African Names
Africa is home to more than 2,000 languages, and its naming traditions are some of the most meaningful in the world. A Yoruba name can record a family’s gratitude, an Akan name tells you the day a child was born, and a Luo name may reveal the time of day. Names are often chosen at a naming ceremony a week or so after birth, with relatives adding names of their own.
This page gathers 85 authentic African names by region, each with its meaning, language and gender. For longer lists, head to our African girl names, African boy names and African last names, or explore Black names popular in the US.
African Names: browse all lists
West African names: Yoruba, Igbo and beyond
Nigeria alone has hundreds of naming traditions; Yoruba and Igbo names often include a word for God (Olu, Oluwa, Chi, Chukwu). Find many more in our Nigerian names.
| Name | Meaning | Language · gender |
|---|---|---|
| Adebayo | The crown meets joy | Yoruba · boy |
| Oluwaseun | God has done it; we thank God | Yoruba · unisex |
| Folake | Pampered with wealth | Yoruba · girl |
| Temitope | Mine is worthy of thanks | Yoruba · unisex |
| Ayomide | My joy has arrived | Yoruba · unisex |
| Olumide | My God has come | Yoruba · boy |
| Titilayo | Everlasting joy | Yoruba · girl |
| Babajide | Father has returned (for a boy born after a grandfather’s death) | Yoruba · boy |
| Chiamaka | God is beautiful | Igbo · girl |
| Chinonso | God is near | Igbo · unisex |
| Obinna | Father’s heart | Igbo · boy |
| Ngozi | Blessing | Igbo · girl |
| Nkechi | What God gives | Igbo · girl |
| Adaeze | King’s daughter, princess | Igbo · girl |
| Emeka | Great deeds (short for Chukwuemeka, “God has done great things”) | Igbo · boy |
| Ifeoma | Good thing | Igbo · girl |
| Fatou | Wolof form of Fatima | Wolof (Senegal) · girl |
| Sundiata | Founder of the Mali Empire in the 13th century | Mandinka · boy |
Akan day names from Ghana
Among the Akan, every child receives a “soul name” for the weekday of their birth — which is why so many Ghanaians share the names Kofi and Ama. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was born on a Friday.
| Name | Day born | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Kwasi | Sunday | Boy |
| Akosua | Sunday | Girl |
| Kwadwo (Kojo) | Monday | Boy |
| Adwoa | Monday | Girl |
| Kwabena | Tuesday | Boy |
| Abena | Tuesday | Girl |
| Kwaku | Wednesday | Boy |
| Akua | Wednesday | Girl |
| Yaw | Thursday | Boy |
| Yaa | Thursday | Girl |
| Kofi | Friday | Boy |
| Afua | Friday | Girl |
| Kwame | Saturday | Boy |
| Ama | Saturday | Girl |
East African names: Swahili and Ethiopian
Swahili, spoken by around 100 million people, blends Bantu words with Arabic loanwords; Ethiopian names are usually Amharic or Ge’ez. See our full list of Swahili names.
| Name | Meaning | Language · gender |
|---|---|---|
| Baraka | Blessing | Swahili · boy |
| Imani | Faith | Swahili · girl or unisex |
| Neema | Grace | Swahili · girl |
| Rehema | Mercy, compassion | Swahili · girl |
| Faraji | Consolation, comfort | Swahili · boy |
| Kito | Precious jewel | Swahili · unisex |
| Tumaini | Hope | Swahili · unisex |
| Asha | Life (from Arabic Aisha) | Swahili · girl |
| Abebe | He has blossomed, flourished | Amharic · boy |
| Selam | Peace | Amharic · girl |
| Tigist | Patience | Amharic · girl |
| Makeda | The Queen of Sheba in Ethiopian tradition | Ethiopian · girl |
| Dawit | Ethiopian form of David, “beloved” | Amharic · boy |
Names that tell the story of a birth
In Uganda and Kenya, some names record exactly how or when a baby arrived — twins, a Friday birth, a sunrise. They’re a beautiful choice if the story fits your child.
