What better place to start than by learning what the names of those familiar Lion King characters mean? Almost all of the Disney characters have names that are simply a Swahili word. Check out the translations:
Simba means Lion
Pumbaa means Foolish One
Rafiki means Friend
Sarabi means Mirage
Shenzi means Savage
and for those of you who have seen the Lion King II:
Kovu means Scar
Zira means Hatred
Nuka means Stink
Vitani – a play on Shetani (She-demon) Vita means War.
I’ll never look at Disney the same way.
