These names occur in the mythologies and legends of the various peoples who inhabit Africa.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
AbukfAfrican Mythology, Dinka In Dinka mythology (south Sudan), the first woman. She is the patron goddess of women and gardens. Her emblem is a little snake. She is the mother of Deng (Danka).
AdroamAfrican Mythology The God of the Lugbara, who dwell in the area between Zaire and Uganda. Adroa had two aspects: good and evil. He was looked on as the creator of heaven and Earth, and was said to appear to a person who was about to die... [more]
Adzef & mAfrican Mythology The adze is a vampiric being in Ewe folklore. It takes the form of a firefly and will transform into human form upon capture.... [more]
A'essumAfrican Mythology One who provides direct connections to others to benefit everyone and consistently seeks new information to provide to those connected. Relative to the English word "Learned" and African name "Sekou" (SAY~KOO)
AganjusolamYoruba Mythology, Yoruba (Rare) Means "the one with the stiff face makes honor" in Yoruba. According to Yoruba tradition, this is the name of a warrior king deified after his death, said to fight by shooting fire. He is associated with wilderness, the desert, and volcanoes... [more]
AgemomYoruba Mythology, Yoruba (Rare) In Yoruba mythology, Agemo is a chameleon who is the messenger of the gods. He is the main deity of the Ijebu people, as he is believed to protect children and safeguard the future of Ijebu people through his blessing.
Ajef & mYoruba Mythology, Yoruba Means "wealth, money, profit" in Yoruba. This is the name of a goddess of wealth, prosperity, and business in Yoruba tradition.
AjokmAfrican Mythology The god of the Lotuko, a Sudanese people. It was believed that he was benevolent, but only if men chose to keep him so. Family strife was seen to be the cue for death to enter the family, and indeed a story is told of a Lotuko mother who implored Ajok to restore her dead child to life... [more]
Akomam & fCentral African, African Mythology Akoma is the creator god of Pahuin mythology. His name Means “creator” in Pahuin, a common language in parts of São Tomé and Principe, southern Cameroon, much of northern Gabon, and mainland Equatorial Guinea.
AmmamAfrican Mythology The god of fertility and of rain among the Dogon of Mali and Sudan.
AnoukefEgyptian Mythology, African Mythology Possibly a variant of Anuket, as she is depicted in an almost identical way, or even Neith, and perhaps the inspiration for the Greek Goddess Hestia as they are thought to have shared similar duties... [more]
Gehidusiusosm & fAfrican Mythology Gehidusiusos helped africans in south africa to find water and to build houses and make fire.
GǃkúnǁʼhòmdímàfSan Mythology, Astronomy Meaning "young female aardvark", ultimately derived from Jul'hoan particles gǃkún meaning "aardvark", ǁʼhòm mà meaning "young woman" and the feminine suffix dí.... [more]
HakizimanamRwandan, Rundi, African Mythology (Modern) A name which means "God saves everything," imana being the name of the original Rwandan/Burundian deity and now the modern word for God in all monotheistic usages within Rwanda and Burundi.
ǃHãunumSan Mythology Meaning unknown. In the San mythology, he existed along with his brother-in-law ǂKá̦gára, which they both fought with lightning that causes massive storms.... [more]
IlánkakafLingala, African Mythology Ilankaka means ‘the sun maiden’. She is one of the main characters in the Mongo mythology complex. She is the estranged wife of Lonkundo.
JokmDinka, African Mythology Jok is the Supreme God in Lango, Dinka and Alur Mythologies. In A Dictionary of African Mythology, Jok, the supreme being, is described like moving air; he is omnipresent, like the wind, but is never seen, though his presence may be felt in whirlwinds or eddies of air, in rocks and hills, in springs and pools of water, and he is especially connected with rainmaking... [more]
ǂKá̦gáramSan Mythology, Astronomy Meaning unknown. In the San mythology, he existed along with his brother-in-law ǃHãunu, which they both fought with lightning that causes massive storms... [more]
ǀKágge̥nmSan Mythology Meaning unknown. In San mythology, he was described as a mantis and a folk hero of the ǀXam people.... [more]
KagingamAfrican Mythology Kaginga is both the spiritual incarnation of evil and the villainous deity of bad luck in Lega mythology. His name does not have a well known meaning.
KalagamAfrican Mythology Likely means "the promiser" in Lega. Kalaga is the deity of good luck and promises in Lega mythology.
