716 African Baby Girl Names With Meanings

Embrace the beauty of Africa.

Written by Kavita Kankani, MBA, BEd Specialty: Child education & activitiesExperience: 7 years

Kavita has a diverse background in finance, human resources, and teaching. She did her MBA in Finance and HR at Solapur University, and bachelor in Education at Pune University. After working for thre... more

Edited by Akshay Nair, MA Specialty: Love, Marriage, RelationshipsExperience: 4.5 years

Akshay is an associate editor and former journalist with more than four years of experience. A post graduate in Mass Communication and Journalism, he has strong professional and academic background in... more

Fact-checked by N Pravenchandra Singh, MA Specialty: Literature and RelationshipsExperience: 2 years

Praven is an English literature expert. He did his bachelors in English from Delhi University and masters in English from Manipur University. Besides, he holds a certificate in multimedia design and c... more

• Sep 14, 2023

Illustration: MomJunction Design Team

African baby girl names are often traditional and have unique stories behind them. Factors like the time a baby is born or the circumstances or the surroundings during the birth often influence choosing a name for the baby. These events and surroundings can be positive or negative. Some of the names are a complete picture of the conditions. For example, "Yetunde Nwaokeke” is the name of a baby girl whose grandmother died just before her birth. "Yetunde" means mother has come back. Before the parents decide the names of their children, circumstances also play a part. It happens among some Ghanaian ethnic groups where a name is automatically assigned based on the day a child is born. For example, a baby girl who was born on Friday was named "Ghanaian Efua" which means a Friday-born. Several local names also have strong religious faith in keeping their baby's name. Among the Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups in Nigeria, baby names mostly start or end with "Chi" "Chukwu" or "Oluwa" which has some reference to God (1). Some groups in eastern or southern Africa choose certain names depending on the time of the day or season a baby is born. In Yoruba tradition, it is very common for each parent or grandparent of a baby to contribute in at least one name of the baby (2). As a result, a baby ends up with several names, each telling its own unique story. With Western influence, newer names have found their way into African families. In this post, we have curated a list of famous African baby names that you can choose using our baby names tool.

‹

›

Name	Gender	Meaning
Madiba	Unisex	Respected leader and father of the nation
Maha	Girl	Gazelle; Beautiful Eyes; Splendid; Beloved to Amun
Mahari	Girl	One who is forgiving
Maima	Unisex	Truthful; Trustworthy
Maizah	Girl	One who has good judgment
Makana	Girl	A girl who is a gift to the world
Makeba	Girl	Purposeful; Strong; Radiant
Makida	Unisex	Greatness
Malaika	Girl	Angel
Mandere	Girl	Beautiful beads

Mandingo	Unisex	African surname
Mandisa	Girl	Something sweet
Manica	Girl	A town in Mozambique
Mansa	Girl	Third born girl; King of kings; Emperor
Mardea	Girl	The last one
Mariatu	Girl	One who is pure; Innocent
Marini	Girl	Fresh; Healthy; Pretty; Charming
Marjani	Girl	A coral
Marjean	Girl	Coral; Gracious
Marka	Girl	A steady rain

Marquisha	Girl	Unique; Modern
Marsai	Unisex	Energetic; Talented; Independent
Masara	Girl	A magical woman
Masego	Girl	A blessing
Mashaka	Unisex	One who brings trouble
Massai	Unisex	Warrior, brave, strong
Mbali	Girl	Flower
Mehkai	Unisex	Joyful; Happy
Meko	Unisex	Sprouting seed; How big
Meleni	Girl	Brazilian word for Melon

Meria	Girl	The harsh taste of the ocean
Meron	Girl	The woman who serves in the army
Mesi	Girl	Smoke; A cloud of fine particles
Messina	Girl	Being neither at the beginning nor at the end of a series
Mhina	Unisex	A pleasing or entertaining person
Miah	Girl	Beloved; Love
Michonne	Girl	Warrior; Strong; Fierce
Mikaili	Unisex	God's messenger
Mikenna	Unisex	One who brings joy
Milandu	Unisex	An answer to the prayers

Miniya	Girl	A girl who is believed to do extra-ordinary things
Mirembe	Unisex	Peace; A peaceful nature; The peaceful world
Miyanda	Unisex	Ancestral roots; The beginning
Modupe	Girl	Grateful; Gratefulness; I give thanks to God
Monifa	Girl	Lucky one
Montsho	Girl	A black-colored person
Morathi	Unisex	An intelligent or wise man
Mugure	Girl	Already purchased
Mukondi	Girl	A dancer
Mumbi	Girl	Creator or mother

Murigo	Girl	This is a load
Muthoni	Girl	The shy one
Mwassaa	Girl	Everywhere
Myeisha	Girl	Queen, happiness, unique
Naaila	Girl	A person with a record of victories
Naataanii	Girl	Poetess praising the prophet
Nafula	Girl	Born during the rainy season
Nafuna	Girl	The one who is carried feet first
Nailah	Girl	Successful; Obtainer; Winner; Gracious; Charitable
Naiser	Unisex	Founder of belief

