Nigerian Girl Names
Nigerian girl names carry big messages in beautiful sounds. An Igbo name like Chiamaka (“God is beautiful”) or a Yoruba name like Titilayo (“eternal joy”) tells the world what a daughter means to her family. Here are 100+ Nigerian girl names with their meanings, grouped by language so you can see how each tradition works.
You’ll find popular picks, long-form Yoruba and Igbo names, Hausa day names, names from the Edo, Urhobo, Ijaw and Efik-Ibibio peoples, and short nicknames. Looking for a son’s name too? Browse Nigerian boy names, or head back to the Nigerian names hub. Our African girl names list covers the rest of the continent.
Popular Nigerian girl names
These names are widely used across Nigeria and the diaspora, and most are easy to pronounce for English speakers too.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Chiamaka | God is beautiful | Igbo |
| Adaeze | Princess, daughter of the king | Igbo |
| Ngozi | Blessing | Igbo |
| Folasade | Honor confers a crown | Yoruba |
| Funmilayo | Give me joy | Yoruba |
| Titilayo | Eternal joy | Yoruba |
| Amina | Trustworthy, faithful | Hausa (from Arabic) |
| Chioma | Good God | Igbo |
| Temitope | Mine is worthy of thanks | Yoruba |
| Nneka | Mother is supreme | Igbo |
| Damilola | Make me wealthy | Yoruba |
| Zainab | Fragrant flower; name of a daughter of the Prophet | Hausa (from Arabic) |
Yoruba girl names
Yoruba girl names often celebrate joy (ayo), honey (oyin), wealth (ola) and the crown (ade). Several honor a grandmother who has recently passed.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Omolara | A child is family | Yoruba |
| Yetunde | Mother has returned | Yoruba |
| Iyabo | Mother has come back | Yoruba |
| Abimbola | Born into wealth | Yoruba |
| Oluwakemi | God pampers me | Yoruba |
| Adunni | Sweet to have | Yoruba |
| Bolanle | Found wealth at home | Yoruba |
| Morenike | I have found someone to cherish | Yoruba |
| Ayobami | Joy has met me | Yoruba |
| Mojisola | I woke up in wealth | Yoruba |
| Olufunke | God gave me someone to care for | Yoruba |
| Simisola | Rest in wealth | Yoruba |
| Eniola | A person of wealth | Yoruba |
| Oyinkansola | Honey drops into wealth | Yoruba |
| Opeyemi | Thanks befit me | Yoruba |
| Tolulope | Thanks belong to God | Yoruba |
| Ifeoluwa | The love of God | Yoruba |
| Oluwatoyin | God is worthy of praise | Yoruba |
| Omotola | A child is worth more than wealth | Yoruba |
| Fisayo | Add to joy | Yoruba |
| Ireti | Hope | Yoruba |
| Ife | Love | Yoruba |
| Aina | A girl born with the umbilical cord around her neck | Yoruba |
| Adeola | Crown of wealth | Yoruba |
Igbo girl names
The prefix Ada means “first daughter,” so Adaeze and Adanna are classic names for an eldest girl. Chi (God) appears in dozens of Igbo names.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Chimamanda | My God will not fail | Igbo |
| Adaora | Daughter of the people | Igbo |
| Adanna | Father’s daughter | Igbo |
| Amarachi | God’s grace | Igbo |
| Ifeoma | A good thing | Igbo |
| Uzoamaka | The road is good | Igbo |
| Nkechi | God’s own | Igbo |
| Chinwe | God owns her | Igbo |
| Ogechi | God’s time | Igbo |
| Ebere | Mercy | Igbo |
| Nkiruka | The future is greater | Igbo |
| Obioma | Kind heart | Igbo |
| Chinyere | God gave | Igbo |
| Onyinye | Gift | Igbo |
| Ozioma | Good news | Igbo |
| Chidinma | God is good | Igbo |
| Somadina | May I not be alone | Igbo |
| Kamsiyochukwu | As I asked of God | Igbo |
| Munachimso | God and I together | Igbo |
| Ebubechukwu | The glory of God | Igbo |
| Chisom | God is with me | Igbo |
| Akunna | Father’s wealth | Igbo |
| Ugonna | Father’s pride | Igbo |
| Oluchi | God’s work | Igbo |
| Chinaza | God answers (prayers) | Igbo |
| Chizoba | God, protect us | Igbo |
| Adaobi | First daughter of the household | Igbo |
| Nwakaego | A child is greater than money | Igbo |
| Ijeoma | Good journey, safe travels | Igbo |
Hausa girl names
