Browse Submitted Names

Yurizaa m & f Dagbani
Means "loving all" in Dagbani.

Yusupha m Western African
Form of Yusuf used in West Africa.

Yuvone f American (Rare), Southern African (Rare)
Likely a variant of Yvonne.

Zaakir m South African
Form of Zakir used especially in South Africa.

Zabibu f Swahili
Swahili name meaning "grapes" which comes originally from Arabic word zabīb meaning 'raisins', given to five girls in the US in 2023

Zady f & m English (American, Rare), Spanish (Latin American, Rare), Brazilian (Rare), Western African (Rare)
Variant of Sadie.

Zadzisai m & f Shona
Means "fulfill" in Shona.

Zahina f Kongo
Knowing

Zahnya f Swahili

Zahur m Swahili
Means "flower" in Swahili.

Zaïre m Kongo
Zaïre means the river that never swallows in Kikongo

Zaituni f Eastern African, Swahili, Indonesian
From Swahili zeituni meaning "olive", ultimately from Arabic زيتون (zaytun).

Zakari m Western African, African American (Modern)

Zakaryas m Amharic
Amharic form of Zachary.

Zakhi m South African

Zakieya f African American (Rare), South African (Rare)
Variant of Zakiya.

Zakiyos m Amharic
Amharic form of Zacchaeus.

Zakoi m Songhai, Western African
Meaning unknown.

Zale m Western African (Rare, ?)
Unknown meaning. It has seen some use in Senegal.

Zalissa f Western African

Zama f South African, Zulu
Means "try" in Zulu.

Zamanu m Amharic
Means "time, era" in Amharic.

Zambo m Central African, Eastern African
Is a popular given name for boys in many West Central African nations. Also the name of an Italian Safari crime drama film and the duology of jungle themed Bollywood mad scientist films that inspired the Captive Wild Woman series.

Zamizit f Agatu
Comes from "zamzita" meaning fairness

Zamokuhle f Zulu
Means "try the good" in Zulu.

Zamzam f & m Arabic, Somali, Indonesian
From the name of a holy well in Mecca that, according to Islamic tradition, was miraculously created by Allah for Hajar and and her son Isma'il while the two were left in the desert without water... [more]

Zana m & f Shona
Meaning "a hundred".

Zanele f Zulu
Means "they are enough" in Zulu.

Zanga m & f Manding
Bambara

Zannabach f Amharic
Means "she rained" in Amharic.

Zanne f Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of Sanne.

Zanthy m African (Rare), Spanish (Latin American, Rare)

Zaranyika m Shona
Means "populate the world" in Shona.

Zarel m South African

Zawditu f Amharic
Means "the crown" in Amharic.

Zawe f Eastern African
Short form or diminutive of Zawedde.

Zawedde f Eastern African
Means "princess" in a language spoken in Uganda.

Zawgha f Berber
Possibly from azewwagh meaning "red".

Zayaan f & m South African (Rare), Muslim (Rare)
Variant transcript of Zayyan.

Zayyan m & f Arabic (Rare), Nigerian (Rare), Muslim
From Arabic زَيْن (zayn) meaning "beautiful, handsome, nice" (see Zayn).

Zazi f Eastern African
Means "fertile" or "fruitful" in Swahili.

Zebeth f Afrikaans (Rare)

Zefrin m Eastern African (Rare)

Zegeye m Amharic
Means "he delayed" in Amharic.

Zeğiga f Kabyle
Possibly means "flower" in Kabyle.

Zeidane m Western African
Variant of Zaydan (chiefly Mauritanian).

Zeinabou f Western African
Variant of Zeinebou.

Zeine m Western African, Arabic (Maghrebi)
Western African (chiefly Mauritanian) and Maghrebi (chiefly Algerian) variant of Zayn.

Zeïnebou f Western African
Variant of Zeinebou based on French orthography.

Zeinebou f Western African
Western African elaboration of Zaynab (chiefly Mauritanian).

Zeituni f Eastern African
This name coincides with Swahili zeituni meaning "olive", a derivative of Arabic زَيْتُون‎ (zaytūn). This was borne by Zeituni Onyango (1952-2014), a Kenyan-born half-aunt of former American president Barack Obama.

Zekaryas m Ethiopian

Zelalem m & f Amharic
Amharic for "forever" or "eternity"

Zelleke m Amharic
Means "he surpassed" in Amharic.

Zenabu m Amharic
Means "the rain" in Amharic.

Zenani f South African

Zende m Swahili
Means "strong, firm" in Swahili.

Zennash f Amharic
Means "your fame" in Amharic.

Zenzele f Xhosa
Means "she will do for herself" in Xhosa.

Zenzile f & m Xhosa, Swazi
From Xhosa uzenzile meaning "you brought this on yourself". This was the first name of the South African singer and civil rights activist Miriam Makeba (1932-2008), full name Zenzile Miriam Makeba... [more]

Zephany f South African (Rare)
Feminine form of Zephania.

Zephne f Afrikaans

Zeray m Tigrinya, Ge'ez
Means "sower" in Ge'ez and Tigrinya.

Zerebruk m Ethiopian
Blessed generation or blessed family

Zeresenay m Eastern African

Zerezghi m Ethiopian

Zerihun m Ethiopian

Zethu f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "ours" or "belongs to us" in both Xhosa and Zulu within the Nguni language group. Notable South African name bearers include actor Zethu Dlomo and orchestral musician Zethu Mashika.

Zeudi f Tigrinya
Means "crown" in Tigrinya. It is the name of the famous 1970 Eritrean-Italian actress Zeudi Araya (1951-).

