African Names

African names are used in various places on the continent of Africa. See also about African names.

gender

usage

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+Gender

any masculine feminine unisex

-Usage, language or place

Usage
Language
Place

+Letters

Initial
Pattern	[?]
the letters in the pattern are compared to the letters in the name * is a wildcard that matches zero or more letters example: oo matches names which contain oo _ is a wildcard that matches exactly one letter example: __z matches names which have two letters and then z

+Meaning and description

Meaning	[?]
	expand search to ancestral names
the meaning is anything from the name's write-up that is surrounded by "double quotes" separate search terms with spaces search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes this field understands simple boolean logic force a term to be included by preceding it with a + sign force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a - sign expand search to ancestral names: meanings for names further up the family tree are included in the search
Description	[?]
	ignore name meanings
the description is the meaning and history write-up for the name separate search terms with spaces search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes example: "lord of the rings" matches names from the novel 'The Lord of the Rings' this field understands simple boolean logic force a term to be included by preceding it with a + sign force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a - sign example: +greek +(legend myth) -zeus matches Greek names of myths or legends not about Zeus ignore name meanings: keywords from the name meanings are ignored

+Origin

+Length

+Sound and syllables

Pronunciation	[?]
	case sensitive
see the pronunciation key for a guide on how to write the sounds sounds can only be searched in names that have been assigned pronunciations * is a wildcard that will match zero or more letters in the pronunciation example: lee matches names which end with the sound lee* _ is a wildcard that will match exactly one letter in the pronunciation example: __z matches names which have two letters and then a z (s) matches exactly one syllable in the pronunciation example: (s)(s)ra matches names which have two syllables and then the sound rah (c) matches a consonant (k) matches a consonant or consonant cluster (v) matches a vowel (p) matches a plosive or stop consonant (f) matches a fricative consonant (n) matches a nasal consonant case sensitive: check this if you wish distinguish between unstressed lowercase sounds and stressed uppercase sounds
Syllables	[?]
syllables can only be counted in names that have been assigned pronunciations names without pronunciations are excluded from results

+Relations

Related name
Relationship	[?]
	expand search to ancestral names
the "relationship" is how the name relates to its parent name example: searching for diminutive matches Betsy because it is a diminutive of its parent Elizabeth selecting *(all core forms)* excludes peripheral forms such as diminutives, short forms, and combinations expand search to ancestral names: relationships between names further up the family tree are included

+Community impression

Impression	[?]
name impressions are based on the ratings left by the behindthename.com community
Impression	[?]
name impressions are based on the ratings left by the behindthename.com community
Impression	[?]
name impressions are based on the ratings left by the behindthename.com community

+Popularity

List
Year
Rank

+Famous namesake

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+Name day

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Month
Day

+Options

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Wasswa m Eastern African, Ganda
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.

Wekesa m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during harvest" in Luhya.

Werknesh f Eastern African, Amharic
Alternate transcription of Amharic ወርቅነሽ (see Worknesh).

Workneh m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "you are gold", from Amharic ወርቅ (warq) meaning "gold".

Worknesh f Eastern African, Amharic
Feminine form of Workneh.

Xaawo f Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Eve.

Xaliima f Eastern African, Somali
Somali feminine form of Halim.

Xasan m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Hasan.

Xolani m Southern African, Zulu
Means "peace" in Zulu.

Yaa f Western African, Akan
Means "born on Thursday" in Akan.

Yacouba m Western African
Form of Yaqub used in parts of French-influenced western Africa.

Yaƙubu m Western African, Hausa
Hausa form of Yaqub.

Yamikani m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means "be grateful, praise" in Chewa.

Yao m Western African, Ewe
Ewe form of Yaw.

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.

Yaw m Western African, Akan
Means "born on Thursday" in Akan.

Yejide f Western African, Yoruba
Means "image of the mother" in Yoruba.

Yetunde f Western African, Yoruba
Means "mother has returned" in Yoruba.

Yewande f Western African, Yoruba
Means "mother has returned" in Yoruba.

Yewubdar f Eastern African, Amharic
Means "beautiful beyond limits" from Amharic ውብ (wb) meaning "beautiful" and ዳር (dar) meaning "limit, horizon, frontier, shore".

Yohannes m Eastern African, Amharic
Amharic form of John.

Yuusuf m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Yosef (see Joseph).

Zephania m Southern African, Eastern African
Variant of Zephaniah. This form of the name appears to be used in southern and eastern Africa.

Zikomo m Southern African, Chewa
Means "thank you" in Chewa.

Zodwa f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Short form of Ntombizodwa.

Zola 2 f & m Southern African, Xhosa
From the Xhosa root -zola meaning "calm".

Zuberi m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "strong" in Swahili.

Zuri f Eastern African, Swahili
Means "beautiful" in Swahili.

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