African Names

The names listed here are used in various places on the continent of Africa. Refer also to sources of
African names.
ABENA f African Means "born on Tuesday" in Akan.

ABENI f African Means "we asked for her, and behold, we got her" in Yoruba.

ABIDEMI m African Means "born during father's absence" in Yoruba.

ABIMBOLA m African Means "born wealthy" in Yoruba.

ABIOYE m African Means "born into royalty" in Yoruba.

ACHIENG f African Feminine form of OCHIENG

ADEGOKE m African
Means "the crown has been exalted" in Yoruba.

ADETOKUNBO m African
Means "the crown came from over the sea" in Yoruba.

ADHIAMBO f African
Feminine form of ODHIAMBO

ADISA m African
Means "one who is clear" in Yoruba.

ADJOA f African
Variant of ADWOA

ADWOA f African
Means "born on Monday" in Akan.

AFIA f African
Variant of AFUA

AFOLABI m African
Means "born into wealth" in Yoruba.

AFUA f African
Means "born on Friday" in Akan.

AKINYI f African
Means "born in the morning" in Luo.

AKOSUA f African
Means "born on Sunday" in Akan.

AKUA f African
Means "born on Wednesday" in Akan.

ALABA f African
Means "second child after twins" in Yoruba.

AMA f African
Means "born on Saturday" in Akan.
AMADI (1) f African
Means "rejoicing" in Igbo.

AMADI (2) m African

Means "seemed destined to die at birth" in Yoruba.

ANAN (1) m & f African

Means "fourth born child" in Akan.

ATIENO f African
Feminine form of OTIENO

AWITI f African
Means "thrown away" in Luo, possibly used for a child born prematurely.

AWOTWI m & f African

Means "eighth born child" in Akan.

AYO f African
Means "joy" in Yoruba.

AYOMIDE f African
Means "my joy has arrived" in Yoruba.

BAAKO m & f African

Means "first born child" in Akan.

BABAJIDE m African
Means "father has returned" in Yoruba.

BABATUNDE m African
Means "father has returned" in Yoruba.

BABIRYE f African
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.

BAMIDELE m African
Means "follow me home" in Yoruba.

BOIPELO m & f African

Means "proud" in Tswana.

BOITUMELO f African
Means "joy" in Tswana.

BOLANLE f African
Means "finds wealth at home" in Yoruba.

BONGANI m African
Means "be grateful" in Zulu.

BOSEDE m African
Means "born on Sunday" in Tiv.

CHIBUZO m & f African

Means "God is the leader" in Igbo.

CHIDUBEM m African
Means "guided by God" in Igbo.
CHINWE m & f African
Means "God owns" in Igbo.

CHINWENDU m & f African

Means "God owns life" in Igbo.

CHIPO f African
Means "gift" in Shona.

CHIUMBO m African
Means "small" in Mwera.

CHIZOBA m & f African

Means "God protect us" in Igbo.

CHUKWUEMEKA m African
Means "God has done something great" in Igbo.

DADA f African
Means "curly hair" in Yoruba.

DAKARAI f African
Means "happiness" in Shona.

DAYO f African
Means "joy arrives" in Yoruba.

DIKELEDI f African
Means "tears" in Tswana.

DUBAKU m & f African

Means "eleventh born child" in Akan.

EBELE f African
Means "mercy, kindness" in Igbo.

EFUA f African
Variant of AFUA

EKUA f African
Variant of AKUA

EKWUEME m African
Means "he says, he does" in Igbo.

EMEKA m African
Short form of CHUKWUEMEKA

ENIOLA m African
Means "person of wealth" in Yoruba.

ENITAN m African
Means "person of story" in Yoruba.

ENU m & f African

Means "fifth born child" in Akan.

ESHE f African
Means "life" in Swahili.
ESI f African
Means "born on Sunday" in Akan.

FARAI m African
Means "rejoice" in Shona.

FEMI m African
Short form of OLUFEMI

FOLAMI m African
Means "respect and honour me" in Yoruba.

