Browse Names - Behind the Name

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Abeni f Yoruba
Means "we prayed and we received" in Yoruba.

Aleyna f Turkish (Modern)
Possibly from Arabic علينا ('alayna) meaning "to us". Alternatively, it could be from Arabic أليناء (alayna), a plural form of ليّن (layyin) meaning "gentle, soft".

Alinafe f & m Chewa
Means "he or she is with us" in Chewa.

Emmanuel m Biblical, French, English
From the Hebrew name עִמָּנוּאֵל ('Immanu'el) meaning "God is with us", from the roots עִם ('im) meaning "with" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings Emmanuel and Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).

Gugulethu f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
From Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele igugu "treasure, pride" and lethu "our".

Hosanna f Biblical
From the Aramaic religious expression הושע נא (Hosha' na') meaning "deliver us" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this is exclaimed by those around Jesus when he first enters Jerusalem.

Ifeanyi m Igbo
Means "we can do anything" in Igbo. It can be a short form of Ifeanyichukwu.

Ifeanyichukwu m Igbo
Means "we can do anything with God" in Igbo.

Iminathi f Zulu
Means "he stands with us" in Zulu.

Onalerona f & m Tswana, Sotho
Means "he is with us" in Tswana and Sotho.

Osanna f Italian
Italian form of Hosanna. This was the name of a 15th-century Italian saint and mystic, as well as a 16th-century Montenegrin saint.

Refilwe m & f Tswana
Means "we were given" in Tswana, derived from filwe "given".

Rethabile f & m Sotho
Means "we are happy" in Sotho.

Sandile m Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "we increased" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele, from anda "to increase".

Sibongile f Zulu, Ndebele
Means "we are thankful" in Zulu and Ndebele, from bonga "to thank".

Sibusisiwe f Ndebele
Means "we are blessed" in Ndebele.

Sithembile f & m Zulu
Means "we trust" in Zulu.

Siyabonga m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "we thank you" in Zulu and Ndebele.

Tadala f Chewa
Means "we have been blessed" in Chewa.

Tafadzwa m & f Shona
Means "we are pleased" in Shona, from fadza meaning "please, make happy".

Takondwa m & f Chewa
Means "we are glad" in Chewa.

Taonga f & m Tumbuka
Means "we are thankful" in Tumbuka.

Tichaona m Shona
Means "we will see" from Shona ticha "we will" and ona "see".

Tinashe m & f Shona
Means "we are with God", from Shona ti "we", na "with" and ishe "lord, God".

Tionge f & m Chewa, Tumbuka
Means "we thank" in Chewa and Tumbuka.

Tiyamike f & m Chewa
Means "we praise" in Chewa.

Unathi m & f Xhosa
Means "he or she is with us" in Xhosa, from the prefix u- meaning "he, she" and nathi meaning "with us".

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