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Singh (IPA: /ˈsɪŋ/ SING) 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 Singh (born Gobind Das) for all male Sikhs as well, in part as a rejection of caste-based prejudice and to emulate Rajput naming conventions. As a surname or a middle name, it is now found throughout the world across communities and religious groups, becoming more of a generic, caste-neutral, decorative name—similar to names such as Kumar and Lal.

Etymology and variations

The word "Singh" is derived from the Sanskrit word सिंह (IAST: siṃha) meaning "lion", and is used to convey a "hero" or "eminent person".

Several variants of the word are found in other languages:

• In Tibetan, it is written as སིང་ with the same pronunciation (Sing).
• In Tamil, the word for lion is Singham or Singhe written as சிங்க, also derived from Sanskrit.
• In Burmese, it is spelled သီဟ (thiha), derived from the Pali variant siha.
• In Urdu, it is written as سِنگھ with the same pronunciation as Hindi. Variations include Simha and Sinha in Bihar.
• In Indonesian, it is written as Singa and it means lion.

History

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. The earliest recorded examples of names ending with "Simha" are the names of the two sons of Rudraraman, who ruled the Western Satraps in the second century CE. Jayasimha, the first ruler of the Chalukya dynasty to bear the title Simha, ruled around 500 CE. The Vengi branch of the Chalukyas continued using Simha as a last name until the eleventh century. The Rajputs started using Singh in preference to the classical epithet of "Varman". Among the Rajputs, the use of the word Singh came into vogue among the Paramaras of Malwa in 10th century CE, among the Guhilots and the Kachwahas of Narwar in the 12th century CE, and the Rathores of Marwar after the 17th century.

By the sixteenth century, "Singh" had become a popular surname among Rajputs. It was adopted by the Sikhs in 1699, as per the instructions of Guru Gobind Singh. Singh is used by all baptized male Sikhs, regardless of their geographical or cultural binding; the women use Kaur. According to some historians, Guru Gobind Singh introduced the surname "Singh" for Sikh men to foster equality and unity within the community. This move aimed to eliminate caste distinctions and promote a fearless and righteous identity. By adopting "Singh," Sikh men were encouraged to live as saint-soldiers, embodying courage, justice, and a commitment to serving humanity., According to Pashaura Singh, the Guru gave male Sikhs the name "Singh", which was associated with aristocracy, to imitate the traditions of the Rajput hill chiefs near Anandpur Sahib.

In the 18th century, several groups started using the title "Singh". These included the Brahmins, the Kayasthas and the Baniyas of what are now Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In the 19th century, even the Bengal court peons of the lower castes adopted the title "Singh". Bhumihars, who originally used Brahmin surnames, also started affixing Singh to their names. In Bihar and Jharkhand, the surname came to be associated with power and authority, and was adopted by people of multiple castes, including Brahmin zamindars. Citing Kshatriya status, numerous communities use 'Singh' as part of their names. Some Jains have also adopted the surname in addition to various Hindu castes.

Many Muslim Shins historically used the surname "Sing", the earlier form of the name, "Simha", was frequently appended to names found in the Gilgit Manuscripts, a corpus of Buddhist texts and the oldest surviving manuscripts in India, discovered in the Gilgit region of Kashmir.

People belonging to several other castes and communities have also used Singh as a title, middle name or a surname; these include non-Sikh Punjabis, Charans, Yadavs, Gurjars, Brahmins, Marathas, Hindu Jats, Kushwahas, Rajpurohits, Kumawats etc. Dalit and other backward groups have also adopted the name, including the Bhils, Koeris, and Dusadhs. The name is also found among the Indian diaspora.

Usage

"Singh" is generally used as a surname or as a middle name/title. When used as a middle name, it is generally followed by the caste, clan or family name. To reduce caste discrimination, some Sikhs append "Khalsa" or their native village names to Singh.

Originally, a common practice among the Rajput men was to have "Singh" as their last name, while Rajput women had the last name 'Kanwar'. However, now, many Rajput women have Singh in their name as well.

Nepal

Singh is a common name in Nepal; the appellation has acquired caste-neutral status due to its wide scale adoption by many members of Nepali society. Some notable examples of Nepalis with the middle name/surname Singh are: Amar Singh Thapa, Ranodip Singh, and Pratap Singh Shah.

Outside South Asia

Singh is a common Hindu name in Guyana. Some Indian immigrants to British Guiana are believed to have adopted surnames traditionally associated with high caste status, including Sharma and Tiwari (Brahmin), as well as Singh (Kshatriya).

A section of around a million adherents of Sikhism that live abroad in Western countries only keep Singh or Kaur as their last name. This has caused legal problems in immigration procedures, especially in Canada. For a decade, the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi stated in letters to its Sikh clients that "the names Kaur and Singh do not qualify for the purpose of immigration to Canada", requiring people with these surnames to adopt new ones. The ban was denounced by the Sikh community, after which the Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced it was dropping the policy, calling the whole issue a misunderstanding based on a "poorly worded" letter.

