African Submitted Names

African names are used on the continent of Africa, covering a wide number of languages. See also about African names.

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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.

Tadla f Berber (Rare)
Means "branches" in Berber.

Tafa m & f Yoruba
Means "belonging to the white oracle" in Yoruba, derived from ti meaning "belonging to", àlà meaning "white cloth; banner" and ifá meaning "divination; oracle". It is possibly used as diminutive of a longer name as well.

Tafachi f Amharic
Means "sweet" in Amharic.

Tafalkayt f Berber
Means "beauty" in Tamazight.

Tafara m Shona
We are happy

Tafarri m Amharic
Means "one who is respected" in Amharic.

Tafeta m Sotho
Sotho form of David.

Tafrara f Kabyle
Means "aurora, dawn, daybreak" in Kabyle.

Tafsut f Kabyle
Means "spring, springtime" in Kabyle.

Tafuma m Shona
We are now rich, we are enriched

Tagala f & m Southern African (Rare)
We are now settled

Tagutswa m Shona
Means "we are pleased" in Shona.

Tagwerramt f Berber
It stands for ‘pious or holy’

Tagwilalt f Berber
Means "stork" in Tamazight.

Tagwizult f Berber
Means "brave" in Berber.

Tahama m & f Dagbani
Means "hope" in Dagbani.

Taheyyâtt f Berber
Means "wanderer" in Tamazight.

Tahiil m Somali
Means "someone who is well balanced" in Somali.

Tahirou m Western African
Western African elaboration of Tahir.

Taio m Yoruba, Papuan
Variant of Tayo 1. A famous bearer is British singer-songwriter Taio Cruz (1985-), born Adetayo Ayowale Onile-Ere, the son of a Nigerian father and Brazilian mother.

Taitu f Ethiopian
Name of a 19th century Ethiopian empress known for founding the now-capital city of Addis Ababa and fending off Italian invasion of Ethiopia

Takada f African American (Rare), Southern African (Rare)

Takalani m & f Venda
Means "be happy" in Tshivenda.

Takama f Berber
Means "warmth" in Berber.

Takashinga m Shona
Meaning "we are resilient"; it derives from the verb kushinga.

Takatifu m Swahili
Swahili masculine name meaning "sacred, holy".

Takawira m Shona
Means "we have fallen" in Shona.

Takenda m Kongo

Takle-haimanot m Ge'ez
Means "plant of the faith" in Ge'ez.

Taklit f Berber, Tuareg
Meaning unknown.

Takola m Amharic
Means "wolf" in Amharic.

Takudzwa m Shona
Means "we have been honoured" in Shona.

Takunda f & m African
Means "we have conquered" in Shona.

Takura m African
Shona language in Zimbabwe (Southern Africa)derived from the verb to grow up or mature. It can also mean "to carry" but is seldom used for this meaning in a name.

Talana f South African, English
Use of this name in South Africa probably owes something to the Battle of Talana Hill in 1899.

Taliep m South African

Talisa f Frisian (Rare), Low German (Rare), Dutch (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)
19th-century elaboration of Tale.

Tallo m Western African

Tamaha f & m Dagbani
Means "hope" in Dagbani.

Tamalut f Berber
Berber feminine name meaning "shadow".

Tamanart f Berber
Berber name for the constallation Orion.

Tamanda f Chewa
Means "to praise" in Chewa.

Tamani f & m Chewa
Means "praise" or "to God be the glory" in Chewa.

Tamanyachi f Tumbuka
Means "how can we know the future?" in Tumbuka.

Tamaralaifa f & m Western African, Ijaw
Means "there's none like God" in Ijaw.

Tamarin f English (British, Rare), South African (Rare)

Tamaryn f English (Rare), South African (Rare)

Tamasgan m Amharic
Means "praise" in Amharic.

Tamayi m & f Shona
Means "move from here" in Shona.

Tamayyurt f Berber
Means "full moon" in Tamazight.

Tamazzalt f Berber
Means "devoted" in Tamazight.

Tambika f Swahili
Means "offering" in Swahili.

