African Baby Names
79 African names with researched meanings, U.S. popularity, and audio pronunciation on every page.
Explore 79 African baby names below. Every name links to a full page with its sourced meaning, origin, popularity chart, famous bearers, and a clear audio pronunciation so you can hear it said correctly. Names are listed most-popular first.
African Girl Names
Alora#195 in the U.S.My dream; from the Bantu/Lesotho name Alora, reportedly meaning 'my dream'Nylah#504 in the U.S.Variant of Nyla, derived from Arabic Nā'ila meaning 'one who attains' or 'one who is successfulMakenna#593 in the U.S.Variant of McKenna, from Irish Gaelic Mac Cionaodha meaning 'son of Cionaodh' (a personal name Zaria#945 in the U.S.Derived from Slavic Zarya meaning dawn, aurora, or morning glow, and also used as a name connecKamora#1108 in the U.S.Moonlight; a variant of Kamari, from Arabic qamar (moon)Kamari#1142 in the U.S.Moonlight; from African (possibly Swahili/Arabic-influenced) kamari (moon, moonlight)Kimora#1157 in the U.S.Possible African origin (Swahili/Yoruba region) or a creative blend; not definitively documenteShea#1159 in the U.S.Admirable; from Irish Gaelic Séaghdha (admirable, fine); or from the shea tree (Vitellaria paraKya#1237 in the U.S.Diamond in the sky; possibly from South African Zulu/Xhosa origin, or a creative variant of KaiKenia#1253 in the U.S.Spanish form of Kenya; likely from Kikuyu Kirinyaga (the mountain) or a Bantu root; used as a gZola#1338 in the U.S.Earth; from Zulu/Xhosa zola (to be still, to be calm, tranquil); also an Italian surname from LZhuri#1511 in the U.S.Flower; possibly from Swahili or Zulu origin; exact etymology uncertainKhari#3051 in the U.S.kingly, princely, queenlySena#3162 in the U.S.Grace of God or gift of God in Ewe (West African); also world or this world in Japanese; and arNalah#4521 in the U.S.-ah spelling of Nala — Arabic na'ila, 'achiever, winner', or African ('gift'/'beloved') and LioZala#4543 in the U.S.From Slovene Zala, 'beautiful, pretty' (a short form of Rozalija); also an African/Hausa name, Izara#5028 in the U.S.From Basque izar, 'star' (as in Izarra); also read in West African use as 'section of a tree/clNyara#5195 in the U.S.A modern name with a Ny- opening — echoing Nyah ('purpose', Swahili) and Nara ('happy; oak'); nAdama#5557 in the U.S.Variously the Hebrew adamah, 'earth; ground; the red soil' (the root of Adam), and a West AfricOlanna#6056 in the U.S.From the Igbo (Nigeria) Olanna, 'the gold of the father; the father's gold/treasure'Zira#6835 in the U.S.A modern name, variously an African name (of uncertain meaning; a Lion King character) and a ZaNyani#7056 in the U.S.A modern name with a Ny- opening and -ani ending (echoing Nyah, 'purpose', Swahili, and Imani, Ayanni#7949 in the U.S.A modern spelling near Ayana/Ayanna, tied variously to a Somali/African 'beautiful flower; brigNyrobi#8224 in the U.S.Ny-spelling of Nairobi — the Kenyan capital, from Maasai Enkare Nairobi, 'the place of cool watNoni#8786 in the U.S.Variously the Shona/Zulu Noni, 'a gift of God; a jewel', and a modern pet name; routes uncertaiAmahle#8951 in the U.S.From the Zulu (South Africa) Amahle, 'the beautiful ones; the good/lovely ones'Azina#8951 in the U.S.Azina reads as a rare name whose root is uncertain. It appears as a Shona (Zimbabwean) name, anAkua#10134 in the U.S.From the Akan (Ghana) Akua — a day-name for a girl 'born on Wednesday'Sala#10761 in the U.S.A short name with layered routes: linked to Arabic salah ('prayer') and salaam ('peace'), and uHaby#11278 in the U.S.A short West African (Fulani/Senegalese) name, commonly used as a form of Habibah ('beloved; daKamina#11400 in the U.S.Variously an African name glossed 'a dancer' and a Congolese place-name; also read as a modern Kasiya#11407 in the U.S.From the Chewa (Malawi) word Kasiya, glossed 'departure' or 'it stayed at home,' and separatelyNuma#12838 in the U.S.Variously from the Arabic ni'ma, 'grace; a blessing; a favour', and an African name; also a claNyala#12841 in the U.S.From the southern African (Bantu) nyala, 'a spiral-horned antelope'; also a place-name (a town Masoka#12941 in the U.S.A name found in African (Malawi/Zambia, from Chichewa/Tumbuka roots, linked to 'gift; thanks') Azania#13443 in the U.S.Azania is an old place name applied to parts of southeastern Africa, revived as a poetic and asMasai#14591 in the U.S.Masai is used in the U.S. mostly as a boy's name, and it is also a common spelling of Maasai — Mawa#14600 in the U.S.Mawa is used in several African and diaspora communities, but we have not found a single secureMbene#14614 in the U.S.Mbene is used as a personal name in parts of Africa and the diaspora. We have not found a securSalani#17192 in the U.S.Salani is a very rare modern given name in the U.S. It sits near West African name families bui
