This is a list of submitted names in which the usage is African; and the description contains the keywords god or of or mercy.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Habte m & f EthiopianAccording to some sources, Habte means "treasure/present/wealth/riches of".
Haile m Ge'ez, Amharic, EthiopianMeans "power, force, strength" in Ge'ez and Amharic. This was the Ge'ez (baptismal) name of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie (1892-1975), who was born as
Tafari Makonnen.
Hakizimana m Rwandan, 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.
Hakunei m & f ShonaThis is a name that implies and asks, meaning "What is not there?". This is a name given by or to someone who is assumed to be falling short or without, so they name the child "What could be missing?" in a sense of affirmation, so to say there is perfection even if you (all) do not see it or doubt it... [
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Halas m SomaliMeaning: Halas generally means "good" or "positive" in Somali.... [
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Hamandishe m ShonaMeaning “one’s relative or family is God”, this name may be given by and/or to someone who is devoted to God, who is an orphan, has no relatives or was abandoned.
Hamis m SwahiliFrom Swahili
Alhamisi meaning "Thursday" (ultimately of Arabic origin).
Harambee m SwahiliMeans "all pull together" in Swahili. It is the official motto of Kenya.
Herru f BerberEtymology unknown. This was the name of a famous poetess.
Hiyabel f Ethiopian, Tigrinya (?)According to Nameberry, it means "gift of God" from the Tigrinya element
hiyab meaning "gift" and Hebrew אֵל
('el) meaning "God".
Honest m & f English (Puritan), AfricanFrom the English word meaning "honorable, virtuous". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century.
Hoodo f SomaliThis name comes from the Somali word hoodo which means "luck, fortunate." Somalis outside of Somalia may spell the name as Hodo.
Hufane m SomaliHufane is a Somali name with the following characteristics:... [
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Huraira m & f Pakistani, Punjabi, NigerianMeans "kitten" in Arabic.
Abu Hurairah was one of the Prophet Muhammad's companions, in whose case it was part of a kunya or nickname acquired because of his attachment to cats.
Hurre m SomaliHurre is a Somali name with the following characteristics:... [
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Hyelni f AfricanName means 'God has given me'. It is used by the burah's of Garkida in Adamawa state of Nigeria.
Ibraahin m Somali (Archaic)Somali form of
Abraham, now perhaps archaic. This name was borne by Ibraahin Adeer (ruled late 17th century to mid-18th century), the first sultan of the Sultanate of the Geledi, a Somali kingdom that ruled parts of the Horn of Africa from the late 17th century to 1910.
Ifemelu f Igbo, LiteratureIfemelu is the name of the main protagonist in 'Americanah' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Igider m Berber (Rare)Mighty and strong, this name stands for ‘eagle’ in one of the Berber languages.
Igmar m AfrikaansAfrikaans. Combination of his mother and fathers name. Siegfried and Marieta. Ig and Mar. Combined Igmar
Igolo f & m AfricanMeaning: Biblical name (in Nigeria of Africa) that means 'the star that the three wise men followed when Christ was born.'... [
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Iimaan f & m SomaliSomali form of
Iman. One notable bearer of this name is Somalian-born American model Iman (born 1955).
Ijuba f ZuluCommonly it is meaning Dove or Peace. Less common in means storm or fighting. It also means freedom in some local tribes. It is said many years ago a great war loomed. Fighting had started but one warrior championed the cause of peace and unity... [
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Ikemba m IgboMeans "strength of a nation" or "power of the people" in Igbo.
Inalegwu m Africanpopular among the Idoma people of Benue State of Nigeria.translate in English 'as Innocent'.
Iniko m IgboMeaning "born during troubled times" or "born in a time of trouble" in Igbo, historically given to boys. A notable bearer of this name is the mononymous American singer Iniko.
Irbad m SomaliIrbad is a Somali name with the following characteristics:... [
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Irorezi f NigerianA feminine Nigerian name. The meaning is loosely translated to "good thoughts". This name could also be a diminutive of the Nigerian name Orezi, meaning "precious".
Iwalaye m & f YorubaTHE IWALAYE / IWALAIYE IS THE NAME OF A FAMILY (A ROYAL NAME )IN THE YORUBA LAND,EFFO-AMURO, KOGI STATE.
Iyabode f YorubaYoruba for " mother has returned". When a the first girl child is born after the death of a grandmother, the child is given this name. Iya is the root word,which means mother. Such as Iyaba, wich means Grandmother.
Izmael m Hungarian (Rare), Eastern African (Rare), Judeo-Catalan, Biblical Hungarian, Biblical Polish, Biblical Czech, Spanish (Latin American, Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Judeo-Catalan and Somali form of
Ishmael, as well as a Spanish and Portuguese variant of
Ismael.
Izwirashe m & f ShonaIt means "the voice of the Lord", one can also use
Izwi as the shorter form.
Jaamac m Somali, MuslimSomali transcription of the Arabic word جامع (
jāmaʿa) meaning "mosque". This name has the same roots ج-م-ع (
j-m-ʿ) of the Islamic day of prayers, coinciding with "Friday".
Jabu f ZuluThe name's origin meaning is "It is the shortened form of the name Jabulani which means joy or to rejoice"
Jachike m IgboMeans "praise God" or "Hail God" in Igbo.
