Previous name of the country Sri Lanka. The name Ceylon most likely traces its roots back to the Sanskrit Sinha, meaning "lion". As lions are not native to Sri Lanka, another possible interpretation of the name is "lion-like man" or "hero".
The former name of Sri Lanka, derived from Portuguese Ceilão, which was in turn derived from Persian سیلان (seylan), ultimately from Sanskrit सिंहल (sinhala) meaning "lionlike".