Many northern Nigerian girls carry Hausa forms of Arabic names, while traditional Hausa day names record the day a baby was born. For more, see our Muslim girl names and Arabic girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Hauwa | Eve, “life” | Hausa (from Arabic) |
| Hadiza | Hausa form of Khadija, “early-born” | Hausa (from Arabic) |
| Bilkisu | Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba | Hausa (from Arabic) |
| Rakiya | Hausa form of Ruqayya, “ascent” | Hausa (from Arabic) |
| Saratu | Sarah, “princess” | Hausa (from Arabic) |
| Binta | Daughter (from Arabic bint) | Hausa |
| Maryam | Mary; mother of Jesus (Isa) in Islam | Hausa (from Arabic) |
| Fatima | Weaning; daughter of the Prophet | Hausa (from Arabic) |
| Altine | Girl born on a Monday | Hausa |
| Talatu | Girl born on a Tuesday | Hausa |
| Larai | Girl born on a Wednesday | Hausa |
| Jummai | Girl born on a Friday | Hausa |
| Asabe | Girl born on a Saturday | Hausa |
| Ladi | Girl born on a Sunday | Hausa |
| Kande | Traditionally, a girl born after several girls | Hausa |
Girl names from Edo, Urhobo, Ijaw and Efik-Ibibio
From Benin City to Calabar, these names come from Nigeria’s south-south region.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Eseosa | Gift of God | Edo |
| Ivie | Precious coral beads; “precious” | Edo |
| Osarugue | God is with me | Edo |
| Ejiro | Praise | Urhobo |
| Oghenetega | God is worthy (of praise) | Urhobo |
| Idara | Joy | Efik-Ibibio |
| Imaobong | Love of the Lord | Efik-Ibibio |
| Ima | Love | Efik-Ibibio |
| Ebiere | Good woman | Ijaw |
| Tamuno | God, the Creator | Ijaw (Kalabari) |
Short and modern Nigerian girl names
Short names — many of them nicknames of longer names — are popular with Nigerian families abroad because they travel easily. Also see our short girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Tola | Wealth, honor (short for Omotola) | Yoruba |
| Kemi | Pampered one (short for Oluwakemi) | Yoruba |
| Funke | Given to cherish (short for Olufunke) | Yoruba |
| Sade | Honor confers a crown (short for Folasade) | Yoruba |
| Tiwa | Ours (short for Tiwalade, “the crown is ours”) | Yoruba |
| Tobi | God is great (short for Oluwatobi; unisex) | Yoruba |
| Ada | First daughter | Igbo |
| Adaku | Daughter born into wealth | Igbo |
| Uju | Abundance | Igbo |
| Oma | Good, beautiful | Igbo |
| Nma | Beauty, goodness | Igbo |
Tips for choosing a Nigerian girl name
- Match the message to your moment. Was she long-awaited (Nkiruka, “the future is greater”), a first daughter (Adaeze), or a reason for gratitude (Opeyemi)? Nigerian names are made for that.
- Check the short form. Olufunke becomes Funke, Oluwakemi becomes Kemi. Make sure you love the everyday version.
- Ask about tone and spelling. Yoruba and Igbo use tone marks (Fúnmiláyọ̀); many families drop them on official documents, but pronunciation still matters.
- Consider two names. It’s common to give several names at a naming ceremony, so a daughter can have a Nigerian name and an English or biblical one. See our girl names for pairings.
- Look at meanings you love across cultures. Our names that mean blessed list includes Ngozi alongside names from other languages.
Frequently asked questions
What is a beautiful Nigerian girl name?
Chiamaka (“God is beautiful”), Titilayo (“eternal joy”), Adaeze (“princess”) and Oyinkansola (“honey drops into wealth”) are among the most admired.
What Nigerian name means blessing?
Ngozi is the Igbo word for blessing. Chiagozie (“God has blessed”) is a related name, usually given to boys.
What does Adaeze mean?
Adaeze is Igbo for “princess,” literally “first daughter of the king.” It is a popular name for an eldest daughter.
What are Hausa day names?
Hausa families sometimes name a girl for her birth day: Altine (Monday), Talatu (Tuesday), Larai (Wednesday), Jummai (Friday), Asabe (Saturday) and Ladi (Sunday).
Is Chimamanda a common name?
It is a traditional Igbo name meaning “my God will not fail,” made famous worldwide by novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.