Jafari m African American (Rare), SwahiliSwahili version of, and elaboration of,
Jafar that came into popular usage in the 1970s due to many parents choosing Afrocentric names, in this particular case an Islamic name.
Jalusiga m AlurMeaning uncertain. A famous bearer was one of Amula’s sons, who replaced him as a chief of the Ukuru when he passed away.
Jamina f Swedish (Rare), Finnish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare), German (Rare), Hungarian (Rare), Dutch (Rare), Flemish (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare), English (American, Archaic)Feminine form of
Jamin. In some cases it may also be a truncated form of
Benjamina or a contracted form of
Jacomina.
Jawaahir f SomaliSomali form of
Jawahir. One bearer is Somali-American model Jawaahir Axmed (born 1991), better known by her Americanized name of Jawahir Ahmed.
Jebet f AfricanKalenjin name from the Rift Valley area of Kenya. Means born 'during the day'.
Jesumbo m & f YorubaIt is a Yoruba name,a tribe in South-Western Nigeria which mean "JESUS IS COMING BACK" and in Hebrew
Maranatha. It can be beared by both sexes reminding the hearer(s) of the second coming of the Lord Jesus who left this world over two thousand(2000) years ago...
Jeta m NigerianMeaning unknown. A known bearer of this name is the Nigerian filmmaker Jeta Amata (b. 1974).
Jhené f EthiopianDerived from the Ethiopian word
Ghenet, meaning "paradise" or "garden of Eden."
Jibrin m NigerianFrom the name of the historical Arabic town, بيت جبرين (Bayt Jibrin or Jubrin), meaning "house of the powerful." It may also be a variant of
Jibril.
Jiilaal m SomaliJiilaal is a Somali name with the following characteristics:... [
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Jimo f & m YorubaMeans "awake child" in Yoruba, derived from
jí meaning "wake up; arise" and
ọmọ meaning "child". It is also used as diminutive of longer names such as
Ajírọ́mọgbé.
Jok m Dinka, African MythologyJok 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... [
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Juba m BerberJuba I was a King of Numidia. He was the son and successor to King of Numidia Hiempsal II. Juba was the father of King of Numidia and later Mauretania Juba II
Kaari f Eastern African (Rare), MeruThe name kaari is a name popular used among the Ameru (Meru) community of Kenya. The name is given to a child named after a younger sister of one of the parents. It is especially given by the grandparents... [
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Kaarr-o f SidamoMeans "space between upper incisors" in Sidama, this is traditionally held to be a sign of beauty.
Kabena f & m English, AfricanAllegedly a form of
Kwabena. While this name seems to be used exclusively as a masculine name in Africa, in English-speaking countries it is predominantly used as a feminine name.
Kaci m & f BerberCan be derived from the Amazigh root qas or kass, which may mean "to share" or "to divide." Can be feminine in the form of Moroccan
Kassi.
Kahandi m PareMeans "knife" in the Athu language of the Pare people.
Kaima f AfricanName of African origin, meaning "Our God", or "the God we know", or also "gift of God".
Kaito m & f IgboMeans "let us glorify God" in Igbo.
Kaitochi f IgboThe name originates from the Igbo tribe in the Eastern part of Nigeria, West Africa. It means "let us praise God"; referring to the Christian God.
Kallamu m HausaMeans "word (of God)" in Hausa. This name is closely tied with the name
Musa.
Kalu m Igbo (Rare)Kalu is a shortened name of, or derived from;
Kamalu or
Kamanu, the deity of thunder. Kamalu is an important deity in the traditional belief system of the people of many subethnic Igbo people (an ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria)... [
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Kamas m SomaliKamas is a Somali name with the following characteristics:... [
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Kambondoo m DagbaniThis is one of the death prevention names among the Dagbamba. When a woman gave birth up to three to four times and each time she give birth the children die. To prevent this names like this is given to a child to prevent it from dying.
Kamini m LingalaA famous bearer is French singer Kamini Zantoko (1979-) of Congolese ancestry.
Kanau m AfricanAllegedly used among the Limba people of Sierra Leone.
Kara f & m OgoniMeans "pray, prayer" in Khana, a dialect of Ogoni language from Nigeria.
Kasungi m & f KikuyuIt means “I will never suffer” often translated in Kiswahili as “Siwezi sumbuka”.... [
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Katavi m African Mythology, NyamweziA 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.
Katuma m LubaDerived from the Luba word
kàtùmà meaning "last-born of triplets", ultimately from the word
tùmà meaning "to send". Superstition suggests that third-born children with this name, because of their name, should not be sent on errands or deliveries.
Kazoka m PareMeans "axe" in the Athu language of the Pare people.
Keatlaretse f TswanaMeans "to receive with open hands" in Tswana. It is usually used as a sign of respect.
Kedist f Ethiopian, AmharicVariant spelling of
Kidist. A famous bearer is Kedist Deltour, a Belgian model who was crowned Miss Belgium in 2023.
Kekeli f EweKekeli is of Ewe origin & means, 'light, lightness.'
Kemi f YorubaMeans "cherish me; caring for me" in Yoruba. It is also a diminutive of other names such as
Oluwakemi.
Kenhinde m & f YorubaOne coming last. Often used for the second of twins.
Ketugay m & f JolaMeans "Die till you get tired of it" in Jola. This name is given to an infant who is believed to be a spirit child who has been coming and going between life and death.