Xhosa Names - Behind the Name

Andile m & f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "they have increased" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.

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

Bandile m & f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "they have increased" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.

Buhle f & m Southern African, Xhosa, Ndebele
From Xhosa and Ndebele buhle "beautiful, handsome", from the root hle.

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

Hlengiwe f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Swazi
Means "helped, rescued, redeemed" in Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi.

Lindiwe f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Swazi
Means "waited for, awaited" in Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi, from linda "to wait".

Melisizwe m Southern African, Xhosa
Means "leader of the nation" in Xhosa.

Nkosana m Southern African, Xhosa
Means "prince" in Xhosa.

Nkosazana f Southern African, Xhosa
Means "princess" in Xhosa.

Nonhle f Southern African, Xhosa
From the Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with hle "beautiful".

Nontle f Southern African, Xhosa
Variant of Nonhle.

Nosipho f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa
From the Zulu and Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with isipho "gift".

Nosizwe f Southern African, Xhosa
From the Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with isizwe "nation".

Noxolo f Southern African, Xhosa, Ndebele
From the Xhosa and Ndebele feminine prefix no- combined with uxolo "peace".

Ntombizodwa f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "only girls", from Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele intombi "girl" and zodwa "only".

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

Sipho m Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "gift" from Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele isipho.

Sizwe m Southern African, Xhosa
Means "nation" in Xhosa.

Thandi f Southern African, Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
Short form of Thandiwe.

Thandiwe f Southern African, Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
Means "loving one" in Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele, from thanda "to love".

Thando m & f Southern African, Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
From Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele thanda meaning "to love".

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

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

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".

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