Zewditu f Eastern African, Amharic
Zewditu is an Amharic word meaning "the Crown". Although it was sometimes erroneously Anglicized as Judith, it's not a cognate.... [more]

Zhizha f Shona
Meaning “summer” in Shona.

Zibu f Zulu
Means "waterlily" in Zulu.

Zibulale m Xhosa
Meaning unknown.

Zibuseni m & f Ndebele
Means "rule yourself" in Ndebele.

Zibusiso f Ndebele
Means "blessings" in Ndebele.

Zié m Western African
Likely means "first" in one of the Senufo languages, as the name is traditionally given to the first-born son.... [more]

Zigza m Berber
Means "green" from the root zgz.

Zillale m African
Bantu... [more]

Zimba f & m Shona
Means "to be principled" in Shona.

Zimesele m Sotho

Zina f Amharic
Means "felicity" in Amharic.

Zina f & m Ogoni
Means "star" in Ogoni.

Zinabu f Western African
Western African form of Zaynab.

Zinachidiuto f & m Igbo (Modern)

Zindzi f South African
Diminutive of Zindziswa.

Zindziswa f South African, Xhosa

Zinhle f Zulu
Means "they (the girls) are beautiful" in Zulu.

Zinta f Afrikaans

Zintwezinhle f Zulu
Means "beautiful things" in Zulu.

Ziola m & f Ijaw
Means "the last born" in Ijaw.

Ziona f Hebrew, Jewish, English, Afrikaans
Feminine form of Zion.

Ziperela f & m Ijaw
Means "born to meet wealth" in Ijaw.

Ziphozonke m & f Zulu
Means "all the gifts" in Zulu.

Zira f Berber
Feminine of Ziri.

Zirk m Afrikaans

Zithembe m Zulu
Means "trust yourself" in Zulu.

Zitto m Eastern African

Zivai m Shona
Means "know" in Shona.

Zivaizvinodababa m & f Shona
Means "know what the father wants" in Shona.

Zivanai f & m Shona
"Know each other". Meant for relatives to keep in touch.

Ziyanda f Xhosa
Means "increase within daughters" in Xhosa.

Zobuhle f Zulu
Means "of beauty" in Zulu, from the possessive form of ubuhle.

Zodwe f South African, Zulu
Diminutive of Ntombizodwa.

Zohari m Kongo
Sunrise

Zolana f Kongo
Lover of hearts

Zolani f Kongo
Zolani means loving in Kikongo

Zolani m South African, Xhosa
Variant of Xolani.

Zoleka f Xhosa
Means "humble" in Xhosa.

Zolie f South African (Rare), American (South, Rare, Archaic)

Zoliswa f Xhosa
Means "one who calms" in Xhosa.

Zondai f & m Shona
"You may hate me." A situational name where a family is telling it's enemies you may hate me all you want.

Zondwa f South African

Zonja f English, Afrikaans, Dutch
Variant of Sonja.

Zonkizizwe m Zulu
Means “all nations” in Zulu.

Zooli f & m African (?)
Meaning "freedom lover", but origins are not clear.

Zoosim m & f Dagbani
Means "abundance" or "greatness" in Dagbani.

Zoreka m & f Kiga, Nkore, Tooro
Meaning “the show off” in Kiga.

Zorle m Ogoni
Means "wealth is here" in Ogoni.

Zororo f & m Shona
Rest. "May be speaking of a time of rest or peacefulness experienced by family around time of child's birth".

Zoubo f & m Ijaw
Means "a traveller" in Ijaw.

Zozibini f Xhosa
Xhosa name, said to mean "received with both hands". (In this culture it is considered impolite or unappreciative to accept a worthy gift with one hand; to show appreciation and respect to the giver, you use both hands to accept a gift.)

Zuba m Swahili
Means "jump" in Swahili.

Zubairu m Hausa
Hausa form of Zubair.

Zubeidat f Avar, Nigerian
Avar form of Zubaida also used by Nigerian Muslims.

Zugsung m & f Dagbani
Means "good luck" or "good fortune" in Dagbani.

Zuko m South African, African
Means "harmony, someone with a good heart, loving, appreciative and calm" in Nguni.

Zula m & f Tigrinya
Means "brilliant" in Tigrinya.... [more]

Zulu m & f African

Zumaridi f Swahili
Means "emerald" in Swahili.

Zuna f Lingala
Means "to be sweet" in Bangi, the main lexical source of Lingala.

Zuo m & f Ijaw
Means "protection" in Ijaw.

Zuva f Shona
Means "day; daylight; sun; sunlight" in Shona.

Zuvarashe f & m Shona
Means the "lord's sun"

Zuwa m & f Shona
Meaning “sun”, it is also synonymous with Zuva.

Zuwena f Swahili
Means "small and beautiful" in Swahili.

Zvanaka f Shona
Means "it is well" in Shona.

Zvichanzii m & f Shona
Means "what is it?" in Shona.

Zvido m & f Shona
It means "desires".

Zvidzai m Shona
Means "despise, look down upon" in Shona.

Zvikomborero f Shona
Means "blessings" in Shona.

Zvipo m & f Shona
Meaning "gifts".

Zviyo m & f Shona
It is the plural of Chiyo. It means "grains". This is a name that symbolizes the smallness of grains which when planted and in their own season and time, grow and are harvested for multitudes and nations... [more]

Zvose m & f Shona
Meaning "the all; everything".

Zwatie m Swahili
Means "people of language" in Swahili.

Zwelabo m South African

Zwelethu m & f Ndebele
Means "our nation" in Ndebele.

Zweli m South African

Zwelibanzi m South African