The origins and meaning of the word Surabaya still raise disagreements to this day. The common understanding goes that Surabaya comes from a combination of the words sura and baya. The word sura refers to a predatory fish similar to a shark (Selachimorpha), while baya refers to a crocodile as the Javanese call this animal from the Crocodylidae family. This understanding is related to the mascot of the city in the form of a shark and a crocodile which have been pinned on the seal of the City of Surabaya since the Gemeente era in the early 20th century. However, many people doubt such an understanding. Sura as a type of fish has never been found in the Javanese vocabulary. That is the main objection. So, what is the true meaning of the word Surabaya?