This is a list of submitted names in which the usage is African; and the order is random.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Kimani m African"Adventurous" or "sailor" Kukiyu tribe in the nation state of Kenya.
Demissie m AmharicMeans "my destroyer" from Amharic ደመሰሰ
(damasasa) meaning "to destroy, to crush".
Adekoya m & f YorubaMeans "the crown rejects suffering" from Yoruba
adé meaning "crown",
kọ̀ meaning "to refuse, to reject" and
ìyà meaning "punishment, suffering".
Anaishe f & m ShonaDerived from Shona
anashe, meaning "who is with God".
Vushemadzoro m ShonaThe name comes from Shona tribes in which KingShip was prevalent. This name was usually given to the chosen next bearer of the throne. The name means the Kingship turnover, i.e. the practice of succeeding a leader... [
more]
Luphelo m XhosaMeans "the end, the last" in Xhosa, often given to the last child to be born in a family.
Yemetle f SothoMeans "beautiful (referred to an object)" in Sotho.
Meissa f Western African, AstronomyVariant of
Maïssa; from Arabic
maḥīṣ meaning "shining, glittering". This is also the traditional name of Lambda Orionis, a star in the Orion constellation.
Masiye m & f ChewaMeans "orphan" in Chichewa, literally translating as "leavings", as in something left behind by a dead person.
Dela f Zulu (Rare)Dela. in Zulu it means to become whole, to feel complete and satisfied.
Akeer f DinkaThe name Akeer is often associated with
strength,
leadership, and
resilience in Dinka culture, native to South Sudan.
Adesina m YorubaMeans "the crown has opened the way" or "the one who arrives and opens the way" in Yoruba, usually given to the firstborn child in a family.
Ayamba f & m Jagham, KenyangMeans "he/she opened the way" in Ejagham, used for the first of twins.
Usaza m NsengaMeaning youthful or childhood. A person who looks much younger than his age
Tinisi m & f AfricanTribal name common among the southeastern tribes of Liberia, west Africa... [
more]
Mutunga m Africancomes from term tunga which means to return, replace, put back in kamba. Used to name people born after the death of a person in a family. They are taken to be replacements for the departed. the feminine form is mutungwa... [
more]
Laurika f Afrikaans, SlovakAfrikaans elaboration and Slovak diminutive of
Laura. Laurika Rauch is a South African singer who performs in both Afrikaans and English.
Beydaan f SomaliSomali feminine name taken directly from the ordinary vocabulary word for "almond", which is perhaps ultimately from Persian
بادام (
bâdâm) "almond".
Aseka m ShonaMeaning “he laughs; he who has laughed”.
Linda m ZuluMeans "wait!" in Zulu (note that this is the imperative singular form of
-linda).
Kwada m BaribaMeans "last son of the throne" in Bariba.
Belayneh m Eastern African, AmharicIt is an Amharic expression, which means "the new child is above all others". From the Amharic elements በላይ
(belay) meaning "above" and ነህ
(Neh) means "you".... [
more]
Wáléadé m & f YorubaMeans "come to the house of the crown/royalty" in Yoruba.
Kwanaya f ShonaMeaning “it has rained”, rain is seen as a symbol of new life as its waters are a source of nourishment for natural life.
Anza f VendaMeaning "to increase, to add more".
Akahlulwa m & f Xhosa (Modern)Means "undefeated, unbeatable", possibly taken from the title of the gospel song ‘Akahlulwa lutho uuJesu’.
Amari m African, Yoruba, Western AfricanA noted bearer was a Damel of Cayor, Amari Ngoné Ndella, who ruled from 1790 AD to 1809 AD. The Kingdom of Cayor was one of the largest of most powerful kingdoms in what is now Senegal, existing from 1549 AD to 1879 AD.
Reydan f AfricanThe name Reydan means "Gift of God, Handsome King". The most time this name was used was in 2017 when only 5 boys were named Reydan
Ofeibea f AfricanThe name Ofeibea is borne by the journalist Ofeibea Quist-Arcton from Ghana.
Tadalesh m SomaliMeans "person who possesses a lot of good luck" in Somali.
Arezki m KabyleProbably derived from Arabic رِزْق
(rizq) meaning "wealth, fortune" or "nourishment, sustenance".
Tharja m Berber (Rare)Derived from the Berber word
ⵜⵓⵔⵣⴰ or
ⵜⴰⵔⵊⴰ for the "Apple of Sodom", (scientific name: Calotropis procera), a plant native to North Africa and the Mediterranean region.
Wandoo m & f TivMeans "a child is good" in Tiv.
Looyan m SomaliRefers to an advocate or one who resolves disputes.
Kisi f & m OgoniMeans "move/ go forward" or "progress" in Khana,... [
more]
Emomu f & m IjawMeans "follow me home" in Ijaw.
