The Rajputs started using Singh in preference to the classical epithet of " Varman". The Vengi branch of the Chalukyas continued using Simha as the last name till the eleventh century. Jayasimha, the first ruler of the Chalukya dynasty to bear the title Simha, ruled around 500 CE. The earliest recorded examples of the names ending with "Simha" are the names of the two sons of the Saka ruler Rudraraman in the second century CE. Originally, the Sanskrit word for lion, variously transliterated as Simha or Singh was used as a title by Kshatriya warriors in northern parts of India. Ĭoin of the Western Kshatrapa ruler Rudrasimha I (178 to 197 CE) who used "Simha" as suffix. Variations include Simha and Sinha in Bihar. In Urdu, it is written as سِنگھ with the same pronunciation as Hindi.In Thailand, singha is known as sing (สิงห์), meaning "lion".In Telugu, the word for lion is simham (సింహం).In Tamil, the name is Singham written as சிங்கம்.In Singhala, the name is written සිංහ and pronounced Singha.In Punjabi ( Gurmukhi script/ Shahmukhi script), the name is written as ਸਿੰਘ/ سِنگھ and pronounced as.In Odia, the name is written as ‘ସିଂ’ ( pronounced ) or ‘ସିଂହ’ ( pronounced or ).In Meitei (officially called Manipuri), the name is written and pronounced as "Singh" ( Meitei: ꯁꯤꯡꯍ), although many Meiteis are shifting back to the traditional naming system.In Marathi, the name is written सिंह and pronounced as sinhə.In Malayalam, simham (സിംഹം) means lion.In Maithili, the name is written as सिंह and both Singh and Sinha are used interchangeably.In Magahi, the name is written as सिंह and is used by people of dominating castes.In Kannada the name is simha and written as ಸಿಂಹ.In Indonesia and Malaysia, Singa or Singha, means lion.In Hindi and Nepali, the name is written सिंह, and pronounced in Hindi and in Nepali.Another variant is Sinhji, where the suffix of respect 'ji' is added. In Gujarati, it is spelled as સિંહ ( Sinh) and pronounced.In Burmese, it is spelled သီဟ ( thiha), derived from the Pali variant siha.In Bengali, the name is written as সিনহা (Sinha) or সিংহ ( Siṁhô) which also means lion, however the name is pronounced as Shingh.Several variants of the word are found in other languages: The word "Singh" is derived from the Sanskrit word सिंह ( IAST: siṃha) meaning "lion", and is used in the sense "hero" or "eminent person". JSTOR ( August 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message).Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.