Names That Mean Lion

This cute-as-a-button name conjures playful lion and bear cubs rolling around in long grass. If cute baby names are what you're after, Cub should be on your list.

Lionel is yet another traditional boy's name entering the girls' column--at least once-- via prizewinning novelist Lionel (born Margaret Ann) Shriver.

The dramatic-sounding name of a star in the constellation Leo that can be adapted as a unique Arabic name for boys. The similar-sounding Rasselas is the name of an allegorical fable by Samuel Johnson and its lead character.

When considering the playground years, might be too close to gory.

This ancient name, belonging to a 4th century BCE Greek statesman and general, would be one of those unique baby names with lots of more down-to-earth nickname potential, including Tim and Leon. Another notable bearer is Timoleon Jimanez, former leader of the rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Berengaria was one of the medieval queens of England - married to Richard I (also known as Richard the Lionheart). She was originally from Navarre (in modern northern Spain) and despite being the Queen of England, she only lived in England after her husband had died. Despite its royal roots, Berengaria is one of the less attractive medieval names, although it gets points for having an unusually strong meaning for a feminine name.

In the US this is likely to conjure zebras, lions and elephants on the Serengeti, but its original meaning "journey" broadens its wearability. Safari is a name common in Africa for babies born while their parents were on a journey.

The first bride on "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire." -- not the classiest of names.

A mighty lion in sheep's clothing. Though Amandla looks, to the untrained eye, like a variant of milquetoast Amanda, it actually derives from the word for "power" in the Zulu and Xhosa languages, two of the major languages of South Africa. Anti-Apartheid activists often used the phrase "Amandla Awethu!", meaning "power to the people," as a rallying cry at protests. There was also a 2002 documentary about the role of music in the downfall of Apartheid called "Amandla."

Lovely African name that you may recognize from The Lion King.

Singer Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko, who goes by her first name, won the Eurovision contest in 2004 and remains a popular artist in Ukraine.

Loewe is one spelling of a surname name rooted in many European cultures and languages, from English to German to French. Variations include Lowe and Loeb, and the meaning might relate to low or short (thought to be used for a tall person!) as well as to lion and even hill.

Cornish form of Endellion

This variation of the surname Loeb works even better than the original as a first name, though any child named Loew will inevitably have to endure a lifetime's worth of "high and...." jokes. Other leonine options: Leopold or Lionel.

The white winged stallion in Greek mythology who sprang from the blood of Medusa when she was beheaded by Perseus. Pegasus was ridden by the hero Bellerophon in his fight against the Chimera. The name may derive from the Greek for "from a water spring"; according to legend, a spring burst forth wherever Pegasus struck the earth with a hoof. So as well as being an animal name and a mythological name, you might consider this one of the names meaning water.

The ancient Leontios, the name of several early saints and a Byzantine empire, may rise again with the pride of lion names so fashionable in Europe, from Leo to Leon to Leonie. The Latinized version is Leontius.

Name your daughter after "The Apprentice" hellion at your own peril.

Saint Endelienta is the woman whose name became Endellion, of David Cameron fame. Endelienta was the daughter of a king and reputed to be the god-daughter of King Arthur. Her feast day is 29 April, making this name an interesting choice for a daughter born on that day.

A powerful, storied name, used by countless significant figures throughout history in Central and South Asia, whose appeal in the U.S. may be limited by its near-homonymy with the word "sure."

Thurston Howell was the snooty millionaire on Gilligan's Island, but these days such surname names don't have the same elitist air.