West African Baby Names
75 West African names with researched meanings, U.S. popularity, and audio pronunciation on every page.
Explore 75 West 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.
West African Girl Names
Aminata#2298 in the U.S.trustworthy, faithful, honest▶Mariama#2369 in the U.S.beloved, wished-for child▶Fatou#2975 in the U.S.West African (especially Wolof and Mandinka) form of Fatima, from Arabic fatama meaning to wean▶Wisdom#3068 in the U.S.From the Old English wisdom, meaning accumulated knowledge and good judgment; used as a given n▶Kamara#3529 in the U.S.Linked to Swahili-Arabic qamar, 'moon' (as in Kamaria); also a widespread West African (Mandink▶Kadiatou#3908 in the U.S.West African (Fulani/Mandinka, French-spelled) form of Khadija — the Prophet's first wife, read▶Aissatou#3952 in the U.S.Fulani/West African form of Aisha — 'alive, living, prosperous' — the Prophet's beloved wife's ▶Bintou#4194 in the U.S.From West African (Mandinka/Wolof) Bintou/Binta, linked to Arabic bint, 'daughter'▶Fanta#4217 in the U.S.From West African (Mandinka/Bambara) Fanta, often read 'beautiful day' or a cherished tradition▶Oumou#4343 in the U.S.From Arabic umm, 'mother' (as in Oumou Kalthoum) — a common West African (Fula/Mandinka) name▶Aissata#4548 in the U.S.From Aissata — a Fula/West African form of Aisha, Arabic 'living, prosperous; she who lives'▶Adia#4652 in the U.S.From Swahili/African Adia, 'a gift' (also linked to Igbo 'first-born/queen'); routes layered▶Naija#4839 in the U.S.Modern coinage echoing 'Naija' (an affectionate nickname for Nigeria) and Nadia/Naya; no single▶Niani#8271 in the U.S.A modern name, variously linked to Niani (a historic capital of the Mali Empire) and read as a ▶Halimatou#9119 in the U.S.A West African (Fulani/Pulaar) form of Halima — from the Arabic halim, 'gentle; patient; mild; ▶Saran#9418 in the U.S.From the Mandinka (a West African language), traditionally glossed 'joy; delight'; also of Thai▶Coumba#9664 in the U.S.A traditional Wolof/Serer (Senegalese) name — a feminine form of Kumba, given by birth order/tr▶Diarra#9698 in the U.S.A Mandinka/Bambara (West African) name/surname, variously glossed 'a gift' and 'a lion' (a clan▶Salimata#10112 in the U.S.A West African (Mande/Wolof) form of Salima — from the Arabic salim, 'safe; sound; whole; unhar▶Ashantay#10515 in the U.S.Ashantay echoes Ashanti, the name of a major Akan people and historic kingdom of Ghana, and add▶Fatmata#11394 in the U.S.A West African (notably Sierra Leonean and Guinean) form of Fatima, from the Arabic Fatimah, 'o▶Diori#13894 in the U.S.Diori reads as a modern coinage that plainly echoes the luxury brand Dior — we note that honest▶Djenabou#13897 in the U.S.Djenabou is a West African, especially Fulani and Guinean, form of Zainab — the name of a daugh▶Fatimatou#13978 in the U.S.A West African form of Fatima — most common in Senegal, Mali, Guinea and Mauritania, where Fren▶Fatumata#13979 in the U.S.A West African (Mande, Fula, Mandinka) form of the Arabic name Fatima, borne by the daughter of▶Kadi#14242 in the U.S.A short name arrived at by several routes: an English pet form of Katherine or Cadence, an Esto▶Khadijatou#14356 in the U.S.Khadijatou is a West African form of Arabic Khadija, common in Senegal, Mauritania, The Gambia,▶Mariem#14520 in the U.S.A spelling of Maryam, the Arabic form of Miryam/Mary. Maryam is honoured in both the Bible and ▶Marieme#14521 in the U.S.A French-influenced West African spelling (often written Marieme) of Maryam, the Arabic form of▶Mamediarra#14565 in the U.S.Mamediarra is a West African name, found chiefly in Senegal, Mali and Guinea. It appears to joi▶Mariatou#14576 in the U.S.A West African form of Maryam — the Arabic name of Mary, mother of Jesus, honored in both Islam▶Safiatou#14910 in the U.S.A West African (Fula, Mandinka, Wolof) form of Arabic Safiyya, from safi ('pure; clear; serene'▶Isata#16106 in the U.S.A West African (Sierra Leone, Mandinka) form of Aisha, from the Arabic for 'living; alive; pros▶Isatu#16253 in the U.S.Isatu is a West African girl's name, common in Sierra Leone among Temne and Krio speakers, and ▶Kadiatu#16410 in the U.S.A West African (Sierra Leone, Guinea) form of Khadijah, 'trustworthy; early one; premature chil▶Salimatou#17324 in the U.S.Salimatou is a West African (notably Guinean, Malian, Senegalese and Ivorian) form of Salima/Sa▶Rokiatou#18585 in the U.S.A West African (Mali/Senegal) form of the Arabic Ruqayyah, the name of a daughter of the Prophe▶
West African Boy Names
