Sinhalese: (සිංහ lion, ල to take or slay). The word is said to be derived from සිංහබාහු whose father was a lion. සිංහබාහු slew the lion, and in consequence his descendants from his son විජය who conquered and colonized Ceylon received the name සිංහල.
Carter, Charles. A Sinhalese-English dictionary. Colombo: The "Ceylon Observer" Printing Works; London: Probsthain & Co., 1924.