GBEMISOLA f African
Means "carry me into wealth" in Yoruba.

GWANDOYA m African
Means "met with misery" in Luganda.

IDOWU m African
Means "born after twins" in Yoruba.

IFE f African
Means "love" in Yoruba.

IGE f African
Means "born feet first" in Yoruba.

IMAMU m African
Means "spiritual leader" in African.

IMANI f African
Means "faith" in Swahili.

JELANI m African
Means "mighty" in Swahili.

JUMAANE m African
Means "born on Tuesday" in Swahili.

KAGISO f African
Means "peace" in Tswana.

KAMARIA f African
Means "like the moon" in Swahili.

KATLEGO m & f African

Means "success" in Tswana.

KATO m African
Means "second of twins" in Luganda.

KAYODE m African
Means "he brought joy" in Yoruba.

KGOSI m African
Means "king, chief" in Tswana.

KHAMISI m African
Means "born on Thursday" in Swahili.
KIBWE m African
Means "blessed" in Swahili.

KIRABO m & f African

Means "gift" in Luganda.

KOBE m African
Either "tortoise" (Swahili) or else derived from the name of an African tribe.

KOBINA m African
Variant of KWABENA

KOFI m African
Means "born on Friday" in Akan.

KOJO m African
Variant of KWADWO

KUNTO f African
Means "third child" in Akan.

KWABENA m African
Means "born on Tuesday" in Akan.

KWADWO m African
Means "born on Monday" in Akan.

KWAKU m African
Variant of KWEKU

KWAME m African
Means "born on Saturday" in Akan.

KWASI m African
Variant of KWESI

KWEKU m African
Means "born on Wednesday" in Akan.

KWESI m African
Means "born on Sunday" in Akan.

LESEDI f African
Means "light" in Tswana.

LINDIWE f African
Means "have waited" in Zulu.

LUMUSI f African
Means "born face down" in Ewe.

LUNGILE f African
Means "the good one" in Zulu.

MALAIKA f African
Means "angel" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic malak.

MANYARA f African
Means "you have been humbled" in Shona.
MARJANI f African
Means "coral" in Swahili.

MASEGO f African
Means "blessings" in Tswana.

MCHUMBA f African
Means "sweetheart" in Swahili.

MELISIZWE m African
Means "leader of the nation" in Xhosa.

MIREMBE f African
Means "peace" in Luganda.

MOJISOLA f African
Means "wake up to wealth" in Yoruba.

MONIFA f African
Means "I am lucky" in Yoruba.

MOSI m African
Means "first born child" in Swahili.

MUDIWA f & m African

Means "beloved" in Shona.

MUNASHE m & f African

Means "with God" in Shona.

MWANAJUMA f African
Means "born on Friday" in Swahili.

NAKATO f African
Means "second of twins" in Luganda.

NDIDI m & f African

Means "patience" in Igbo.

NEO (1) f & m African

Means "gift" in Tswana.

NGOZI m & f African

Means "blessing" in Igbo.

NIA (2) f African

Possibly means "purpose" in Swahili.

NKECHI f African
Means "God gave me a blessing" in Igbo.

NKIRU f African
Short form of NKIRUKA

NKIRUKA f African
Means "the best is still to come" in Igbo.

NKOSANA m African
Means "prince" in Xhosa.
NKOSAZANA f African
Means "princess" in Xhosa.

NKRUMA m & f African

Means "ninth born child" in Akan.

NNAMDI m African
Means "my father is alive" in Igbo... [more]

NOMUSA f African
Means "merciful" in Ndebele.

NONTLE f African
Means "mother of beauty" in Xhosa.

NOSIZWE f African
Means "mother of the nation" in Xhosa.

NSIA m & f African

Means "sixth born child" in Akan.

NSONOWA m & f African

Means "seventh born child" in Akan.

NYAH f African
Variant of NIA (2)

NYARAI f African
Means "be humble" in Shona.

OBI m African
Means "heart" in Igbo.

