Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the usage is African; and the description contains the keywords god or of or mercy.
gender
usage
keyword
Onyebuchi m Igbo
Means "who is equal to God?" in Igbo.
Onyeka m & f Igbo
Short form of Onyekachi.
Onyekachi m & f Igbo
Means "who is greater than God?" in Igbo.
Onyekachukwu m & f Igbo
Means "who is greater than God?" in Igbo (a variant of Onyekachi using Chukwu as the second element).
Onyinyechi f Igbo
Means "gift from God" in Igbo.
Otobong m & f Ibibio
Means "from God" in Ibibio.
Oumar m Western African
Form of Umar used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Oumarou m Western African
Form of Umar used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Oumou f Western African
Form of Umm used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Ousmane m Western African
Form of Uthman used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Pendo f Swahili
Variant of Upendo.
Prossy f Eastern African
Diminutive of Proscovia, mainly used in Uganda.
Rabiu m Hausa
From Arabic رابع (rābiʿ) meaning "fourth", a derivative of أربعة (ʾarbaʿa) meaning "four". It is sometimes added to a given name to indicate the fourth sibling bearing it.
Rajabu m Swahili
Swahili form of Rajab.
Rakiya f Hausa
Hausa form of Ruqayya.
Ramadhani m Swahili
Swahili form of Ramadan.
Rehema f Swahili
Means "mercy, compassion" in Swahili, from Arabic رحْمة (raḥma).
Sacdiyo f Somali
Somali form of Sadia.
Safiya f Hausa, Kazakh, Arabic
Hausa and Kazakh form of Safiyya. It is also an alternate transcription of the Arabic name.
Salamatu f Western African
Form of Salama used in West Africa.
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) 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.
Sani 2 m Hausa
From Arabic ثانٍ (thānin) meaning "second", a derivative of اثنان (ithnān) meaning "two". If two or more siblings share the same given name, this name may be appended to that of the second.
Sauda f Swahili
Meaning uncertain, possibly a variant of Sawda.
Saynab f Somali
Somali form of Zaynab.
Scovia f Eastern African
Short form of Proscovia, mainly used in Uganda.
Sefu m Swahili
Possibly a Swahili form of Saif.
Segun m Yoruba
Means "conquer" in Yoruba, also a short form of Olusegun or Oluwasegun.
Selamawit f Amharic
Amharic form of Shulammite.
Seydou m Western African
Form of Said used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Seynabou f Western African
Form of Zaynab used in parts of West Africa (mostly Senegal).
Shabani m Swahili
Swahili form of Shaban.
Shehu m Hausa
From Arabic شيخ (shaykh) meaning "elder, chief, sheikh", a title of Usman dan Fodio (1754-1817), the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Sidiki m Western African
Form of Siddiq typical of West Africa.
Simba 2 m 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.
Souleymane m Western African
Form of Sulayman used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Tafari m 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.
Tajeǧǧigt f Berber
Kabyle variant of Tajddigt.
Taklit f Berber
Feminine form of Akli.
Talatu f Hausa
From Hausa Talata meaning "Tuesday" (of Arabic origin).
Tanina f Berber
From the name of a legendary bird, similar to an eagle or a phoenix.
Tau m Tswana, Sotho
Means "lion" in Tswana and Sotho. Tau was the name of the last ruler of the Rolong in South Africa (18th century).
Temitope f & m Yoruba
Means "mine is worthy of gratitude" in Yoruba.
Tewodros m Amharic
Amharic form of Theodore.
Thandi f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
Short form of Thandiwe.
Thanina f Berber
Variant of Tanina.
Thiziri f Berber
Variant of Tiziri.
Thoko m & f Chewa
Short form of Thokozani.
Tidir f Berber
Feminine form of Idir.
Tinashe m & f Shona
Means "we are with God", from Shona ti "we", na "with" and ishe "lord, God".
Titrit f Berber
Feminine form of Itri.
Tiwonge f & m Chewa
Variant of Tionge.
Tiziri f Berber
Feminine form of Ziri.
Tjaart m Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of Tjaard.
Tochukwu m & f Igbo
Means "praise God" in Igbo.
Toyin f & m Yoruba
Means "worthy of praise" in Yoruba, also a short form of Oluwatoyin.
Tunde m Yoruba
Means "return, come again" in Yoruba, also a short form of names containing that element.
Uchenna m & f Igbo
Means "wisdom of the father, sense of the father" in Igbo.
Ufuoma m & f Urhobo
Means "peace of mind" in Urhobo.
Ugochi f Igbo
Means "eagle of God" in Igbo, from ùgó meaning "eagle, honour" and Chi 2, referring to God.
Ugochukwu m Igbo
Means "eagle of God" in Igbo.
Umar m Arabic, Urdu, Uzbek, Tajik, Kyrgyz, Indonesian, Hausa
Means "flourishing, living long" in Arabic, related to Arabic عمر (ʿumr) meaning "life". Umar was a companion and strong supporter of the Prophet Muhammad who became the second caliph of the Muslims. He is considered to be one of the great founders of the Muslim state. The name was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Persia, Umar Khayyam.
Umaru m Hausa
Hausa variant of Umar.
Usman m Urdu, Indonesian, Hausa
Urdu, Indonesian and Hausa form of Uthman.
Uzochi m & f Igbo
Means "way of God" in Igbo.
Wairimu f Kikuyu
From Kikuyu irimũ meaning "ogre, giant". In the Kikuyu origin legend Wairimu is of one of the nine daughters of Mumbi.
Wambui f Kikuyu
Means "zebra" in Kikuyu. This is one of Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wangari f Kikuyu
From Kikuyu ngarĩ meaning "leopard". In the Kikuyu origin legend this is the name of one of the nine daughters of Mumbi.
Wangui f Kikuyu
From Kikuyu ngũi meaning "song leader". This is one of Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wanjiku f Kikuyu
Meaning unknown. This is one of Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wanjiru f Kikuyu
Possibly from Kikuyu njĩra meaning "way, path". In the Kikuyu origin legend this is the name of one of the nine daughters of Mumbi.
Wasswa m Ganda
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.
Werknesh f Amharic
Alternate transcription of Amharic ወርቅነሽ (see Worknesh).
Worknesh f Amharic
Feminine form of Workneh.
Xaawo f Somali
Somali form of Eve.
Xafsa f Somali
Somali form of Hafsa.
Xaliima f Somali
Somali form of Halima.
Xasan m Somali
Somali form of Hasan.
Yacouba m Western African
Form of Yaqub used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Yaƙubu m Hausa
Hausa form of Yaqub.
Yao m Ewe
Ewe form of Yaw.
Yared m Biblical Hebrew, 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.
Yishak m Amharic
Amharic form of Isaac.
Yohannes m Amharic
Amharic form of John.
Yonas m Tigrinya, Amharic
Tigrinya and Amharic form of Jonah.
Yuusuf m Somali
Somali form of Yosef (see Joseph).
Zainab f Arabic, Urdu, Hausa, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic زينب (see Zaynab), as well as the usual form in several languages.
Zainabu f Swahili, Hausa
Swahili and Hausa form of Zaynab.
Zephania m Southern African, Eastern African
Variant of Zephaniah. This form of the name appears to be used in southern and eastern Africa.
Zodwa f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Short form of Ntombizodwa.
Zuberi m Swahili
Swahili form of Zubair.