Tambu f South African

Tambwe m Luba
Means "tiger" in Luba-Kasai.

Tamemt f Berber
Means "honey" in Berber.

Tamenzut f Berber
the name itself means ‘first born’.... [more]

Tameqrant f Berber
Means "the elder, senior" in Tamazight.

Tamezyant f Berber
Means "the middle child" in Tamazight.

Tamghara f Berber
Feminine form of Amghar.

Tamimt f Berber
Means "delight" in Tamazight.

Tamirat m Amharic
Variant of Tamrat.

Tamment f Berber
Berber feminine name meaning "honey".

Tamre m Amharic
Means "my miracle" in Amharic.

Tamrine f South African (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)

Tamu f Swahili
Means "sweet" in Swahili.

Tamuda m Shona
Means "we love him" in Shona.

Tamuno-imim m Ijaw
Means "there is God" in Ijaw.

Tamunonemi m Nigerian
Means "wisdom of God" in Kalabari, spoken in Nigeria.

Tamunotonye m & f Western African, Ijaw
Means "God's will" or "God's favour" in Ijaw.

Tamzyn f South African
Variant of Tamsyn.

Tanaka m & f Shona
Means "we are good, we are blessed" in Shona.

Tanakiswa m & f Shona
Means "we have been blessed" in Shona.

Tanamart f Berber
Means "happy" in Berber.

Tanaruz f Berber, African
Feminine form of Anaruz.

Tanatswa m & f Shona
Means "we have been perfected" in Shona.

Tanazârt f Berber
Means "defiant, daring" in Tamazight.

Tandeko m Zulu
Always lovable. From Bantu root tande

Tandokazi f African
Originate from Xhosa, Bantu.

Tandy f South African

Tandzile f Swazi
Means "a female addition to the family" in Swazi.

Tanebdatt f Berber
Means "support" in Tamazight.

Tangeni m & f Southern African
loose translation "praise god"

Tangu f & m Tumbuka
Means "first", usually given to the firstborn of twins.

Tanina f Kabyle
Variant of Thanina

Tanitha f Dutch (Rare), English (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)
Variant of Tanith.

Tanko m Hausa
Name given to a boy born after many girls.

Tanue m African

Tanyaradzwa f Shona
Means "we have been consoled", "we have found comfort" in Shona, often bestowed upon a girl born after a tragedy or difficulty, she being the source of consolation or comfort; the implied meaning is "blessing, godsend".

Taous f Kabyle
A feminine name used in the kabyle berber region Tizi Ouzou Bejaya and Bouira of Algeria. Cones from the Arab word Tawoos طاووس meaning peacock.

Tapfumaneyi m Shona
Means "what has made us rich?" in Shona.

Tarana f Hausa
Given for females who are born during the day.

Taraoluwa f African (?)
Variant of Tiaraoluwa.

Tari f & m Western African, Ijaw
Means "love" in Ijaw.

Taribi m & f Ijaw
Means "ask for or seek love" in Ijaw.

Tariela f & m Nigerian

Tariere f Ijaw
Means "the loved woman" in Ijaw.

Tarimbele m & f Ijaw
Means "love is sweet" in Ijaw.

Tariperedei m & f Ijaw
Means "love has been given to me" in Ijaw.

Tarirai m & f Shona
Meaning “look; behold” or “look forth”, names with similar meanings include Onai and Ringai.

Tarisai f & m Shona
Means "(to) be looked" in Shona.

Tariso m & f African
Tariso is similar to the name Tariro in that it has the same meaning..."hope"... [more]

Tasa f Berber
Means "love" when used as a name. Literally means "liver," the organ thought to be the seat of emotions, much like the heart's role in Western cultures.

Tasalla f Hausa
From the Hausa ta meaning “of” and sallā̀ meaning "prayer, religious holiday”.

Tascha f English (American, Modern, Rare), Dutch (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)

Tasché f Afrikaans
It probably derives from the hebrew "tach", meaning "crown".

Tasekkurt f Berber
Means "partridge" in Tamazight.