Ousmane#3074 in the U.S.West African (Wolof, Mandinka, Fula) form of Uthman, from Arabic uthman meaning young bustard b▶Aboubacar#3383 in the U.S.Francophone West African form of Abu Bakr — the first caliph, the Prophet's closest companion —▶Boubacar#3986 in the U.S.West African form of Abu Bakr — Arabic, 'father of the young camel/foal'; the first caliph's na▶Cheikh#3989 in the U.S.From Arabic shaykh, 'elder, chief, religious leader' — a revered title and name in West Africa▶Sekou#4526 in the U.S.From Mandinka/West African Sekou — linked to Arabic shaykh, 'learned one, elder', or 'fighter';▶Mouhamadou#4645 in the U.S.West African (Francophone) form of Muhammad — from Arabic, 'praiseworthy, praised, commendable'▶Omoro#4720 in the U.S.Omoro is best known in the United States as the name of Omoro Kinte, the Mandinka father of Kun▶Adama#5225 in the U.S.West African (Fula/Mandinka) form of Adam — Hebrew/Arabic, 'man; earth, of the red earth'; ofte▶Akon#8309 in the U.S.A modern name, read variously as a short form of West African names (e.g. Akon/Akoon) and a fre▶Elhadj#8483 in the U.S.From the Arabic al-hajj, 'the pilgrim; the one who has made the pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca' — a▶Elhadji#8484 in the U.S.A spelling of Elhadj — from the Arabic al-hajj, 'the pilgrim; one who has made the pilgrimage (▶Idrissa#8556 in the U.S.A West African form of Idris — from the Arabic, 'an interpreter; studious; one who studies/inst▶Mamoudou#8698 in the U.S.A West African (Mande/Fula) form of Muhammad/Mamadou — from the Arabic, 'praiseworthy; the prai▶Saikou#8813 in the U.S.Variously the Japanese saiko, 'the highest; supreme; the best', and a West African (Mande) surn▶Mamadi#9517 in the U.S.A West African (Mandinka/Malinke) form of Muhammad — from the Arabic, 'praised; praiseworthy'; ▶Ousman#9613 in the U.S.A West African (Wolof/Mandinka) form of Uthman/Usman — from the Arabic, variously 'a baby busta▶Saidou#9679 in the U.S.A West African (Fula/Wolof) form of Said/Sa'id — from the Arabic, 'happy; fortunate; a master/l▶Samba#9681 in the U.S.A West African (Serer/Fula) name, variously 'a second son'; also, unrelatedly, a Brazilian danc▶Demba#9814 in the U.S.A West African name, common among the Serer and wider Senegalese communities; often a tradition▶Youssouf#9829 in the U.S.A West African (Francophone) form of Yusuf/Joseph — from the Hebrew, 'God will add/increase'; a▶Jawara#9948 in the U.S.Jawara is a Mandinka name and clan name of the Gambia and wider West Africa. In the United Stat▶Assane#9974 in the U.S.A West African (Wolof/Fula) form of Hassan — from the Arabic hasan, 'good; handsome; beautiful;▶Alhaji#10872 in the U.S.A West African name and honorific from the Arabic Al-Hajji, 'one who has made the Hajj' -- the ▶Abou#10914 in the U.S.Usually from the Arabic Abu, 'father of,' an honorific prefix in names like Abu Bakr. In West A▶Bakary#10978 in the U.S.A West African (Mandinka) form of Abu Bakr, the name of the revered first caliph in Islamic tra▶Daouda#11198 in the U.S.A West African (notably Francophone) form of Dawud, the Arabic form of the Hebrew David, 'belov▶Tidiane#11945 in the U.S.A West African (especially Senegalese) form of Tijani, a name tied to the Tijaniyya Sufi order ▶Sundiata#11948 in the U.S.Sundiata honors Sundiata Keita, the thirteenth-century founder of the Mali Empire and hero of t▶Yacouba#12235 in the U.S.A West African (especially Francophone) form of Yaqub, the Arabic name for Jacob, ultimately fr▶Abdoulie#12242 in the U.S.Abdoulie is a West African rendering, common in the Gambia and Senegal, of the Arabic name Abdu▶Yaya#12247 in the U.S.A short or affectionate form used in West Africa and beyond, often standing in for Yahya (the A▶Alimou#12392 in the U.S.Alimou is a West African (notably Guinean/Fulani and Mande) form of Ali, ultimately from Arabic▶Djimon#12830 in the U.S.Djimon is a West African given name of Beninese (Fon) background, carried into American awarene▶Foday#12866 in the U.S.Foday is a West African name, common among the Mandinka and in Sierra Leone, Gambia and Guinea,▶Fode#12867 in the U.S.Fode is a West African name, a form of Foday, common among the Mandinka and in Guinea, Mali and▶Hamidou#12916 in the U.S.A West African form of the Arabic Hamid ('praiseworthy, worthy of praise'), with the -ou ending▶AyoubaA West African form of Ayyub (Job), a prophet honored in Islam and the Bible; the name is tradi▶MouhamadoulA West African (Senegalese/Francophone) form based on Muhammad, from the Arabic 'praiseworthy,'▶
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Frequently Asked
What are popular West African baby names?
Popular West African baby names include Aminata, Mariama, Fatou, Wisdom, Ousmane, Aboubacar. Each page has the meaning, popularity, and an audio pronunciation.
How many West African baby names are here?
More4Kids lists 75 West African baby names, each with a sourced meaning and audio pronunciation.