Aslan Name Meaning: What Does Aslan Mean for a Cat?

Aslan means “lion.” It is the actual Turkish word for a lion, which is precisely why C. S. Lewis chose it for Narnia, and why it fits a cat with a king’s opinion of himself.

What Does the Name Aslan Mean?

Aslan means “lion (Turkish)”, our database records the meaning with its language attached because the name simply is the Turkish word for a lion, from the older Turkic arslan. It was carried as a byname and title by medieval Turkic rulers, most famously the Seljuk sultan Alp Arslan, whose byname meant “brave lion” and who drove the Byzantines from Anatolia in the 11th century. The meaning above is the verified literal one, checked for this page against Behind the Name.

Almost every cat called Aslan, though, is named for one lion in particular: Aslan of Narnia, the great lion of C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, first published in 1950. Lewis needed a name that meant lion, and the Turkish word was the real thing, not a name that suggests a lion, but the word itself. The name also appears in Chewy’s published coverage of popular cat names. If you like the meaning but want the Latin route, our Leo name meaning page covers the other great lion name.

What Kind of Cat Suits the Name Aslan?

Aslan suits a big, confident cat, a golden or long-haired cat with a mane-like ruff wears it best, but any cat who surveys the household like a small kingdom can carry it. It is a dignified name with real weight, better matched to a calm, self-assured animal than to a chaotic kitten, though kittens have a way of growing into it.

The name is two strong syllables (as-LAN) and is rarely shortened, Aslan stays Aslan. Our database lists it for male and female cats alike: the word itself is simply “lion,” and a lioness runs the pride anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Aslan mean?

Aslan means “lion.” It is the Turkish word for a lion, from the Turkic arslan, and was used as a title by medieval rulers such as Alp Arslan, “brave lion.”

Is Aslan named after the Narnia lion?

The Narnia lion is named after the word. C. S. Lewis chose Aslan for his Chronicles of Narnia (from 1950) because it is genuinely Turkish for “lion”, most cats called Aslan today honour Lewis’s lion.

Is Aslan a good name for a female cat?

Yes. Our database lists Aslan for both male and female cats, the word means “lion” without specifying a sex, and it suits any large, confident cat.

How do you pronounce Aslan?

As-LAN: two syllables, with the stress on the second. Cats learn the sound quickly, and the strong ending makes it easy to call across a room.

By Brianna Baxter

Meaning and origin verified against Behind the Name; popularity note from Chewy’s published cat name coverage.