(1952-2024), Indian folk and classical singer *

Shatrughan Sinha Shatrughan Prasad Sinha (born 15 July 1946) is an Indian actor and politician. He is a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Asansol constituency as a member of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Earlier he was elected as Member of Parliament ...

(b. 1946), Indian actor and politician * Shumona Sinha (b. 1973), naturalised French writer born in Calcutta * Siddharth Sinha, Indian filmmaker *

Smrity Sinha Smrity Sinha is an Indian actress. Sinha was born on 4 September 1989 in the Dumka district of Jharkhand into a Sinha family. Smrity mainly works in Bollywood & Bhojpuri films and television serials. She made her on-screen debut with ''Rangila ...

(b. 1989), Indian film actress *

Sonakshi Sinha Sonakshi Sinha (; born 2 June 1987) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films and series. The daughter of actors and politicians Poonam Sinha, Poonam and Shatrughan Sinha, she has appeared in ''Forbes India'' Forbes Celebrity 100, Celebrity ...

, Indian actress and model *

Sri Krishna Sinha Shri Krishna Singh (Sinha) (21 October 1887 – 31 January 1961), also known as Shri Babu, was the first chief minister of the Indian state of Bihar (1946–61). Except for the period of World War II, Sinha was the chief minister of Bihar from t ...

(1887–1962), Indian nationalist known as Bihar Kesari, first Chief Minister of Bihar *

Srinivas Kumar Sinha Lieutenant General Srinivas Kumar Sinha, PVSM, ADC (7 January 1926 – 17 November 2016) was an Indian Army General who served as the Vice Chief of Army Staff. After his retirement, he served as Governor of the states of Jammu and Kashmir, ...

(1926-2016), Indian politician and military officer * Surajit Chandra Sinha (1926–2002), Indian anthropologist *

Surendra Kumar Sinha Surendra Kumar Sinha (born 1 February 1951), commonly known as SK Sinha is a Bangladeshi lawyer and jurist who served as the 21st Chief Justice of Bangladesh. He resigned from the position in November 2017 amid the 16th amendment verdict controv ...

(b. 1951), Bangladeshi lawyer and jurist *

Tapan Sinha Tapan Sinha (2 October 1924 – 15 January 2009) was one of the most prominent Indian film directors of his time forming a legendary quartet with Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen. He was primarily a Bengali filmmaker who worked both ...

(1924–2009), Indian and Bengali film director, Dadasaheb Phalke and Padma Shri awardee * Tapan Sinha (admiral), Indian admiral *

Tarak Sinha Tarak Sinha ( 31 December 1950 – 6 November 2021) was an Indian cricket coach who ran the Sonnet Cricket Club in Delhi. In a coaching career that spanned over fifty years, he coached over 12 cricketers who went on to play international cricket ...

(1950–2021), Indian cricket coach * Toshi Sinha, Indian voice actress * U K Sinha (b. 1952), Indian businessman and politician *

Vidya Sinha Vidya Sinha (15 November 1947 – 15 August 2019) was an Indian actress who acted in Hindi films, most known for '' Rajnigandha'' (1974), '' Chhoti Si Baat'' (1975) and '' Pati Patni Aur Woh'' (1978). She started her career as a model and won t ...

(b. 1947), Indian film and television actress *

Yashwant Sinha Yashwant Sinha (, born 6 November 1937) is an Indian politician and retired Indian Administrative Service officer. He served as the Minister of Finance from 1990 until 1991 under Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and again from March 1998 to July ...

(b. 1937), Indian politician *

Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha (born 4 October 1958) is a retired Indian diplomat who belongs to the Indian Foreign Service. He is the former High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. He was sworn in as Central Information Commissioner on 1 ...

(b. 1958), Indian diplomat

Fictional characters

* Baldev Sinha, Shanti Sinha, and Virender Sinha in ''Soldier'' (1998 Indian film) * Akash Sinha and Siddharth Sinha in ''Armaan'' (2003 film) * Shekher Sinha, Sandhaya Sinha, and Jai Sinha in '' Dil Jo Bhi Kahey...'' (2005 film) * Vikram Sinha in ''

Krrish ''Krrish'' () is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language superhero action thriller film directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan. The film stars Hrithik Roshan in a dual role, alongside Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah, Rekha, Sharat Saxena and Man ...

'' (2006 film) * Professor Sinha's five daughters in '' Kahiin To Hoga'' (soap opera) * Siddharth Sinha in ''

Dil Chahta Hai ''Dil Chahta Hai'' () is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Farhan Akhtar in his directorial debut, and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani under the newly formed Excel Entertainment banner. The fil ...

'' (2001 film)

Places named after Sinha

Sigiriya Sigiriya or Sinhagiri (''Lion Rock'' , , pronounced SEE-gi-ri-yə) is an ancient rock fortress located in the northern Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. It is a site of historical and archaeologic ...

, fortress in Sri Lanka; its short name derives from 'Sinha Giriya' meaning "The rocky place of lions" *

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

, named from 'Singa Pura' / 'Sinha Pure' which means Lion City in Sanskrit, before 1819

References

{{reflist Surnames Surnames of Indian origin Bengali Hindu surnames