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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any masculine feminine unisex

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

Yohana m Swahili
Swahili form of John.

Yohance m African American (Rare), Hausa (?)
Used by American comedian, writer and civil rights activist Dick Gregory for his son born 1973. According to a 1973 issue of Jet magazine, Gregory and his wife Lillian found the name in a book called Names from Africa, and Yohance 'means "God's gift" in the Hausa language of Nigeria.'

Yohane m Swahili
Swahili from of John.

Yohanna f Amharic, Swedish (Rare), Nigerian (Rare), Various
Amharic form of Johanna as well as a variant in other languages. In Amharic, this makes it the feminine form of Yohannes.

Yohanse f Hausa
Variant of Yohance.

Yokana m Nyoro
Bunyoro variant of Johannes.

Yolandi f Afrikaans
Afrikaans variant of Yolande.

Yolandie f Afrikaans
Variant of Yolandi.

Yolinda f English (Rare), Dutch (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare), Spanish (Latin American)
Variant of Yolanda influenced by Linda.

Yolindi f Afrikaans
South africa

Yolisa f Xhosa
Means "exciting" in Xhosa.

Yombo f African
Meaning unknown. A name originating from Nigeria.

Yome m Western African

Yomelela m Xhosa
Measn "be strong" in Xhosa.

Yonas m Amharic
Amharic form of Jonah.

Yonasani m Kiga
Kiga form of Jonathan.

Yonelani f Xhosa
Means "be satisfied" in Xhosa.

Yoon f Bariba
Name traditionally given to the first born daughter.

Yoonduaru f Bariba
Means "born near a river" in Bariba.

Yoongura f Bariba
Means "born whilst it was raining" in Bariba.

Yoonis m Somali
Somali form of Yunus.

Yoonsua f Bariba
Means "born on the road" in Bariba.

Yooxanaa m Somali
Somali form of John.

Yordanos f & m Ethiopian
Amharic form of Jordan. This is also the name of a river in Lalibela.

Yorkabel f Amharic

Yoro m Wolof

Yoroakpo f Ijaw
Means "a woman's life" in Ijaw.

Yorusalem f Tigrinya
Tigrinya form of Jerusalem.

Yosefe m Southern African
Chitonga form of Joseph.

Yosia m Nyoro, Ganda
Nyoro and Ganda form of Josiah.

Yostima f Ethiopian
Buried at Daza, virgin daughter of a King. Saint in the Ethiopian/Abyssinian Church's Coptic Calendar.

Yosuf m Amharic
Amharic form of Joseph.

Younoussi m Manding

Youssou m Western African

Youssouf m Western African
Form of Yusuf chiefly used in parts of French-influenced western Africa.

Ysanne f Dutch (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare), English (British, Rare)

Yselle f Dutch (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)
Variant of Iselle.

Ytu f & m Punu, African
Means "hope" in Punu.

Yuatisisoiwahde m Zulu, South African

Yufayyur m Berber
Means "more handsome than the moon" in Tamazight.

Yufitran m Berber
Means "more handsome than the stars" in Tamazight.

Yufitri m Berber
Means "nicer than a star" in Amazigh.

Yuften m Berber
Means "the best" in Tamazight.

Yugerten m Berber
Original Berber form of Jugurtha.

Yulitta f Indonesian (Rare), Eastern African
Variant of Julitta.

Yumzaa m & f Dagbani
Means "love all" in Dagbani.

Yuna f Eastern African

Yuns m Berber
Central Atlas Tamazight form of Yunus.

Yunusa m Western African, Hausa
Hausa form of Yunus.

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.

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 Nigerian

Zakaryas m Amharic
Amharic form of Zachary.

Zakhi m South African

Zakiyos m Amharic
Amharic form of Zacchaeus.

Zakoi m Songhai, Western African
Meaning unknown.

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.

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

Zamzam f & m Arabic, Eastern African, Somali, Indonesian, Javanese, Persian, Malay
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".

Zandile f Zulu
Means "they have multipled" in Zulu.

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.

Zea f & m English (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)
Variant of Zia.

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 South African
This is Miriam Makeba's first name. She was nicknamed Mama Africa and was a South African singer and civil rights activist.

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.

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

Zillale m African
Bantu... [more]

Zina f Amharic
Means "felicity" in Amharic.

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

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.

Ziri m Berber
Masculine form of Tiziri.

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.

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 unknown.

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 South African
There is not much known about the name sadly, only that it was born in South Africa and the name Zozibini means "'Received with both hands' In this culture it is considered impolite, unappreciative to accept a worthy gift with one hand... [more]

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.

Zuhri m Swahili
Means "good looking" or "handsome" in Swahili.

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]

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

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