See also

• List of people with surname Singh
• Singh v Canada, a Supreme Court of Canada case on the applicability of Charter rights to refugee claimants
• Sinha
• Kaur

References

1. Hanks, Patrick (2013). Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. p. 354. ISBN 9780199771691.
2. James Minahan (2012). Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 289. ISBN 9781598846591. The use of the two names by baptized Sikhs was originally intended to end the prejudice created by names pertaining to the various Hindu castes
3. Atwal, Priya (15 January 2021). Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire. Oxford University Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-19-756693-0. Singh was a common name utilised by Rajputs, the Hindu ruling or warrior caste.
4. ^ Singh, Pashaura (2014-03-01). "An Overview of Sikh History". In Singh, Pashaura; Fenech, Louis E. (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. OUP Oxford. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-19-969930-8. The male members were given the surname Singh (lion) and female members were given the surname Kaur (princess), with the intention of creating a parallel system of aristocratic titles in relation to the Rajput hill chiefs of the surrounding areas of Anandpur.
5. Jakobsh, Doris (2004). "What's in a Name: Circumscribing Sikh Female Nomenclature". In Singh, Pashaura; Barrier, Norman Gerald (eds.). Sikhism and History. Oxford University Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-19-566708-0. As the term 'Singh' meaning 'lion' was adopted from the Rajputs, so too was the name 'Kaur'
6. Shackle, Christopher (2004-01-14). "Sikhism". In Hardy, Friedhelm; Houlden, Leslie (eds.). The World's Religions. Routledge. p. 722. ISBN 978-1-136-85185-8. The code of conduct (rahit) expected of all initiates of the Khalsa, as laid down by Guru Gobind Singh and subsequently eloborated, emphasises both the equality of its members and the martial spirit expected of them by awarding the Rajput titles of Singh ('lion') to men and Kaur ('princess') to women, irrespective of caste origin.
7. ^ Adhikari, Krishna P.; Sapkota, Bhimsen (2018-06-09). "Fiji Nepals: Reviving Connections Lost for Over a Century". In Gellner, David N.; Hausner., Sondra L. (eds.). Global Nepalis: Religion, Culture, and Community in a New and Old Diaspora. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-909337-3. In the process of forming a casteless society, many first generation Nepalis (and Indians) changed their surnames to Singh, which is a neutral and now common surname.
8. Deshpande, Ashwini (2011-08-03). "Theories of Discrimination and Caste". The Grammar of Caste: Economic Discrimination in Contemporary India. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-908846-1. Some individuals often drop their surnames and use generic names such as Kumar, Lal, Singh, or Chowdhary that are not jati specific.
9. Kumar Suresh Singh (1996). Communities, segments, synonyms, surnames and titles. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 32. ISBN 9780195633573. Going by the usage, Singh is more a title than a surname, cutting across communities and religious groups.
10. Patrick Hanks, ed. (2003). Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 354. ISBN 978-0-19-508137-4.
11. ^ Qanungo, Kalika Ranjan (1960). Studies in Rajput History. Delhi: S. Chand. pp. 138–140. OCLC 1326190.
12. Prakash Chander (1 January 2003). India: Past & Present. APH Publishing. p. 120. ISBN 978-81-7648-455-8. Retrieved 11 January 2013. In those days, "Singh" as a surname was very popular among a famous warrior caste of north India, the Rajputs. Some of the first Sikhs were also Rajputs.
13. A History of the Sikh People (1469-1988) by Dr. Gopal Singh ISBN 81-7023-139-6
14. Catherine B. Asher; Cynthia Talbot (2006). India Before Europe. Cambridge University Press. p. 269. ISBN 9780521809047.
15. Singh, Khushwant (11 October 2004). A History of the Sikhs: 1469–1838 (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-19-567308-1. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
16. Gupta, Hari Ram. History Of The Sikhs Vol I The Sikh Gurus, 1469-1708. Munshilal Manohorlal, Pvt Ltd. p. 271. ISBN 978-81-215-0276-4.
17. Virendra Prakash Singh (1992). Community And Caste In Tradition. Commonwealth. p. 113. ISBN 9788171692422.
18. Pranava K Chaudhary (2009-02-21). "Using surnames to conceal identity". The Times of India. Retrieved 2013-01-18.
19. Singh, Santosh (2015). Ruled or Misruled: Story and Destiny of Bihar. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9789385436420. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
20. Bhavan's Journal, Volume 12, Issues 1-16. 1965. p. 123.
21. Frankel, Francine R. (1990). Dominance and State Power in Modern India. Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. p. 17. The surname, Singh, for example, was appropriated over a period of several centuries of acculturation by different Hindu castes, including lower castes as well as followers of Jainism.
22. Schmidt, Ruth Laila (2008). A Grammar of the Shina Language of Indus Kohistan. Harrassowitz. p. 11. ISBN 9783447056762.
23. "Gilgit Manuscript". UNESCO.
24. Gupta, Sanjukta Das (2012). Narratives from the Margins: Aspects of Adivasi History in India. Primus Books. p. 134. ISBN 978938060710-8.
25. ^ V.S. Upadhyay; G. Pandey, eds. (1993). History of Anthropological Thought. India: Concept Publishing Company. p. 436. ISBN 9788170224921. Similarly, Koyeris, a backward caste, claim themselves as Kushwaha Kshatriya and Dusadh, another scheduled caste, claim themselves as Gahlout Kshatriya. Some of their members use titles like ' Singh ' and ' Thakur.
26. B. V. Bhanu (2004). People of India: Maharashtra, Part 3. Contributors Kumar Suresh Singh, B. V. Mehta, Anthropological Survey of India. Popular Prakashan. p. 1846. ISBN 9788179911020.
27. Kolff, Dirk H.A., The Rajput of Ancient and Medieval North India: A Warrior-Ascetic; Folk, Faith and Feudalism, edited by NK Singh and Rajendra Joshi, Institute of Rajasthan Studies, Jaipur, India. Rawat Publications, Jaipur and New Delhi. ISBN 81-7033-273-7
28. Danns, George K. (2017-09-29). Domination and Power in Guyana: Study of the Police in a Third World Context. Routledge. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-351-52186-4.
29. Smith, Raymond T. (2014-04-23). The Matrifocal Family: Power, Pluralism and Politics. Routledge. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-136-65959-1.
30. San Grewal (2007-07-26). "'Singh' ban denounced". Toronto Star.

• Surnames of Indian origin
• Pakistani names
• Titles in India
• Sikh names
• Punjabi-language surnames