KatavimAfrican Mythology, Nyamwezi A demonic being in the popular belief of the Nyamwezi people of Tanzania. He is reputed to be the chief of the water-spirits, but he also haunts the barren lands and deserts.
KeleyafAfrican Mythology, Manding (Archaic) Keleya is a character in "Sundiata", an epic of old Mali. Keleya was known as the best cook in the Sosso Kingdom in the 11th-12th Century.... [more]
KenkungamAfrican Mythology Kenkunga is the deity of reassembling and reconstruction in Lega mythology. His name doesn’t have a well known meaning.
KiandafAfrican Mythology, Southern African Kianda (or Dandalunda) is a goddess of the sea, of the waters, and a protector of fishermen in traditional Angolan culture. Kianda was traditionally worshipped by throwing offerings such as food and clothing into the sea... [more]
KiwanukamGanda, African Mythology Kiwanuka is the hammer wielding God of Thunder and Lightning in Ganda Mythology. His name means “someone who was born on a Thursday”.
LonkundomAfrican Mythology Lonkundo is the mythical founder and culture hero of the Mongo Nkundo peoples of the Congo basin in DRC, Central Africa. He is one of the major characters in the Mongo-Nkundo mythology complex.
MbombomAfrican Mythology Mbombo, a god, also Bakuba god (mbombo) named Bumba, The story of Mbombo's creation tells that in the beginning, Mbombo was alone, darkness and primordial water covered all the earth. It would happen that Mbombo came to feel an intense pain in his stomach, and then Mbombo vomited the sun, the moon, and stars... [more]
MinonafAfrican Mythology This is the name of a goddess of protection in the mythology of the Dahomey (or Fon), an ethnic group who live in Benin in western Africa. Minona is a daughter of Gbadu.
MusokemGanda, African Mythology Musoke is the God of Rain in Ganda mythology. His Name derives From ‘mu’, indicating a single individual, and ‘soke’, which means ‘rain’.
MwarimShona, African Mythology Means 'force behind creation' in Shona. Shona traditional religion, Mwari is the supreme creator deity who is believed that he is the author of all things and all life and all is in him.
NambifGanda, Bantu, African Mythology Wife to the first man in Buganda Kingdom in Uganda, who is also believed to be the first living person
Nenaunirm & fMaasai, African Mythology Of uncertain meaning, likely linked to rain. Nenaunir is the villainous god of rain in Maasai mythology, being depicted as a rainbow snake.
NomkhubulwanefAfrican Mythology Epithet of the Zulu goddess Mbaba Mwana Waresa, a shapeshifting fertility goddess who rules over rainbows, agriculture, harvests, rain, and beer and has power over water and earth. The name means "she who chooses the state of an animal" referring to the goddesses ability to shapeshift into an animal.
NyacherofAlur, African Mythology Likely meaning ‘Tomorrow’ in Alur, Nyachero is a character in Alur Mythology, a princess of her kingdom.
OduduwamYoruba Mythology Oduduwa, Olofin Adimula, Emperor and First Suzerain of the Yoruba, was the Oba of Ile-Ife. His name is generally ascribed to the ancestral dynasty of Yorubaland due to the fact that he is held by the Yoruba to have been the ancestor of their numerous crowned kings... [more]
TchuemAfrican Mythology A cultural founder hero of the Bushmen. Tchue's deeds and transformations were 'many, many and not one'. He was a genius of fruit; also was he at different times a bird, an elephant, a fly, a lizard and even a water hole... [more]
TsoedemAfrican Mythology A culture hero of the Nupe people (west-central Nigeria). He seized the throne by killing his uncle and extended the frontiers of his kingdom. He introduced his subjects to the rudiments of technology, showing them how to build canoes and how to work metals... [more]
UnkulunkulumZulu, African Mythology Means "the old, old one" or "ancestor" in Zulu. This was the name of a mythic first ancestor in early Zulu mythology, who appeared, or was created from, breaking reeds. It may have also been used to denote any significant ancestor... [more]
WangũifKikuyu, African Mythology Variant of Wangũ, meaning “of firewood”. A famous bearer of the name was one of the daughters of Kikuyu and Mumbi, the first man and woman in Kikuyu Mythology.
YendembemAfrican Mythology Yendembe means ‘he is free’ and is the childhood name of Lonkundo in the Nkundo mythology complex. It also means “Take No Orders”.