1106 African Baby Names With Meanings
Embrace the rhythm of the Continent
Africa is home to diverse tribes and ethnic groups. African baby names often reflect the uniqueness of these tribes and their culture. Africa is exceptionally rich in terms of linguistic diversity, with over 1000 to 2000 African languages spread all over the continent. It harbors almost one-third of the world’s languages (1). Derived from local and foreign languages such as English, French, Arabic, and Portuguese, African names are exotic and beautiful, not just in meaning and appearance, but also in origin. In Africa, the naming ceremony is regarded as one of the most important events in a person’s life. A naming ceremony is perceived as a form of introduction and the announcement of the arrival of the baby to the extended family and to the community as a whole. Naming ceremonies in Africa differ from region to region. In Yoruba, the child is named on the eighth day after birth and the happenings concerning the child’s birth influence the name. In Ghana, the Akan naming ceremony also follows a similar pattern. The baby is named on the eighth day after birth to ensure that the child is not leaving the mortal world untimely. It is a common practice in Ghana for babies to be named after the day they were born. In Kenya, the tradition is to name the baby on the third day after their birth. During this auspicious occasion, the parents offer a goat or a bull as a symbolic gesture of devotion and gratitude to the ancestral spirits. African children are traditionally named after places, spirits, ancestors, or events occurring during the time of their birth. Africans believe that a name can influence both the life of the child and the family. A simple name will lead to a disappointing future, and an over-ambitious name could cause serious repercussions. In some African countries, parents name their children after famous political figures, hoping that their kids would be as successful as their namesakes. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Barack is one of the most popular names in Africa. Below is our collection of African names derived from native and foreign languages.
Name | Gender | Meaning | |
---|---|---|---|
Aasir | Boy | One with a captivating and fascinating personality | |
Aba | Girl | African Akan - Girl born on Tuesday | |
Abana | Girl | This Biblical name means strong personality made with a stone | |
Abbo | Boy | A Condiment (Mudama Origin) | |
Abdalah | Boy | the Servant of god | |
Abdalala | Boy | the Slave of the High | |
Abdalalim | Boy | the Servant of the All-knowing | |
Abdalla | Boy | Servant Of God; Servant of Allah | |
Abdi | Boy | Servant of god; A slave | |
Abdou | Boy | Great ability to focus on each work; variant of name Abdo | |
Abdu | Boy | Worshipper of God | |
Abdul muiz | Boy | Servant of giver of glory and almighty | |
Abdulkareem | Boy | Generous; One who Serves a Generous Man; Servant of Allah | |
Abdulkhaaliq | Boy | Servant of the Creator | |
Abdullateef | Boy | One who Serves a Kind Man; Servant of the Subtle | |
Abdulmateen | Boy | Servant of the Firm; Strong | |
Abdulraheem | Boy | Servant of the Most Compassionate | |
Abdulrahmaan | Boy | Servant of the Mercifully Gracious | |
Abdulraouf | Boy | Servant of the Most Merciful | |
Abdulrazaaq | Boy | Servant of the Maintainer; Provider | |
Abdulsaboor | Boy | Servant of the Patient | |
Abdultawaab | Boy | Servant of the Forgiver | |
Abdulwaahid | Boy | Servant of the One | |
Abdulwahaab | Boy | Servant of the Giver | |
Abeba | Girl | Flower; Abeada and Abyda are variant transcriptions of the name | |
Abedi | Boy | Worshipper | |
Abeer | Boy | Variant of Abir; Fragrance | |
Abena | Girl | African Akan - Girl born on Tuesday | |
Abeni | Girl | We asked for her, now she is ours; Someone who is prayed for; A variant of name Abena | |
Abiba | Girl | The first child born after death of grandmother; Abeaba and Abeabah are the variant spellings of Abiba | |
Abiola | Boy | Born in Honor; Born during the first days | |
Abiona | Girl | One who is born during a journey | |
Abioye | Boy | The son of royalty; A Variant of Abiola | |
Abla | Girl | Girl born on Tuesday; Has an Arabic meaning as voluptuous | |
Abraha | Girl | A girl who is born on Tuesday | |
Absco | Girl | One with an inventive mind | |
Absko | Boy | Power and strength | |
Abuchi | Boy | A Nobel God or the nobility of a God | |
Abulmughayyis | Boy | The father of one who saves others | |
Abuya | Girl | One who was born when the garden was overgrown | |
Achebe | Unisex | One who is protected by the Goddess | |
Achieng | Girl | One born during the day time | |
Adabelle | Girl | Adornment; Noble; Oldest daughter | |
Adaeh | Girl | Crowned; Chosen; Pinnacle of a peak | |
Adamma | Girl | Child of Beauty; Beautiful Girl | |
Adana | Girl | Being the father's daughter; A variant of name Adanna | |
Adanna | Girl | Eldest daughter of father | |
Adanne | Girl | Being the mother's daughter; A child who resembles her mother; A variant of name Adane | |
Addiah | Girl | Ornament of God; Gift from God | |
Addo | Boy | Happy; Ornament; King of the path (African) | |
Ade | Boy | Crown; Royal; Peak; Man | |
Adeben | Boy | 12th born child; African Akan | |
Adebola | Girl | Honor is brought to her; She met honor | |
Adebowale | Boy | Return of the crown; A child born after many years of waiting | |
Ademola | Boy | Crown is Added to My Wealth | |
Adenike | Girl | The Crown is Loving; Affectionate; Crown has care; Wealth has Care; Crown is cherished | |
Adeola | Girl | Crown of wealth | |
Adetokunbo | Boy | A Nigerian name of Yoruba descent in which the word Ade means crown | |
Adhiambo | Girl | A daughter who is born after sunset | |
Adhra | Girl | Apology; Virgin | |
Adiel | Boy | Ornament of God | |
Adila | Girl | Equal; Just; Upright; Honest | |
Adilah | Girl | Equal | |
Adisa | Boy | Clear spoken person | |