African Boy Names
Amari#185 in the U.S.Strength; builder; eternal; from African (Yoruba/Swahili) amari (strength, builder) or Hebrew aZaire#503 in the U.S.From the Kikongo word nzadi o nzere meaning 'the river that swallows all rivers,' referring to Kasai#639 in the U.S.Primarily a place name from the Kasai River in the Democratic Republic of Congo; used as a giveDakari#837 in the U.S.From the Shona language of Zimbabwe, meaning 'joy' or 'happiness'; used as a given name in ZimbKamazi#1022 in the U.S.Uncertain; possibly of Bantu African originSekani#1187 in the U.S.Laughter, joy, one who laughsMasai#1511 in the U.S.From the Maasai people of East Africa; the ethnonym means 'speaker of Maa'.Makhari#1844 in the U.S.Likely a variant of Macarius, from Greek Makarios meaning blessed or happy, adapted through AfrAlpha#2079 in the U.S.From the Greek letter alpha 'first, beginning', from Phoenician alephDakhari#2948 in the U.S.A name of African origin, often attributed to Swahili or broader sub-Saharan African traditionsNalo#5335 in the U.S.From an African (often glossed Bantu/East African) name Nalo, 'much loved; the beloved'; the glObinna#5777 in the U.S.From the Igbo (Nigeria) Obinna — obi, 'heart', + nna, 'father', hence 'the heart of the father;Amai#5870 in the U.S.In Japanese, amai (甘い) means 'sweet' or 'gentle'. As an African name (particularly Shona/ZimbabIniko#6952 in the U.S.From the Efik/Ibibio (Nigeria) Iniko, 'born in troubled/hard times; born during difficulty'Massai#8022 in the U.S.From Maasai/Massai — the name of an East African (Kenya/Tanzania) people, 'those who speak Maa'Emeka#8447 in the U.S.From the Igbo (Nigeria) Emeka — a short form of Chukwuemeka, 'God has done great/many things; gKenyatta#8648 in the U.S.From the Kikuyu (Kenya) — variously 'a musician' and 'of the ornate/beaded belt' (the name adopMasani#8672 in the U.S.From the Luganda (Uganda) Masani, 'has a gap between the teeth'; also read as an Egyptian/SwahiMosa#8697 in the U.S.Variously a short form of Moses ('drawn out of the water', Hebrew) and a Sesotho/Tswana name ('Ovie#8738 in the U.S.Variously the Urhobo (Nigeria) Ovie, 'a king; a ruler; royalty', and a spelling of Ovi; routes Oheneba#8760 in the U.S.From the Akan (Ghana) Oheneba — ohene, 'a king/chief', + ba, 'a child', hence 'a prince; a chilAbem#8927 in the U.S.A rare name, possibly of African origin, with no securely documented meaning in available sourcKasi#9311 in the U.S.Kasi appears across cultures: in Sanskrit tied to Kashi ('the shining one', an old name for VarMali#9406 in the U.S.Variously the West African place Mali (an empire/country) and the Thai mali, 'jasmine'; also a Onaje#9603 in the U.S.An African (given variously as Swahili/Yoruba) name, glossed 'sensitive; caring; one who has feZaaire#9687 in the U.S.Zaaire is a modern respelling of Zaire, the former name of the Congo region, itself from a KikoOluwaferanmi#10402 in the U.S.From the Yoruba (Nigeria) Oluwaferanmi — Oluwa, 'God/the Lord', + feran mi, 'loves me', hence 'Aamari#10697 in the U.S.A spelling of Amari — variously 'eternal; possessing eternity' (Arabic) and 'strength; a buildeEdem#11027 in the U.S.From the Ewe (Ghana/Togo) Edem, 'God has saved/delivered me; God's deliverance'Bomani#11094 in the U.S.An African name, Bomani, often given as 'mighty warrior; strong soldier' - carried in Ngoni (MaNanakwame#11586 in the U.S.A compound of the Akan (Ghana) Nana ('a chief/grandparent; a title of honour') and Kwame ('bornKashindi#11616 in the U.S.A Swahili name from the Congo region, often given to a child born during a festival or time of Mpano#11852 in the U.S.An African name, associated with Kinyarwanda and neighboring Bantu languages of the Great LakesWilondja#11916 in the U.S.A Congolese (DR Congo) name of uncertain gloss, from a Bantu language; sources vary, so routes Abwe#12326 in the U.S.A name found in Central African, notably Congolese and Luba-linked, naming. A settled gloss is Asukulu#12473 in the U.S.Asukulu is a Congolese (Central African) name, borne in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. IBahati#12514 in the U.S.Bahati is a Swahili name from East Africa meaning 'luck' or 'fortune'. It carries a hopeful, blMakalo#13441 in the U.S.Makalo is used in southern Africa, where the Sesotho word makalo carries the sense of wonder orSekanii#13857 in the U.S.Sekanii is an unusual spelling with no documented entry of its own. It sits closest to Sekani,
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Frequently Asked
What are popular African baby names?
Popular African baby names include Amari, Alora, Zaire, Nylah, Makenna, Kasai. Each page has the meaning, popularity, and an audio pronunciation.
How many African baby names are here?
More4Kids lists 79 African baby names, each with a sourced meaning and audio pronunciation.