OCHIENG m African
Means "born when the sun shines", derived from Luo chieng meaning "sun".

ODHIAMBO m African
Means "born in the evening" in Luo.

OLABODE m African
Means "wealth returns" in Yoruba.

OLAMIDE f African
Means "wealth has arrived" in Yoruba.

OLANREWAJU m African
Means "my wealth is the future" in Yoruba.

OLAYINKA f African
Means "wealth surrounds me" in Yoruba.

OLUFEMI m African
Means "God loves me" in Yoruba.

OLUFUNMILAYO f African
Means "God gave me joy" in Yoruba.

OLUFUNMILOLA f African
Means "God gives me wealth" in Yoruba.
OLUJIMI m African
Means "given by God" in Yoruba.

OLUKAYODE m African
Means "God brings happiness" in Yoruba.

OLUMIDE m African
Means "God arrives" in Yoruba.

OLUWAFUNMILAYO f African
Variant of OLUFUNMILAYO

OLUWASEGUN m African
Means "God has been victorious" in Yoruba.

OLUWASEUN m African
Means "we thank God" in Yoruba.

OLUWASEYI f & m African

Means "God made this" in Yoruba.

OLUWATOYIN m & f African

Means "God is worthy to be praised" in Yoruba.

OLUWAYEMISI f African
Means "God honours me" in Yoruba.

OMOLARA f African
Means "born at the right time" in Yoruba.

ONI f African
Possibly means "born in sacred abode" in Yoruba.

ONYEKA f African
Short form of ONYEKACHUKWU

ONYEKACHUKWU f & m African

Means "who is greater than God?" in Igbo.

OPEYEMI m African
Means "I should give praise" in Yoruba.

OTIENO m African
Means "born at night" in Luo.

PAKI m African
Means "witness" in Xhosa.

RAMLA f African
Means "prophetess" in Swahili.

RUDO m & f African

Means "love" in Shona.

RUMBIDZAI f African
Means "praise" in Shona.

RUTENDO f African
Means "faith" in Shona.
SAUDA f African
Means "dark complexion" in Swahili.

SEFU m African
Means "sword" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic seif.

SETHUNYA f African
Means "bloom, flower" in Tswana.

SIBONAKALISO f African
Means "sign" in Zulu.

SIMBA m African
Means "lion" in Swahili.

SIMISOLA f African
Means "rest in wealth" in Yoruba.

SIPHO m African
Means "gift" in Xhosa.

SITHEMBILE f & m African

Means "trust" in Zulu.

SIZWE m African
Means "nation" in Xhosa.

SSANYU f African
Means "joy" in Luganda.

SUBIRA f African
Means "patience" in Swahili.

TAFADZWA m & f African

Means "we are pleased" in Shona.

TAPIWA f African
Means "given" in Shona.

TATENDA m & f African

Means "thank you" in Shona.

TAU m African
Means "lion" in Tswana... [more]

TEMITOPE f African
Means "enough to give thanks" in Yoruba.

TENDAI f African
Means "be thankful" in Shona.

THABO m African
Means "joy" in Tswana.

THANDIWE f African
Means "loving one" in Xhosa.

TINASHE m & f African

Means "God is with us" in Shona.
TITILAYO f African
Means "eternal happiness" in Yoruba.

TSHOLOFELO f African
Means "hope" in Tswana.

UNATHI m & f African

Means "God is with us" in Xhosa.

WASSWA m African
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.

WEKESA m African
Means "born during harvest" in African.

WORKNESH f African
Possibly means "you are like gold" in Amharic.

YAA f African
Means "born on Thursday" in Akan.

YAW m African
Means "born on Thursday" in Akan.

YEJIDE f African
Means "image of the mother" in Yoruba.

YEWANDE f African
Means "mother has returned" in Yoruba.

ZOLA (2) f African

Means "quiet, tranquil" in Zulu.

ZUBERI m African
Means "strong" in Swahili.

ZURI f African
Means "beautiful" in Swahili.