Question: We often see the image of the rampant lion [used as a symbol](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_%28heraldry%29) in heraldry and [other places](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot). I understand the significance of the lion, and I am aware that ancient art often incorporated the lion, but the rampant lion as mentioned is a very specific representation of the animal.

Today we call the different lion poses by different names and ascribe to each of them different meaning, but at some time in the past these names and associated meanings did not exist. I therefore would see no issue with any one entity using a rampant lion as a symbol, but its perseverance is so common that I wonder where the copy-cat idea started.

Answer: 
I am only guessing, but I would imagine that part of the popularity of the *attitude* of lions rampant (so once you allow for the relatively obvious reasons for choosing a lion as opposed to some other animal) might just be that it fits a shield or the breastpiece of a tabard nicely. All the other attitudes (except salient, maybe) are less optimised to the tall-and-narrow proportions and leave lots more space that needs filling:

![Argent a lion sable](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Blason_Famille_Tr%C3%A9lan.svg/109px-Blason_Famille_Tr%C3%A9lan.svg.png) ![Two lions passant](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Henry_II_arms.png/109px-Henry_II_arms.png) ![Azure, a lion sejant regardant (cowardly?) or, holding a chi-rho staff labelled Civ Arel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Blason_Arles_13.svg/109px-Blason_Arles_13.svg.png) ![Or, a lion statant gules, crowned and langued azure, on a triple-peaked mountain azure, with a rock(?) argent in base](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wappen_Landkreis_Calw.svg/115px-Wappen_Landkreis_Calw.svg.png) ![Argent a lion cochant gules](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/R%C3%B8d%C3%B8y_komm.svg/97px-R%C3%B8d%C3%B8y_komm.svg.png)

(The order above being rampant, passant, sejant, statant, couchant; I couldn't find a decent image of salient, unfortunately.)

Equally, of course (and giving a reason to prefer rampant over salient), it's the most aggressive fighting stance of the leonine attitudes, which I guess would have an obvious appeal, given the context.
The rampant lion was the symbol of king Richard the lion heart