Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the gender is masculine; and the usage is Eastern African.
gender
usage
Aadan m Eastern African, Somali
Possibly a Somali form of Adam.
Alemayehu m & f Eastern African, Amharic
Means "I have seen the world" in Amharic.
Axmed m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Ahmad.
Ayele m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "become strong, become powerful" in Amharic.
Bahati f & m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "luck, good fortune" in Swahili.
Bakari m Eastern African, Swahili
From the Swahili name for the constellation Boötes.
Baraka m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "blessing" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic بركة (barakah).
Bekele m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "grow, flourish" in Amharic.
Bereket m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "blessing, abundance, profusion" in Amharic.
Berhane m & f Eastern African, Amharic
Means "my light" in Amharic.
Berhanu m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "his light" in Amharic.
Businge m & f Eastern African, Kiga
Means "peace" in Rukiga.
Chimwala m & f Eastern African, Yao
Means "stone" in Yao.
Chiumbo m Eastern African, Mwera
Means "small" in Mwera.
Dawit m Eastern African, Amharic
Amharic form of David.
Dejen m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "foundation, support" in Amharic.
Desta f & m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "joy" in Amharic.
Elias m Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Eastern African, Amharic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament.
Eliud m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Eastern African
From a Greek form of a Hebrew name meaning "God is grandeur". The Gospel of Matthew lists him as an ancestor of Jesus. This name is popular in Kenya.
Eskinder m Eastern African, Amharic
Alternate transcription of Amharic እስክንድር (see Eskender).
Fadhili m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "kindness, favour" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic.
Faraji m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "consolation" in Swahili (of Arabic origin).
Filbert m Eastern African
Possibly a form of Philibert. It is particularly used in Tanzania due to track star Filbert Bayi (1953-), who set a world record running the 1500 meter in 1974.
Gadisa m Eastern African, Oromo
From Oromo gaaddisa meaning "shade".
Gudina m Eastern African, Oromo
Means "growth, advancement" in Oromo.
Gwandoya m Eastern African, Ganda
Means "met with misery" in Luganda.
Hamisi m Eastern African, Swahili
From Swahili Alhamisi meaning "Thursday".
Ifa m Eastern African, Oromo
Means "light" in Oromo.
Imamu m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "spiritual leader" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic إمام (imam).
Imani f & m Eastern African, Swahili, African American
Means "faith" in Swahili, ultimately of Arabic origin.
Isingoma m Eastern African, Ganda
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.
Jengo m Eastern African (Rare), Swahili (Rare)
Means "building" in Swahili.
Juma m Arabic, Pashto, Eastern African, Swahili
Means "Friday" or "week" in Arabic.
Jumanne m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "Tuesday" in Swahili.
Kamau m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Meaning unknown. This was the birth name of the Kenyan president Jomo Kenyatta (1897-1978).
Kariuki m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means "reincarnated one" in Kikuyu.
Kato m Eastern African, Ganda
Means "second of twins" in Luganda.
Kebede m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "heavy, serious" in Amharic.
Kirabo m & f Eastern African, Ganda
Means "gift" in Luganda.
Kisembo m & f Eastern African, Tooro
Means "gift" in Rutooro.
Lelisa m Eastern African, Oromo
From Oromo leellisaa meaning "admirer".
Lencho m Eastern African, Oromo
Means "lion" in Oromo.
Lishan f & m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "award" in Amharic.
Maina m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means "sing, dance" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations, each lasting about 30 years. The Maina generation occupied the last part of the 19th century.
Makena f & m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means "happy one" in Kikuyu.
Marijani m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "coral" in Swahili, originally a borrowing from Arabic.
Masamba m Eastern African, Yao
Means "leaves, vegetables" in Yao.
Mohamed m Arabic, Dhivehi, Eastern African, Swahili
Alternate transcription of Arabic محمّد (see Muhammad) chiefly used in Egypt and Algeria. This is also the usual Dhivehi and Swahili form.
Mosi f & m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "first (child)" in Swahili.
Moti m Eastern African, Oromo
Means "leader" in Oromo.
Mubiru m Eastern African, Ganda
Meaning unknown. This is the name of a figure in Ganda mythology associated with forests and hunting.
Mwangi m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means "rapid expansion" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations. The Mwangi generation started around the beginning of the 20th century and lasted for about 30 years.
Nuur m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Nur.
Nyongesa m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born on Saturday" in Luhya.
Ochieng m Eastern African, Luo
Means "born when the sun shines", derived from Luo chieng meaning "sun".
Odhiambo m Eastern African, Luo
Means "born in the evening" in Luo.
Omari m Eastern African, Swahili
Meaning uncertain, possibly a Swahili variant of Umar.
Omondi m Eastern African, Luo
Means "born early in the morning" in Luo.
Otieno m Eastern African, Luo
Means "born at night" in Luo.
Rajabu m Eastern African, Swahili
Swahili form of Rajab.
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Eastern African, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemu'el) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shama') meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]
Samwel m Eastern African
Form of Samuel used in Tanzania and Kenya.
Sefu m Eastern African, Swahili
Possibly a Swahili form of Saif.
Simba 2 m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "lion" in Swahili. This is the name of the main character in the Disney movie The Lion King (1994), about a lion cub who exiles himself after his father is murdered.
Simiyu m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during the dry season" in Luhya.
Sisay m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "good omen" in Amharic.
Tadesse m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "revived" in Amharic.
Tafari m Eastern African (Rare), Amharic (Rare)
Possibly means "he who inspires awe" in Amharic. This name was borne by Lij Tafari Makonnen (1892-1975), also known as Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarians (Ras Tafari meaning "king Tafari") revere him as the earthly incarnation of God.
Tamrat m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "miracle" in Amharic.
Tariku m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "his history, his story" in Amharic.
Tesfaye m Eastern African, Amharic
From Amharic ተስፋ (tasfa) meaning "hope".
Tumaini f & m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "wish, hope" in Swahili.
Uhuru m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "freedom" in Swahili.
Wafula m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during the rainy season", from Luhya ifula meaning "rainy season".
Wamalwa m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during the brewing season" in Luhya.
Wanjala m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during famine", from Luhya injala meaning "hunger, famine".
Wanyonyi m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during the weeding season", from Luhya enyonyi meaning "weeds".
Wasswa m Eastern African, Ganda
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.
Wekesa m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during harvest" in Luhya.
Workneh m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "you are gold", from Amharic ወርቅ (warq) meaning "gold".
Xasan m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Hasan.
Yared m Biblical Hebrew, Eastern African, Ethiopian
Hebrew form of Jared. This form is also used in Ethiopia. It was borne by a semi-legendary 6th-century Ethiopian musician who is considered a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Yuusuf m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Yosef (see Joseph).
Zawadi f & m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "gift" in Swahili.
Zephania m Southern African, Eastern African
Variant of Zephaniah. This form of the name appears to be used in southern and eastern Africa.