Tasfaye m Amharic
Means "my promise" in Amharic.

Tashinga m Shona
Meaning “we have been brave or resilient”.

Tashinganei m Shona
Meaning "what has made us be resilient", a shorter form of the name is Takashinga.

Tashome m Ethiopian

Tassadit f Kabyle
From Arabic سعد (sa'd) meaning "fortune, good luck" combined with the Tamazight feminine prefix ⵜⴰ (ta) and suffix ⵜ (t).

Taššite m Sidamo
Means "become pleasant" in Sidama.

Tatadzeiko f Shona
Means "what wrong have we done?" in Shona.

Ta-tanisha f Swahili

Tatbirt f Berber
Possibly means "dove" in Amazigh.

Taurayi m & f Shona
Means "speak out, speak up!" in Shona.

Tauya m & f Shona
Means "we have come" in Shona.

Tavavich f Amharic
Name of the wife of the eighteenth-century Ethiopian emporer.

Tavaziva m Shona
Tavaziva means "We know them". This name is given in a feuding situation to say we know who the enemy is.

Tavona m & f Shona
Meaning “we have seen.”

Tawana m Southern African
Botswanian name.

Tawananyasha m & f Southern African, Shona
Means "we have found mercy" in Shona.

Tawanda f & m African American, African
African Zimbabwe meaning we are many... [more]

Taweckint f Berber
Means "branch" in Amazigh.

Taweh m Western African
Means "go there!" in Vai, spoken in Liberia.

Tawenza f Berber
Means "frank, direct" in Tamazight.

Tawia f Western African (Archaic)
Tawia mean "born after twins"

Tʼawiso m Sidamo
Means "one who shines" in Sidama.

Taylalt f Berber
Means "bird" in Tamazight.

Tayo m & f Yoruba
Means "worth joy" in Yoruba. It is often used as a short form of names ending in tayo, such as Olatayo.

Tayri f Berber
Means "love" in Tamazight.

Tazdayt f Kabyle
Means "palm tree" in Kabyle.

Tazêllayt f Berber
Means "pendant" in Tamazight.

Tazenkêt f Berber
Means "gazelle" in Amazigh.

Tazenkwêt f Berber
Means "gazelle" in Tamazight.

Tazrzît f Berber
Means "brooch" in Tamazight.

Tazsharii f Northern African (Rare)

Tchaka m Amharic
Means "forest" in Amharic.

Tcham m Central African
From Tcham N'Toya-Zoa (born 3 November 1983 in Kinshasa, DR Congo),a French-Congolese footballer.

Tchianga m Central African
Means "helper" in Fe'Fe', spoken in Cameroon.

Teawa m & f Akan
Means "the slim one" in Akan.

Tebarekberhaneyessus m Amharic
This name means "Bless the light of jesus" and is used in Ethiopian families. Mostly Tigray and Gurage.

Tebatso m Tswana
Means "make one forget" in Setswana.

Tebege m Amharic
Means "he was redeemed" in Amharic.

Tebello f & m Sotho
Means "expectation" in Sotho.

Tebike m Amharic
Means "I have waited" in Amharic.

Tedros m Amharic, Ge'ez
Variant of Tewodros.

Tees-ì m & f Sidamo
Means "be wise!" in Sidama.

Teferi m Amharic
Variant of Tafari.

Tegla f Eastern African, Pokot
A famous bearer is Tegla Chepkite Loroupe (born 1973) a Kenyan long-distance track and road runner. She is also a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights and education.

Tegwolo m Igbo
An Igbo name from the YouTube channel House of Ajebo.

Tejumola f Yoruba
Means "one who looks forward to better days" or "stare at wealth" in Yoruba, derived from tẹ meaning "press", ojú meaning "eyes, face", mọ́ meaning "onto" and ọlá meaning "wealth".

Tekano m Sotho
Means "equality" in Sotho.

Tekena f & m Ijaw
Means "hear my plea" in Ijaw.

Teko m & f Luo (Modern)
"strength"

Telgumas f Berber
Means "girl who has a brother" in Tamazight.

