221 Kenyan Baby Names With Meanings

Kenya, a diverse and multilingual country is renowned not just for its vast wildlife preserves and scenic landscapes, but also several ethnic groups, which speak their native languages within their communities. This explains the varied baby names of this country.

Kenyans are very particular about the name they bestow on their children. They believe that each name has a specific trait and anyone with the particular name is sure to bear it. Parents also give names that honor and preserve their Kenyan heritage. So even if the first names are western (which is rare), the second would be about the circumstances surrounding the child’s birth.

Not just first names, even second names or ethnic names are extremely important in Kenya, so much that you haven't introduced yourself until you disclose the second name. Also, Kenyans feel incomplete when they bear non-ethic names. But they may create variations of the typical name to make them appropriate for their ethnic tribes.

Traditional Kenyan communities also use matronym in their names, which is appended with ‘wa’. The use of matronym stems from the practice of polygamy among the men. Hence, using mother’s name is important, since the father needs to know which wife gave them which son or daughter.

If you’re looking for unique and beautiful Kenyan baby names, you’ve come to the right place. MomJunction has an excellent collection of Kenyan baby boy and girl names to make your child stand out. Take a look.