Eastern African names include those from Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. See also about African names.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
MulelemAfrican, Swahili "Flying man," "man who flies," or "man of flight." The prefix "mu-" expresses "man of" or "man from" in the Swahili language. One interpretation would be that this is approximately equal to "angel," but because there are numerous parts of Africa where there are lots of devout Christians, I would lean towards the interpretation "man who runs quickly."
MusokemGanda, African Mythology Musoke is the God of Rain in Ganda mythology. His Name derives From ‘mu’, indicating a single individual, and ‘soke’, which means ‘rain’.
MwauramKikuyu To kú aúra means to remove or relieve one of a heavy load.Mostly when a visitor came with a kiondo/load and a person took it off his/her back the remover was the mwauri
NesuhafEthiopian Possible from an Arabic root nasuh which means something like sincerity, often found in the religious context taubat-an-nasuha meaning sincere return or repentance.
NgigimKikuyu Means one born in the season of the locust or one of the locust ageset.In some communities for the last 'i' they put an 'e' but that does not change the meaning nor the pronounciation
NgormDinka Means "male child in a pair of twins" in Dinka.
NtaremRwandan Meaning "lion" in Kinyarwanda and Kirundi. Famous people with that name includes five kings of the Kingdom of Burundi: Ntare I Rushatsi Cambarantama, Ntare II Kibogora, Ntare III Kivimira Semuganzashamba, Ntare IV Rutaganzwa Rugamba and Ntare V Ndizeye and american actor Ntare Mwine.
NwabudikemAfrican, Swahili A name in the Swahili language, which means "the son is the father's power," or "the strength of a father comes from his son."... [more]
NyakerufKikuyu (Rare) Yours means someone in the ancestry or kin of those who had lighter complexion "nyamweru" was your first or in some cases little one from the wilderness for the wilderness is known as "werú"
OluochmLuo Oluoch came from the word luoch that means mist. If the the baby boy is born during the cold weather with mist he is called Oluoch. That means Oluoch is mist.
OndiekmLuo Name given to a male who survives childhood after successive deaths of infants to the parents. This name suggests strength and determination to survive. Ondiek is also the Hyena in the Luo language... [more]
OzorofEastern African Amharic name, said to come from a biblical name meaning "strength of the Lord" (in which case it is partly from Hebrew ’az "force, strength" and a relative of Oz 2).
PopobawamSwahili Name of a shape-shifting shetani (evil spirit) in Zanzibar mythology. It is derived from Swahili elements popo (bat) and bawa (wing), therefore literally meaning "bat-wing" or "winged bat"... [more]
PumbaamPopular Culture, Swahili Means "to be foolish, silly, weak-minded, careless, negligent" in Swahili. This is the name of the warthog in Disney's 'The Lion King' (1994).
RaagemSomali Means "he who delayed at birth" in Somali.
RaaxofSomali Means "enjoyment, comfort" in Somali.
Rafikim & fEastern African, Popular Culture Means "friend, comrade" in Swahili. This Swahili word is derived from Arabic رَفِيق (rafīq) "companion" (see Rafiq). This is the name of the baboon mentor of Simba and Mufasa in the Disney movie 'The Lion King' (1994).
SadomOromo (Anglicized) A form of the arabic name Sa'id, meaning "happy, lucky", used by the Oromo people of Ethiopia. Notable people with this name includes Junedin Sado, a former Ethiopian Cabinet Minister, Haji Adam Sado, a political leader, and his father, Sado Sheka.
SadormEthiopian, Literature Coptic Christian (Ge'ez) word for the piercing on Jesus' ribs by the lancet.... [more]
SadorafEthiopian, English (American) Sador is the Coptic Christian (Ge'ez) word for the piercing on Jesus' ribs by the lancet. Adding an "a" at the end feminizes it.... [more]
Safarif & mSwahili, Bantu, American (Modern, Rare) Means "journey" in Swahili, from Arabic سَفَر (safar). It is commonly used by Eastern Bantus in Kenya, given to babies born when traveling or given in reference to a lot of traveling by a relative... [more]
SarabifSwahili, Popular Culture Means "mirage" in Swahili. This is the name of the mother of Simba and mate of Mufasa and in the Disney movie The Lion King (1994).
SarafinafSwahili Apparently means "bright star" in Swahili. The name might be best known from the South African musical "Sarafina!" Also, the name is often easily confused with the Hebrew name Seraphina, but despite looking similar in appearance, both names clearly have completely different etymologies.
SaredofSomali Etymology uncertain, possibly from the Somali sare meaning "high, advanced".
SautifSwahili Swahili feminine name meaning "voice, noise".
SellafAfrican, Southern African, Eastern African, Indonesian Meaning unknown. It may be a loan word from Arabic صَلَّى (ṣallā), meaning "to pray, to bless," or Arabic سَلَّى (sallā), meaning "to amuse, entertain, comfort." It may also be a variation of Selah.