One of the most exciting parts of expecting a baby is choosing your child’s name! If you are pregnant or adopting and considering an African name, you’re in the right place! There are many beautiful African girl names and African boy names with equally beautiful meanings to choose from. Some African names are Swahili; some are Egyptian; and a few are Arabic, Hebrew, Ethiopian, or Somali in origin. The majority of these baby names are from Eastern, Southern, or Western Africa, but a few are from Northern Africa too.
African Names for Your Baby
African Girl Names
Are you a Disney fan? You might like Nala, of The Lion King fame, which means “us.”
History buff? You might consider Cleopatra, as in Cleopatra VII, which means “glory of the father.”
Like geography? You might like Kenya, the name of a country and mountain in East Africa, which means “striped one or the mountain of whiteness” because of its snow-capped peak.
Do you love nature and the outdoors? You might consider Abeba, which means “flower,” or Aberash, which means “giving off light, shining.”
Maybe you want to choose a religious name for your daughter? You might like Ayaan, which means “gift of God, good luck;” or Chidinma, which means “God is good;” or Imani, which means “faith;” Masego, which means “blessings;” or Sharik, which means “God’s child or one on whom the sun shines.” Or you might consider Onika, which means, “Who is greater than God?”
Want an elegant name for your little girl? Try Adamma, which means “beautiful child;” Amara, which means “grace, mercy, kindness;” Anika, which means “sweet-faced;” Mandisa, which means “sweet;” Nia, which means “purpose;” Zola, which means “calm;” or Zuri, which means “beautiful.” Or you might like Jahzara, which means “blessed princess.”
If your baby girl is born on a specific day of the week or during a particular season, you might consider Aba, which means “born on Thursday;” Abidemi, which means “born during father’s absence;” or Abiona, which means “born during a journey.”
And if this is your first baby girl, you might like Ada, which means “first daughter.”
Popular African Names for Girls
Here are a few of the most popular African girl names in alphabetical order:
Aba
Abeba
Aberash
Abidemi
Abimbola
Abiona
Ada
Adamma
Adefunke, Adefunmike
Adjoa
Aduke
Adzoa, Adzowa
Afiya
Akosiwa
Akua, Akuwa
Alaba
Amara
Ameng
Anaca
Anecky
Anika
Annaka
Anuli
Asaye
Asong
Assibi
Aunika
Awo
Awushi
Ayaan
Ayaba
Ayana
Ayodele
Ayofemi
Babafunmike
Baduwa
Balaraba
Bosede
Chidera, Chidi
Chidinma
Chinagorom
Chinecherem
Chioma
Chukwuebuka
Cleopatra
Deka
Dipuo, Dipuonyane
Ebuka
Echerem
Eshe
Esi
Gugulethu
Hadiza
Hibo
Imani
Jahzara
Kenya
Kesia
Makena
Mandisa
Masego
Nala
Nia
Ola
Onika
Sade
Safiya
Sharik
Taraji
Zendaya
Zola
Zuri
African Boy Names
Do you love nature? You might like Kamari, which means “moon,” or Tau, which means “lion.” Or you might like Cowry, which means “cowrie shell.”
Geography lover? You might consider Kibo, the highest peak in Africa on Mount Kilimanjaro, which means “from the highest mountain peak,” or Zaire, the former name of a country in sub-Saharan Africa (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), which means “person from Zaire, river.”
Political junkie? You might like Obama, like former President Barack Obama, which means “crooked, somewhat bent.”
Maybe you want to choose a religious name for your son? You might consider Abdalla, which means “servant of Allah;” Chima, which means “God knows;” Ike, which means “God will laugh, God laughed;” Imamu, which means “spiritual leader;” Nnamdi, which means “my God is alive;” or Yuusuf, which means “God increases.”
Or you might consider Osiris, as in the Egyptian god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation, which means “God of the Dead or with strong eyesight.”
Want to give your son a strong name worthy of a warrior? Consider Amari, which means “possesses great strength,” or Diallo, which means “bold.”
If your baby boy is born during a particular season, you might consider Abiodun, which means “born during war,” or Abiola, which means “born during a festival.”
Popular African Names for Boys
Here are a few of the most popular African boy names in alphabetical order:
Aadan
Abdalla
Abebe
Abidemi
Abiodun
Abiola
Adelaja
Adeleke
Afro
Aiyetoro
Ajala
Akinlabi
Akintunde
Akinwunmi
Akinyele
Akrong
Amari
Amazu
Ambe
Amenyo
Awotwi
Ayo, Ayomide
Baako
Babafemi
Babatunde
Badu
Bahari
Bahati
Bakari
Balarabe
Bamidele
Bandele
Bomani
Botwe
Cairo
Chi
Chijioke
Chike
Chileogu
Chima, Chimaijem
Chinelo
Chineze
Chinua
Chiumbo
Chukwubuikem
Cowry
Dada
Danasabe
Danjuma
Danladi
Danlami
Diallo
Dubaku
Faraji
Femi
Idir
Ike
Imamu
Jabari
Kamari
Kibo
Kofi
Kwame
Nnamdi
Obama
Omari
Osiris
Scipio
Shaka
Tau
Thandiwe
Umi
Wole
Yared
Yuusuf
Zaire
There are so many beautiful and powerful African names for boys and girls to choose from! I hope you were able to add a few of these to your list! Which was your favorite?
Check out our other baby name lists if you are still on the baby name hunt. Try the coolest girl names, coolest boy names, rare girl names, and powerful boy names for inspiration. Good luck picking out the right one for your baby-to-be!
