Browse Names

Aamina f Arabic, Somali
Alternate transcription of Arabic آمنة (see Amina 1), as well as the Somali form.

Abiola f & m Yoruba
Means "born into wealth" in Yoruba.

Adanna f Igbo
Means "eldest daughter of the father" in Igbo.

Adeola f & m Yoruba
Means "the crown of wealth" in Yoruba. It is also a surname.

Akosua f Akan
Means "born on Sunday" in Akan.

Ashura f Swahili
From the name of an Islamic holy day that commemorates the death of Husayn ibn Ali. It is so named because it falls on the tenth day of Muharram, deriving from Arabic عشرة (ʿashara) meaning "ten".

Ayanda m & f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "they are increasing" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.

Baraka m Swahili
Means "blessing" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic بركة (baraka).

Bukola f Yoruba
Means "add to wealth" in Yoruba.

Chioma f Igbo
Means "good God" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".

Daouda m Western African
Form of Dawud used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.

Ebrima m Western African
Form of Ibrahim used in West Africa (Gambia).

Eniola f & m Yoruba
Means "person of wealth" in Yoruba.

Fatuma f Eastern African
Form of Fatima used East Africa.

Furaha f Swahili
Means "joy, happiness" in Swahili, borrowed from Arabic فرح (fariḥa).

Gadisa m Oromo
From Oromo gaaddisa meaning "shade".

Gudina m Oromo
Means "growth, advancement" in Oromo.

Hadija f Swahili
Swahili form of Khadija.

Hadiza f Hausa
Hausa form of Khadija.

Halima f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Hausa, Swahili
Feminine form of Halim. Halima was the name of the foster mother of the Prophet Muhammad.

Haruna 2 m Hausa, Fula
Hausa and Fula form of Harun.

Ifeoma f Igbo
Means "good thing" in Igbo, derived from ífé meaning "thing" and ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".

Ijeoma f Igbo
Means "good journey" in Igbo.

Ikenna m Igbo
Means "power of the father" in Igbo.

Jamila f Arabic, Urdu, Hausa
Feminine form of Jamil. This was the name of a wife of the caliph Umar.

Kahina f Berber
Derived from Arabic الكاهنة (al-Kāhina) meaning "the diviner, the fortuneteller". This was a title applied to the 7th-century Berber queen Dihya, who resisted the Arab expansion into North Africa.

Kobina m Akan
Variant of Kwabena.

Kyauta m & f Hausa
Means "gift" in Hausa.

Lelisa m Oromo
From Oromo leellisaa meaning "admirer".

Makena f & m Kikuyu
Means "happy one" in Kikuyu.

Mandla m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "strength, power" in Zulu and Ndebele.

Monifa f Yoruba (Rare)
Means "I am lucky" in Yoruba.

Moussa m Arabic, Western African
Alternate transcription of Arabic موسى (see Musa), as well as the form commonly used in West Africa.

Mudiwa f & m Shona
Means "beloved, darling" in Shona.

Mwenya f & m Chewa
From the Chewa word for a type of flowering tree (species Breonadia salicina).

Nafula f Luhya
Feminine form of Wafula.

Nekesa f Luhya
Feminine form of Wekesa.

Njinga m & f Mbundu
Possibly from a Bantu root meaning "to twist, to wrap" (kujinga in Kimbundu), alluding to the wrapping of the umbilical cord around the neck of the newborn. This name was borne by kings and queens of the African kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo, notably a 17th-century queen of Ndongo who resisted the Portuguese.

Nkruma m & f Akan
Means "ninth born child" in Akan.

Nnenna f Igbo
Means "father's mother" in Igbo. This name is given in honour of the child's paternal grandmother.

Nomusa f Ndebele
Means "merciful" in Ndebele.

Nzinga m & f Mbundu
Variant of Njinga.

Obinna m Igbo
Means "heart of the father" in Igbo, from óbì "heart, mind" and ńnà "father".

Onyeka m & f Igbo
Short form of Onyekachi.

Palesa f Sotho
Means "flower" in Sotho.

Rakiya f Hausa
Hausa form of Ruqayya.

Rehema f Swahili
Means "mercy, compassion" in Swahili, from Arabic رحْمة (raḥma).

Safiya f Hausa, Kazakh, Arabic
Hausa and Kazakh form of Safiyya. It is also an alternate transcription of the Arabic name.

Scovia f Eastern African
Short form of Proscovia, mainly used in Uganda.

Subira f Swahili
Means "patience" in Swahili, from Arabic صبر (ṣabara).

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

Tanina f Berber
From the name of a legendary bird, similar to an eagle or a phoenix.

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

Tapiwa f Shona
Means "given" in Shona.

Themba m Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "trust, hope" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.

Ufuoma m & f Urhobo
Means "peace of mind" in Urhobo.

Wafula m Luhya
Means "born during the rainy season", from Luhya ifula meaning "rainy season".

Wasswa m Ganda
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.

Wekesa m Luhya
Means "born during harvest" in Luhya.

Zuhura f Swahili, Dhivehi
Means "Venus (planet)" in Swahili and Dhivehi. Both are borrowed from Arabic الزهرة (al-Zuhara), derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".