| Name | What it tells you | Language · gender |
|---|---|---|
| Wasswa | First-born of twins | Luganda (Uganda) · boy |
| Kato | Second-born of twins | Luganda (Uganda) · boy |
| Babirye | First-born of twins | Luganda (Uganda) · girl |
| Nakato | Second-born of twins | Luganda (Uganda) · girl |
| Achieng | Born when the sun is high | Luo (Kenya) · girl |
| Otieno | Born at night | Luo (Kenya) · boy |
| Akinyi | Born in the morning | Luo (Kenya) · girl |
| Omondi | Born at dawn | Luo (Kenya) · boy |
| Juma | Born on a Friday (from Arabic) | Swahili · boy |
Southern African names: Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho and Shona
Southern African names are often full sentences or virtues — thanks, hope, love, a long-awaited child. Many are unisex. For the most-loved girls’ picks, see African girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Language · gender |
|---|---|---|
| Sipho | Gift | Zulu · boy |
| Thandiwe | Beloved | Zulu / Xhosa · girl |
| Nomvula | Mother of rain; born after the rain | Zulu · girl |
| Themba | Hope, trust | Zulu · boy |
| Sibusiso | Blessing | Zulu · boy |
| Lindiwe | The awaited one | Zulu · girl |
| Ayanda | They are increasing (the family grows) | Zulu / Xhosa · unisex |
| Zanele | They are enough | Zulu · girl |
| Nandi | Sweet; the mother of King Shaka | Zulu · girl |
| Lwazi | Knowledge | Xhosa / Zulu · boy |
| Thandeka | Lovable | Xhosa / Zulu · girl |
| Lerato | Love | Sotho / Tswana · girl |
| Palesa | Flower | Sotho · girl |
| Tumelo | Faith | Sotho / Tswana · boy |
| Karabo | Answer (to a prayer) | Sotho / Tswana · unisex |
| Mpho | Gift | Sotho / Tswana · unisex |
| Tatenda | We are thankful | Shona · unisex |
| Rudo | Love | Shona · girl |
| Tendai | Be thankful | Shona · unisex |
| Farai | Rejoice | Shona · unisex |
| Chipo | Gift | Shona · girl |
North African names: Amazigh and Arabic
North Africa mixes Arabic names with the older Amazigh (Berber) tradition, which has seen a revival in Morocco and Algeria. More in our Egyptian names and Arabic names.
| Name | Meaning | Language · gender |
|---|---|---|
| Tiziri | Moonlight | Amazigh · girl |
| Massinissa | First king of Numidia (c. 202–148 BC) | Amazigh · boy |
| Dihya | 7th-century Amazigh warrior queen | Amazigh · girl |
| Idir | Alive, he lives | Amazigh · boy |
| Tafsut | Spring (the season) | Amazigh (Kabyle) · girl |
| Youssef | Arabic form of Joseph | Arabic · boy |
| Salma | Safe, peaceful | Arabic · girl |
| Karim | Generous, noble | Arabic · boy |
| Malak | Angel | Arabic · girl |
| Amira | Princess | Arabic · girl |
How to choose an African name
- Start with your family’s language. A name in the language your parents or grandparents spoke — Igbo, Twi, Zulu — carries the strongest connection.
- Look at the whole meaning. Many names are short sentences (“my joy has arrived”), so check that the full phrase fits your story.
- Use a day name. Akan day names like Kofi or Ama are an easy, meaningful way to honor Ghanaian roots — or simply the day your baby arrived.
- Mind the tones. Yoruba and Igbo are tonal languages, so accents can change meaning. Ask a native speaker how the name should sound.
- Consider a meaningful middle name. An African name pairs beautifully with an English first name, and vice versa; see our middle names for combos.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular African name?
There’s no single answer across 54 countries, but names like Amara, Zuri, Imani, Kofi and Nia are widely used in Africa and among African American families.
What African name means gift?
Sipho (Zulu), Mpho (Sotho/Tswana) and Chipo (Shona) all mean “gift”. You’ll find more in our names that mean gift.
What are African names that mean God?
Many Yoruba and Igbo names include God: Oluwaseun (“God has done it”), Chinonso (“God is near”) and Chiamaka (“God is beautiful”).
Why are so many Ghanaians named Kofi or Kwame?
They’re Akan day names. Kofi is given to boys born on a Friday and Kwame to boys born on a Saturday, so they’re extremely common.
Are African names unisex?
Many are. Tatenda, Tumaini, Ayanda and Oluwaseun are used for both boys and girls because their meanings — thanks, hope, growth — aren’t tied to gender.