Kibafupia f SwahiliThe name originates from the Swahili words Kibali "acceptance" and Fupi "low". The combination of words combine to make the phrase, "to accept being low", referencing the people in Swahili countries who are poor or lack education... [
more]
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.
Tadisisa f & m ShonaIt means "we have loved profusely/a great deal and with much abundance", from the verb 'kudisisa' meaning "to love a lot/profusely and with great abundance". A shorter form of the name may be
Tadisa.
Dzikamai m ShonaDzikamai means "settle down".
The name is given to express the idea of settling down and not jumping from one relationship to another or one project to another. The former Zimbabwean Minister and MP, Dzikamai Mavhaire is one well known bearer of this name.
Jebet f AfricanKalenjin name from the Rift Valley area of Kenya. Means born 'during the day'.
Suanu f & m OgoniMeans "wisdom, knowledge" in Khana.
Maaouya m Western AfricanA known bearer is Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya (1941-), a Mauritanian military officer who served as the president of Mauritania from 1984-2005.
Kotani m TsongaPossibly from the Xitsonga
kota meaning "able, talented".
Rafiki m & f Eastern African, Popular CultureMeans "friend, comrade" in Swahili. This Swahili word is derived from Arabic رَفِيق
(rafīq) "companion" (see
Rafiq). This is the name of the baboon mentor of Simba and Mufasa in the Disney movie 'The Lion King' (1994).
Confidence f English (Puritan), South AfricanMeaning, "the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust." From late Middle English, from Latin
confidentia, from
confidere ‘have full trust.' Referring to the confidence one may have in God.
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.
Massa f BerberA term of respect meaning "Mistress" and a name usually given to high born.
Efosa m Yorubameaning "God's Well" and is of Beninese origin
Ngwarai m ShonaNgwarai means "Be diligent, wisen up, be on guard".
Yolani f & m South African, Xhosa (?)Likely from Xhosa
yolani meaning "you all, be pleasant", itself the imperative plural form of
yoli ("to be pleasant").
Chukwunenye m IgboIgbo name from Eastern Nigeria. It originates from the belief that children are gifts from God and means "God gives". The feminine variant is
Chinenye, which also has the same meaning
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”
Aderinsola f & m YorubaMeaning "a crown walks into wealth" or "royalty walks into wealth", from the Yoruba words
adé (crown),
rìn (to walk),
sí (into) and
ọlá (honor, wealth).
Nangamso f & m XhosaMeans "future" or "even tomorrow" in Xhosa, figuratively "thank you". Often intended as being part of a phrase such as
ungadinwa nangomso meaning "don’t be tired tomorrow". Meant to convey gratitude, and the hope for more of the same in the future.
Ariyo m YorubaMeans "one who is seen and rejoiced" in Yoruba, from
rí "to see" and
yọ̀ "to rejoice".
Raage m SomaliMeans "he who delayed at birth" in Somali.
Sura f Muslim, BerberMeans "highness of status, highness of rank, glory" in Arabic.
Chuki f & m SwahiliMeans "born during a time of hatred" in Swahili.
Cawil m SomaliA name that means "replacement." A family may give the name to a male whose father or older brother has died.
Oyinbodei f IjawOYINBODEI is an ijaw tribe name of west africa meaning "OUR MOTHER HAS RETURNED" A name given to children believed to have #REINCARNITATED
Ajala m & f YorubaMeans "fights and survives" in Yoruba, from
jà "to fight, struggle" and
là "to survive". Alternatively, the final element could be
lá "to lick; to become worn out".
Nerutendo f ShonaMeaning "with belief" or "with thanks; with gratitude", another form of the name is
Norutendo. It derives from the verb
kutenda.
Menelik m Ge'ez, AmharicMeans "son of the wise man" in Ge'ez and Amharic. According to the legend Menelik was the first emperor of Ethiopia. In the 10th century BC, he is said to have inaugurated the Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia, so named because Menelik I is supposed to be the son of the biblical King Solomon of ancient Israel and Makeda, the Ethiopian Queen of Sheba.
Achike m IgboMeans "take the things of the world easy" in Igbo.
Kwoth m African, NuerThe supreme god of the Nuer (South Sudan) who manifests himself in natural phenomena. They believe he is benign god who protects the poor and the unhappy.
Yandé f Serer, Western AfricanMeaning as of yet unknown. A notable bearer of this name was the Senegalese singer Yandé Codou Sène (1932-2010), who belonged to the Serer ethnic group.
Iwalaye m & f YorubaTHE IWALAYE / IWALAIYE IS THE NAME OF A FAMILY (A ROYAL NAME )IN THE YORUBA LAND,EFFO-AMURO, KOGI STATE.