Temba m South African

Temidire m & f Yoruba
This Nigerian name means "Mine has turned to blessings" in Yoruba.

Temilola f Yoruba
Means "mine is wealth" in Yoruba.

Temiloluwa m & f Yoruba
Means "God is mine" in Yoruba.

Temitayo f & m Yoruba
Means "mine is worthy of joy" in Yoruba.

Temwa f & m Tumbuka
Means "love" in Tumbuka.

Tenabaabi m & f Akan
Means "just stay at a place" in Akan.

Tendayi m Shona
Variant of Tendai.

Tendeka f Shona
Meaning “be faithful; be true”, a longer form of the name is Tendekamunashe.

Tendelechi f Tumbuka
Means "what should we walk for?" in Tumbuka.

Tendeso f & m Shona (Rare)
Can mean "faith" or some may use it as meaning something used to give thanks

Tenesaye f Amharic

Tengisa f Tsonga
Means "purify" in Xitsonga.

Teniayo f Yoruba
Means "foundation of joy" in Yoruba.

Tensae m Ge'ez
Means "resurrection" in Ge'ez.

Teopolina f Southern African
Namibian name of uncertain meaning.

Tepwanji f Southern African, Eastern African
Means "patience" in Mwanga, a language spoken in Zambia and Tanzania.

Tererai m & f Shona
Means "listen, pay attention" in Shona.

Tersoo m Tiv
Tersoo means "the father,like"

Teru f Ethiopian
Means "good". This name is often combined with other names (Teruworq is an example).

Teruworq f Amharic
Means "good gold", from a combination of Teru and Worq.

Tesame f Amharic
Means "you are famous" in Amharic.

Tesfa-egzy m Ge'ez
Means "promise of the Lord" in Ge'ez.

Tesfalem m Amharic
Possibly from the Amharic ተስፋ (täsfa) meaning "hope".

Tesfalem m Tigrinya
Means "hope of wise man" in Tigrinya.

Tesfamariam m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "hope of Mary" from Amharic ተስፋ (tasfa) meaning "hope" and ማርያም (Mariyami), the Amharic form of Miriam (see Mary).

Teshale m Amharic
Means "he is preferred" in Amharic.

Teshome m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "he was appointed, he was promoted" in Amharic.

Tesifa f & m Amharic
Means "hope" in Amharic.

Tessama m Amharic
Means "he is famous" in Amharic.

Tessema m Amharic
Means "he has been heard" in Amharic.

Tete f African (Rare)

Tewobstya f Ge'ez
Tewobstya is the name of saint Polychronia whose mother of saint George. Tewobstya is a Ge’ez language name meaning “church”... [more]

Tewolde m Ethiopian

Tezhneema f Southern African

Thaba m Sotho
Means "mountain".

Thaba m Sotho
mountain

Thabelo m & f Venda
Means "prayer" in Tshivenda.

Thabisa f Zulu
Means "delight" in Zulu.

Thabiti m Swahili
Means “stable” in Swahili.

Thamsanqa m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "luck, fortune" in Zulu and Xhosa.

Thamsanqua m South African

Thandabantu m Zulu
Means "fond of others" in Zulu.

Thandazile f South African

Thandie f Southern African
Diminutive of Thandiwe.

Thandiswa f Zulu, Bantu
Means "to be loved" or "to be blessed" in Zulu

Thandizani m Chewa
Means "help" in Chewa.

Thandoluhle m Zulu
Means "good love" in Zulu.

Thandolwethu m & f South African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "our love" in Zulu and Xhosa.

Thanina f Kabyle
Thanina is often associated with a mystical bird or "female eagle". This name is born by Tanina Cheriet, the daughter of Algerian Kabyle singer, Idir (b. 1949).

Thapeli m Sotho
Means "appeal" in Sesotho.

Thapelo m & f Sotho
Means "prayer" in Sotho.

Thatayaone m & f Tswana
Means "his (god's) will" in Tswana.

Thatayotlhe m Tswana
Means "all the strength" in Setswana.

