African baby names
50 African names with native script, romanization, meaning, and authoritative sources.
Male names
- Abeo
Brings happiness (Yoruba)
- Ade
Royal, crown (Yoruba)
- Amari
Strength, builder (Yoruba)
- Ayo
Joy (Yoruba)
- Bongani
Be thankful (Zulu)
- Chinedu
God leads (Igbo)
- Dakarai
Joy (Shona, Zimbabwe)
- Dawit
Beloved (Amharic, Ethiopian form of David)
- Emeka
Great deeds (Igbo)
- Femi
Love me (Yoruba; short for Olufemi, 'God loves me')
- Ikenna
Father's strength (Igbo)
- Jelani
Mighty, powerful (Swahili)
- Juma
Born on Friday (Swahili, from Arabic Jumuʿah)
- Khari
Kingly (Swahili)
- Kofi
Born on Friday (Akan, Ghana)
- Kwame
Born on Saturday (Akan, Ghana)
- Kwesi
Born on Sunday (Akan, Ghana)
- Obinna
Father's heart (Igbo)
- Olu
Prominent, leader (Yoruba)
- Sefu
Sword (Swahili, from Arabic sayf)
- Sipho
Gift (Zulu)
- Tafari
One who inspires awe (Amharic; pre-imperial name of Haile Selassie)
- Tau
Lion (Sesotho/Setswana)
- Tunde
Returns (Yoruba; short for Babatunde, 'father returns')
- Zane
Gift from God (Swahili)
Female names
- Adaeze
King's daughter; princess (Igbo)
- Amani
Peace (Swahili, from Arabic amān)
- Amara
Grace; unfading (Igbo)
- Asha
Life (Swahili, from Arabic ʿĀʾisha)
- Ayanda
They increase (Zulu)
- Ayanna
Beautiful flower (Swahili)
- Chiamaka
God is beautiful (Igbo)
- Dalia
Gentle (Swahili)
- Folake
Honored with wealth (Yoruba)
- Ife
Love (Yoruba)
- Ifeoma
Good thing (Igbo)
- Imani
Faith (Swahili, from Arabic Īmān)
- Makeda
Greatness (Amharic; legendary Queen of Sheba)
- Malaika
Angel (Swahili, from Arabic Malak)
- Nala
Successful, queen (Swahili)
- Ngozi
Blessing (Igbo)
- Nia
Purpose (Swahili; one of the Kwanzaa principles)
- Nneka
Mother is supreme (Igbo)
- Nomvula
Mother of rain (Zulu)
- Saba
Morning (Amharic)
- Thandiwe
Beloved (Zulu)
- Uchechi
God's will (Igbo)
- Yewande
Mother has returned (Yoruba)
- Zalika
Well-born (Swahili)
- Zuri
Beautiful (Swahili)