Naja	Girl	A person indifferent to pleasure and pain
Nakato	Girl	The twins or doubles whom were born as the second in the family
Nakeisha	Girl	Lifetime of woman or girl or lady or damsel
Naki	Girl	Girl born first in the family or eldest daughter
Nakimera	Girl	Talent or present of skills from God
Nala	Girl	Gift; Beloved; Stem
Nalo	Girl	The most lovable person
Nalorie	Girl	Lovable goddess of earth
Naserian	Unisex	Lucky; Fateful
Nasha	Unisex	Born during the rainy season; Judge

Nataki	Girl	Royal born
Nathaara	Girl	Tiny pieces scattered all over
Nathifa	Girl	Clean; Wholesome; Unpolluted
Natine	Unisex	Member of the Natine ethnic group
Natoya	Unisex	Dance or the one who can dance
Nduta	Girl	Teach me
Neela	Girl	Bluish shaded color
Neema	Girl	One who was born in richness
Neliah	Girl	The gift or present from the town
Neo	Unisex	New; Gift

Netta	Girl	Gate; Shrubberies; Trees; Wilds; Planting
Ngendo	Girl	A traveler
Ngina	Girl	One who serves
Ngozi	Unisex	Dedication; Benediction; Consecration
Niana	Girl	Name of an African city in Mali
Niani	Unisex	Willful
Niara	Girl	One with high purpose
Nichelle	Girl	Great champion among women
Nimeesha	Girl	The dearest angel of the God
Nisar	Girl	One who is passive and diplomatic

Njeri	Girl	Daughter of a warrior
Njoki	Girl	She who returned
Nkechi	Girl	The precious treasure from God
Nkechinyere	Girl	God's pleasure which came to this world
Nkiru	Girl	Once more God will provide the excellent gift
Nkiruka	Girl	God will give me something ever best once again
Nnenia	Girl	The one who looks same as her grand mother
Nnenna	Girl	The one who is fond of her dad's mum
Noma	Girl	Cultivator; Farmer; Sample; Model
Nomalanga	Girl	Brilliant or sunshine light

« 1 … 3 4 5 6 7 8 »

African baby girl names have evolved over time while keeping their traditional essence. However, traditional names are still favored because of their cultural and religious significance. These names may be given in honor of ancestors or to praise the Lord. Many names are associated with nature and the personal traits of a person. These names are versatile and will carry forward your ancestral legacy and African heritage. Also, make sure the name you are choosing also rhymes well with your child’s last name.

Infographic: Auspicious African Baby Girl Names With Meanings

Africa is a great continent and has a variety of tribes and cultures with traditions and conventions attached to each of them. It may be challenging to encompass the entire range of names used throughout the continent. However, we brought you some of the most popular ones. If you are interested in African baby girl names with religious or gentle meanings, check out the infographic below.

appealing african baby girl names for your princess (infographic)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some African baby girl names inspired by nature or animals?

Wambui is an African name that means 'zebra' in Kikuyu. Zahrah, on the other hand, means 'blooming flower' in Arabic. Ayanna is an elegant name meaning 'flower' in Amharic.

2. What are the specific traditions or cultures that influence African baby girl names?

Africa is home to several cultures, each with unique naming traditions and cultures. For instance, the Akan people from Ghana name their children based on their birth order. Conversely, the Shona people of Zimbabwe choose nature-inspired names for their babies, whereas the Tswana people from Botswana choose names based on the circumstances surrounding the child’s birth. Like these, several specific naming traditions and customs can vary across diverse African cultures.

3. What African names mean ‘star’?

Anangikwe, derived from the terms anang 'star' and ikwe' woman,' means star woman in Ojibwe. Nthanda is another name commonly used in Southern Africa and means 'star' in Tumbulka. Some other titles that are commonly used in Africa and are associated with stars are Danica and Aster.

4. What is the African name for ‘queen’?

Thema is a beautiful name that means 'queen' in Akan. Some other African titles associated with queens are Makeda, an Amharic name related to the Queen of Sheba, who is believed to have ruled over some parts of Ethiopia and Yemen. Nzinga is a Bantu name derived from Njinga. It was the name of the queen of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms in the 17th century.

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

Geraldine Ifesinachi Nnamdi-Eruchalu; A Sociolinguistic Study of the Emerging Trends in Igbo Personal Names;
https://journals.scholarpublishing.org/index.php/ASSRJ/article/download/4408/2723/11625
African Names: A Guide for Editors.
https://www.csescienceeditor.org/article/african-names-guide-editors/

Look Up For Many More Names

Do you have a name in mind and want to know more about it? Or want to find names belonging to a particular origin, religion, or having a specific meaning? Use our search tool below to explore more baby names with different combinations.