138 African Baby Names for Boys and Girls

Looking for a name that connects with your family? These African baby names for girls and boys offer ideas to consider for your little one.

Updated September 5, 2026

by Lauren Flake

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In This Article

66 African Girl Names
73 African Boy Names

Whether you are honoring your heritage or simply love the sound of a name, learning where it comes from can make the choice more personal. Africa is home to many languages and naming traditions. Among the names below, Ayodele is Yoruba, Hibo is Somali, and Tau is used in Sotho and Tswana.^1,2,3

Alongside given names from African naming traditions, this collection includes surnames, place-inspired choices, and names associated with African history. You may recognize some from your own family or come across names you haven’t considered before. The lists are alphabetical to make favorites easier to find, and some names are used for more than one gender.

Abidemi appears in both lists; the total counts each name once.

66 African Girl Names

1. Aba

2. Abeba

3. Aberash

4. Abidemi

5. Abimbola

6. Abiona

7. Ada

8. Adamma

9. Adefunke

10. Adefunmike

11. Adjoa

12. Aduke

13. Adzoa

14. Adzowa

15. Afiya

16. Akosiwa

17. Akua

18. Akuwa

19. Alaba

20. Amara

21. Anika

22. Anuli

23. Assibi

24. Awo

25. Awushi

26. Ayaan

27. Ayaba

28. Ayana

29. Ayodele

30. Ayofemi

31. Babafunmike

32. Baduwa

33. Balaraba

34. Bosede

35. Chidera

36. Chidi

37. Chidinma

38. Chinagorom

39. Chinecherem

40. Chinelo

41. Chioma

42. Cleopatra

43. Deka

44. Dipuo

45. Dipuonyane

46. Echerem

47. Eshe

48. Esi

49. Gugulethu

50. Hadiza

51. Hibo

52. Imani

53. Kenya

54. Makena

55. Mandisa

56. Masego

57. Nala

58. Nia

59. Ola

60. Sade

61. Safiya

62. Taraji

63. Thandiwe

64. Zendaya

65. Zola

66. Zuri

73 African Boy Names

1. Aadan

2. Abdalla

3. Abebe

4. Abidemi

5. Abiodun

6. Abiola

7. Adelaja

8. Adeleke

9. Aiyetoro

10. Ajala

11. Akinlabi

12. Akintunde

13. Akinwunmi

14. Akinyele

15. Akrong

16. Amari

17. Amazu

18. Ambe

19. Amenyo

20. Awotwi

21. Ayo

22. Ayomide

23. Baako

24. Babafemi

25. Babatunde

26. Badu

27. Bahari

28. Bahati

29. Bakari

30. Balarabe

31. Bamidele

32. Bandele

33. Bomani

34. Botwe

35. Cairo

36. Chi

37. Chijioke

38. Chike

39. Chileogu

40. Chima

41. Chimaijem

42. Chineze

43. Chinua

44. Chiumbo

45. Chukwubuikem

46. Chukwuebuka

47. Dada

48. Danasabe

49. Danjuma

50. Danladi

51. Danlami

52. Diallo

53. Dubaku

54. Ebuka

55. Faraji

56. Femi

57. Idir

58. Ike

59. Imamu

60. Jabari

61. Kibo

62. Kofi

63. Kwame

64. Nnamdi

65. Obama

66. Omari

67. Osiris

68. Shaka

69. Tau

70. Wole

71. Yared

72. Yuusuf

73. Zaire

Before settling on a name, learn how it is pronounced in the language it comes from and try saying it with your baby’s middle and last names. If you are choosing from your own heritage, talking with relatives may bring a family name or story into the decision. Give yourself time to live with your favorites as you picture calling your little one by them.

For more naming ideas, visit our Baby Names Hub or read our lists of Arabic baby names, Hebrew baby names, and Indian baby names.

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Woman with long blond hair wearing large gold leaf earrings and a teal top, smiling outdoors with greenery in the background.

Lauren Flake

Lauren Flake is a wife, mom to two girls, watercolor artist, seventh-generation Texan, and early-onset Alzheimer's daughter. She is the author and co-illustrator of two award-winning children's books for grieving preschoolers, Where Did My Sweet Grandma Go? and Where Did My Sweet Grandpa Go?, and the editor of Love of Dixie magazine. She loves green tea, dark chocolate, and collecting all things turquoise.

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