This is a list of submitted names in which the usage is African; and the description contains the keywords whats or dose or this or name or means or carl.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Fulata f & m TumbukaMeans "second", given to the second-born of twins.
Funebi m & f IjawMeans "education is good" in Ijaw.
Funye m & f ShonaDeriving from a bird with the same name, known in English as "the go-away bird".
Fuseini m African, DagbaniIn Northern Ghana, it is the name given to the second born of a pair of twin girls. The first born twin is named
Fuseini According to superstition, the second twin is considered to be the older twin because it is said that during the trauma of birth, the older twin send the younger twin ahead to make sure the world is safe.
Future m & f English (Rare), Western African, Southern AfricanThis name is from the English word derived from Old French
futur meaning "future, to come," which is then derived from Latin
futurus meaning "going to be, yet to be, the future (as a noun)." The Latin word is an irregular suppletive future participle of
esse meaning "to be," which comes from the Proto-Indo-European root
*bheue- meaning "to be, exist, grow, come into being."... [
more]
Fyiynfoluwa f YorubaMeans "give praise to god, a person who never forgets to praise god for everything" in Yoruba.
Gabra f EthiopianEthiopian girl's name, meaning "The gift of offering"
Gado m HausaMeans "bed" in Hausa. This name is traditionally given to the child born after twins.
Gamilah f AfricanGamilah is the name of one of the daughters of Activist Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz.
Gamuchirai f ShonaMeans "accept or receive" in Shona. It is typically given to a child born out of wedlock.
Ganau m HausaFrom the Hausa
ganī meaning "see". This name is traditionally given to boys born on the night of a full moon.
Gariba m DagbaniCorrupted name of Abukari. Name used by the 20th King of Dagbon and the 40th King.
Garikai m ShonaMeans "Live well, safe, healthy and prosperous".
Garre m SomaliGarre is a Somali name with the following characteristics:... [
more]
Gavaza f TsongaMeans "one who dresses elegantly" in Xitsonga.
Gbambeli m Western AfricanMasculine name originating from the Banda Traditional Area & from the Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana.
Gebregziabher m Ge'ez, TigrinyaMeans "servant of God" in Ge'ez, from Ge'ez
ገብረ (
gäbrä) "servant" and
እግዚአብሔር (ʾəgziʾäbḥer), a Ge'ez translation of God, from Ge'ez
እግዚእ (
ʾəgziʾ) "lord" and
ብሔር (
bəḥer) “world, region”
Gebreselassie m Ge'ez, AmharicMeans "servant of the Trinity" in Ge'ez, from Ge'ez
ገብረ (
gäbrä) "servant" and
ሥላሴ "Trinity", referencing to the Holy Trinity, from
selse "threeness".
Gedleyihlekisa m Southern African, ZuluIn the case of former South African president Jacob Zuma (1942-), the name means "the one who smiles while causing you harm" in Zulu. His middle name was invented by his father, who based it on the phrase
ngeke ngithule umuntu engigedla engihlekisa meaning "I won't keep quiet when someone deceives me with a beautiful smile while he is doing damage to me".
Geesi f SomaliMeans "a courageous man, brave, hero" in Somali.
Geleta m & f AmharicGeleta is Amharic in origin & means 'revealed'.
Ghakarhi m ZuluThe meaning of this name is fierce warrior. A person not accepting defeat as an option.
Gifti f OromoMeans "lady" or "queen" in Afaan Oromo.
Ginikanwa f & m IgboMeans "what is greater than a child" in Igbo.
Gitonga m Meru, Embu, GikuyuThis name is commonly used in Meru, Embu and Gikuyu regions in Kenya. The name means a rich man. The name has been passed from generation to generation since time in memorial. The cultures which usually name their male children after their grandparents-dead or alive intentionally do this to ensure the character or personality of the grandpa can be carried to the grandchildren.
Gondai m ShonaMeans "to trust or place hope in" in Shona.
Goodwill m Literature, English (African), Southern AfricanFrom the English word
goodwill, derived from Middle English
gode meaning "good" and
will "wish, will, volition", which was originally a nickname applied to an amiable person with a favourable disposition towards others... [
more]
Gowan m AfricanMeans "Rainmaker" and originates from Africa, notably Nigeria.
Goyit m NgasForesight, seer, one who sees the future. The name is used in reference to a visionary.
Guled m & f SomaliIt means victory after a long struggle
Guondibo m & f BandialMeans "they inter you there" in Bandial. This is considered a 'death prevention' name.
Gurey m SomaliA name that comes from the Somali word gurey, meaning "left-handed." This word is usually an adjective, but sometimes a name.
Guyyah m BandialMeans "graves" in Bandial, originally a short form of
Ammenguyyah. This is considered a 'death prevention' name.
Gwinyai m ShonaGwinyai means "be strong". The Zimbabwean tennis player Gwinyai Tongoona is a famous bearer of this name.
Habon f & m Somali (Rare), SpanishThis name means when everything comes together at the right time and the right place. Beautiful.
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.
Hamunyari f ShonaHamunyari means "Have you no shame".
This name is given in a feuding situation.
Harambee m SwahiliMeans "all pull together" in Swahili. It is the official motto of Kenya.
Hazvinei f ShonaHazvinei means "Never mind, no worries".
This name may be given by a parent who was offended Hazviperi m & f Shona"It does not end". Situational name given in circumstances where family faced unending troubles or trials.
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".
Hlomla m & f XhosaMeans "to comment on something" in Xhosa.
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:... [
more]
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:... [
more]
Hyelni f AfricanName means 'God has given me'. It is used by the burah's of Garkida in Adamawa state of Nigeria.
Ibenu m IdomaIbenu means "dare not a warrior" it was given after the Ibenu empire who lived in the Benue-Plateau region before its disintegration. The history was told that Ikwu who beget Ibenu were both warriors... [
more]
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.
Ibukun f YorubaMeans "blessings; an addition" in Yoruba. It is often used as a short form for names starting with
Ibukun.
Ifemelu f Igbo, LiteratureIfemelu is the name of the main protagonist in 'Americanah' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Ifiemi f & m IjawMeans "there is time for everything" in Ijaw.
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... [
more]
Ikemba m IgboMeans "strength of a nation" or "power of the people" in Igbo.
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:... [
more]
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.
Izaso m & f TumbukaMeans "come again, return" in Tumbuka, a plea for deceased relatives to come back.
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.
Jairiro m & f ShonaIt means "to be used to; accustomation to".