Declining since 2022, #6,143 for boys today.
Popularity of Simba since 1994
Babies named Simba per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 14 |
| 2000s | 6 |
| 2010s | 46 |
| 2020s | 105 |
Meaning & origin
The name Simba directly derives from the Swahili word for 'lion', a term used across many Bantu languages in East and Central Africa. Its adoption as a given name in the United States is overwhelmingly linked to the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King, which brought the name to global audiences. Simba first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1994, the year of the film's release, and has remained in sporadic use since. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when it ranked highest, but the name has seen a slight decline since 2022, placing at rank 6,143 in 2025. Given its strong cultural association, Simba is used almost exclusively for boys and remains a rare choice nationwide, with only about 1 in 122,005 newborns receiving the name. No U.S. states registered enough births to appear in the top-state list, reflecting its niche appeal.
Simba directly comes from the Swahili word for 'lion', which is also present in related Bantu languages. The name gained international recognition through Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King, where the protagonist is named Simba. Its use as a given name in the United States began to appear in birth records after the film's release, though it remains rare.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Sim, Simmy
Sibling names for Simba
Names that share Simba's style, for a brother or sister.