Thatoyaone m & f Tswana
Means "His (God's) will" in Setswana.

Thayi m & f Tswana
Decendants of the Nyambane speaking people in Mozambique and descendants of Tswana speaking people in Botswana met in South Africa in the early 1800. The great Nyanale from Mozambique "Nambane" came to South Africa to work in mines.

Thebe m Sotho
Means "shield" in Sesotho.

Thebeyame m Tswana
Means "my shield" in Setswana.

Thembekile f South African

Thembelihle f Zulu
Means "good hope" in Zulu.

Thembi f Zulu
Possibly a short form of names containing thembi, such as Sithembile.

Thembisile f Zulu
Means "the trusted one" in Zulu.

Thenjiwe f Zulu
Means "trusted one" in Zulu.

Theola f American (South, Rare), Afrikaans (Rare), South African
Possibly a shortened form of Theolene or Theolinde (compare Theora, Theoda, Theda).

Theolene f English (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Theolinde.

Theonie f Afrikaans (Rare)
Afrikaans form of Théonie.

Theressa f English (American), Nigerian (Rare)
Variant of Theresa.

Thero m Tswana
Means "sermon" in Setswana.

Therona f South African, English (Rare)
Feminine form of Theron.

Theuns m Afrikaans
Afrikaans short form of Antonius.

Thikhathali m Venda
Means "one who does not worry" in Tshivenda.

Thilivhali m Venda
Means "one who does not forget" in Tshivenda.

Thiyya f Berber
Means "nice" in Amazigh.

Thobeka f Southern African, Zulu
Means "humble" in Zulu.

Thobekile f Ndebele
Means "polite" in Ndebele.

Tholakele f Zulu
Means "found" in Zulu.

Tholane m Zulu (Modern)
Variant of Thulani.

Tholoana f Sotho
Means "fruit".

Tholoana f Sotho
Meaning, fruit or seed, in the context of ‘fruit of my womb’

Thon m African

Thoriso m Sotho
Means "praise" in Sesotho.

Thozamile m South African

Thuba f Ndebele
Means "chance" in Ndebele.

Thubelihle f Ndebele
Means "good chance" in Ndebele.

Thula f Zulu
Means "peace" in Zulu.

Thulaganyo m & f Tswana
It means "program" or "structure".

Thulane m Southern African, Zulu
Variant of Thulani.

Thulethu m & f African

Thuli f Southern African
Short form of Thulisile.

Thulie f Zulu
Diminutive of Nokuthula.

Thulilwempi m Ndebele
Means "the dust of war" in Ndebele.

Thulisile f African, Zulu
Means "she who made things quiet" in Zulu.

Thumbumuzi m South African

Thuso m Sotho
Means "help" in Sotho.

Thusoyaone m Tswana
Means "His (God's) help" in Setswana.

Thuto m Sotho
Means "lesson" in Sesotho.

Thys m Medieval Dutch, Dutch (Rare), Afrikaans
Medieval Dutch and Afrikaans short form of Matthys. But in other words, you could also say that this name is the medieval Dutch and Afrikaans equivalent of Thijs.... [more]

Tiaan m Afrikaans
Short form of Christiaan.

Tianie f Afrikaans (Rare), English (Australian, Rare)

Tiaraoluwa f Yoruba
Supposedly means "from the body of God" in Yoruba.

Tidiane m Western African
From a French word used to refer to a follower of Tijaniyyah, a Sufi order that originated in Northern Africa.

Tidiya m & f Dagbani
It means "we have won"

Tidjani m Arabic (Maghrebi, Gallicized), Western African (Gallicized)
Variant spelling of Tijani.

Tiego m African
meaning: the belated... [more]

Tiekuromo f & m Ijaw
Means "let's stand firmly" in Ijaw.

Tienepre f Ijaw
Stand for me

Tigist f Amharic
Means "patience" in Ahmaric.

Tigisti f Tigrinya
Means "patience" in Tigrinya.

Tiifu m Ganda
Transferred use of the surname Tiifu.