Adita | Girl | One who belongs to the Sun | |
Adjoa | Girl | Born on Monday; A daughter who is born on Monday | |
Adom | Boy | Help from God | |
Adongo | Girl | The second of twins | |
Adric | Boy | one who is a blessed ruler | |
Adwin | Unisex | An artist or creative person | |
Adwoa | Girl | One born on a Monday | |
Afe | Boy | A Boy who is born on Friday | |
Affrica | Girl | From Africa | |
Afi | Girl | A child who is born on Friday; A daughter who is born on Friday | |
Afia | Girl | A child who is born on Friday; A daughter who is born on Friday | |
Afiya | Girl | Health | |
Afolabi | Boy | Child of high status; Born rich and with luxury | |
Afra | Girl | Whitish red | |
Afram | Boy | A River In Ghana, Africa | |
Africa | Boy | Pleasant; Sun; Without cold | |
Afua | Girl | A child who is born on Friday; A daughter who is born on Friday | |
Agu | Boy | Leopard; One who has agility and strength of a leopard | |
Ahanti | Unisex | War-like | |
Ahnika | Girl | Ruler of the house, Beautiful ornament | |
Aibileen | Unisex | Helper, nurturing, caring | |
Aissata | Girl | One who is noble | |
Aiysha | Girl | Powerful; Complete | |
Ajahni | Boy | One who fights for possession; Noble birth; A variant of name Ajani | |
Ajaka | Boy | An Oyo emperor who was twice on the throne | |
Ajala | Boy | Believer of Allah; Eternal | |
Ajani | Boy | One who fights for possession; Noble birth; A variant of name Ajahni | |
Akachi | Boy | The hand of God in the African language | |
Akani | Unisex | To build; Construct | |
Akello | Girl | Baby girl born after twins | |
Akeyo | Girl | One who was born during the harvest | |
Akhyar | Boy | Good Excellence | |
Akia | Girl | Clear sky; Bright sky | |
Akinyi | Girl | Born in the morning; Born during forenoon in the African language | |
Akosua | Girl | Girl child born on Sunday | |
Akua | Girl | A child who is born on Thursday | |
Infographic: Breathtaking African Baby Names With Meanings
With over 2000 languages from the continent, African baby names are the epitome of diversity and embody the continent’s soul. African parents take great care and thought when selecting names for their little ones, knowing the influence these names can have on their child's life journey. This infographic displays some of the fascinating African baby names and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are some African names that mean royal?
Nigerian baby boy's name Ade means 'royal.' Another name that signifies royalty is Abioye, an African surname meaning 'son of royalty.'
2. What are some African names that signify love?
Several African names signify love. One such name is Rudo, which comes from South Africa and means 'love.' Another name is Femi, which expresses the sentiment 'love me.' Additionally, the name Ife is also associated with love.
3. Which African name represents a star?
Itri and Nthanda are African names that carry the meaning of 'star.' Itri originates from the Tamazight language, while Nthanda originates in the Tumbuka language. Both names eloquently embody the celestial splendor and luminosity that stars possess.
4. What are some African names that signify blessing?
In African cultures, several names carry the beautiful meaning of blessing. For instance, in Igbo, a language spoken in Nigeria, Ngozi signifies 'blessing.' Similarly, Chigozie, another Igbo name, translates to 'God bless.' Moving to Yoruba, also spoken in Nigeria, the name Ibukun conveys 'blessings' or 'an addition.' These African names not only celebrate the concept of blessings but also foster a deep sense of appreciation for the enriching aspects of life.
5. Which African name is associated with hope?
One African name associated with hope is Tumaini. Tumaini is a Swahili name that means 'wish' or 'hope.'
6. Which African name symbolizes freedom?
One African name that symbolizes freedom is Ominira, which originates from the Yoruba language and means 'freedom' or 'independence.' Another name is Uhuru, which comes from Swahili and means 'freedom.'
7. What are some popular African baby names for boys?
African baby names for boys are rich in diversity and hold deep cultural origins. Kofi, originating from the Akan people, signifies 'born on Friday,' emphasizing the importance of the birthday. With its roots in Swahili, Jabari means 'the brave one.’ Kwame, also from the Akan culture, connects the child to the significance of being 'born on Saturday.' Another notable name is Osiris, inspired by Egyptian mythology, which means 'powerful or mighty' (2).
8. What are some African baby names that mean 'peace'?
Kagiso and Alafia are two African baby names that embody the meaning of 'peace.' Kagiso, derived from Tswana, and Alafia, from Yoruba, both carry the significant message of peace and harmony.
9. What are some African baby names that mean 'strength'?
Two African baby names that mean 'strength' are Amari and Mandla. Amari is a lyrical baby girl name that signifies 'possesses great strength.' On the other hand, Mandla, derived from Zulu and Ndebele, means 'strength' and 'power.' These names serve as a wonderful choice for parents seeking a name that reflects the quality of strength of their child.
10. What are some traditional African baby names?
Traditional African baby names carry cultural significance and reflect the diverse heritage of the continent. For example, the name Abidemi, of Yoruba origin, means 'born in the father's absence.' Omari, originating from Swahili, means 'God is exalted.' Makena, from the Kikuyu language in East Africa, signifies a 'happy one,' celebrating joy and contentment. Zola, an African Zulu name, means 'quiet' or 'tranquil,' symbolizing a calm and peaceful nature.
References
- Introduction to African Languages.
https://alp.fas.harvard.edu/introduction-african-languages - Osiris
https://www.worldhistory.org/osiris/
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