150 African baby names for boys and girls

You've come to the right place if you're searching for African baby names for your baby girl or boy. We have 150 names to choose from including common, traditional and beautiful names, along with their origins, meanings and any naming traditions

african baby names

Save

Are you looking for a beautiful African name for your baby? There's a huge range of African names to choose from – after all, there are 54 different African countries, each of them with its own language, unique culture and individual names. To help you choose we've put together a list of 150 rare, common and traditional African names for both girls and boys. Our list includes names that are both long or short, derived from countries all over the continent such as Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya and Somalia.

Ad

In many African countries, baby names are chosen based on which day the child was born and each day has a different meaning for example Monday is associated with peace while Thursday is associated with the earth. Influenced by a mix of Christian, Muslim and Arabic traditions, the majority of these African baby names also religious meanings or links.

Whether you're looking for pretty African names for your little girl or handsome African names for your boy you'll find them below all with their meanings, origins, traditions and longer versions where appropriate.

Here’s our list of the best African baby names to inspire you…

African girl names | African boy names | Common African names | Traditional African names | Beautiful African names

African girl names

african girl names

Whether you're African, have family links to an African country, or you just want a special and unique name from this beautiful continent – there are loads of pretty African girl names to choose from your new daughter. With lovely meanings including flower, peace and joy our list of African names for girls is sure to inspire you.

1. Abeba

2. Aberash

3. Abike

4. Adaeze

5. Alheri

6. Asha

7. Ayaan

8. Bahati

9. Bisola

10. Buhle

11. Businge

12. ChiChi

13. Chiamaka

14. Dalitso

15. Danai

16. Desta

17. Ekene

18. Eniola

19. Femi

20. Hodan

21. Ife

22. Ime

23. Kiitan

24. Lara

25. Nia

26. Lindiwe

27. Makena

28. Mirembe

29. Mukami

30. Neema

31. Nneka

32. Ntombifuthi

33. Omphile

34. Onalerona

35. Rehema

36. Rufaro

37. Sade

38. Sethunya

39. Sola

40. Tolu

41. Uju

42. Upendo

43. Wanangwa

44. Yetunde

45. Yinka

46. Zawadi

African boy names

african boy names

You're spoilt for choice if you need an African boy name for your son with a whole treasure trove of gorgeous names from the many countries that make up this diverse continent. We've listed strong and classic names, plus names with wonderful pronunciations and brilliant meanings such as gift, power, hope and faith.

47. Akachi

48. Akinwunmi

49. Akpofure

50. Alinafe

51. Alemayehu

52. Ayele

53. Babatunde

54. Baraka

55. Bello

56. Boipelo

57. Bongani

58. Chinedu

59. Chukwuemeka

60. Chisomo

61. Dakarai

62. Dayo

63. Dejen

64. Ejike

65. Gadisa

66. Ifa

67. Ifeanyi

68. Ikenna

69. Imani

70. Jango

71. Jimi

72. Kayode

73. Kirabo

74. Kisembo

75. Limbani

76. Lencho

77. Maina

78. Masamba

79. Munashe

80. Njinga

81. Obinna

82. Ochieng

83. Omari

84. Simba

85. Tadesse

86. Takondwa

87. Tesfaye

88. Tunde

89. Udo

90. Wale

91. Wongani

92. Ziri

93. Zola

Common African names

common african names

Many of the names in this next list are ones you'll have heard before because they are common in certain cultures and countries and are given to many babies in Africa each year. If you like to be on-trend and stick to what's known and loved when it comes to baby names then these are the names for you.

94. Ade

95. Amadi

96. Andile

97. Ayo

98. Dami

99. Kelechi

100. Nana

101. Ngozi

102. Nqobile

103. Thandi

104. Tafadzwa

105. Tatenda

106. Temi

107. Tinashe

108. Uche

109. Yemi

Traditional African names

traditional african names

If you're looking for an African baby name that has strong roots in a certain culture and goes back multiple generations then one of these traditional names could be the perfect choice. These names have been used in African countries for many decades. Many of them are associated with the day of the week a child is born or whether they're a first or second-born child or twin. Great for first or middle names, here's our pick of African baby names that have been used throughout history and are still loved today.

110. Adwoa

111. Ama

112. Alaba

113. Afua

114. Akinyi

115. Akwete

116. Akwetee

117. Atu

118. Boluwatife

119. Esi

120. Idowu

121. Kehinde

122. Mwanajuma

123. Kojo

124. Kwabena

125. Taiwo

126. Yaa

Beautiful African names

beautiful african names

Our list of African baby names wouldn’t be complete without a selection of beautiful girl’s names. With lovely pronunciations and charming meanings, these African first names have a lot going for them and are worth considering if you’re expecting a little girl.

127. Abena

128. Adeola

129. Ameena

130. Chidimma

131. Damini

132. Derinsola

133. Farai

134. Fife

135. Funmi

136. Gbemi

137. Idia

138. Ifeoma

139. Imisi

140. Lola

141. Palesa

142. Rumbi

143. Simisola

144. Tadala

145. Ntombi

146. Nnenna

147. Onyinye

148. Yamikani

149. Yewande

150. Zuri

Pics: Getty Images

Read more:

Ad

Authors

Janet MtimaDigital Journalist

Janet is a Digital Journalist for MadeForMums and mother to a boy and girl both under 4. With a keen eye and passion for creating online media content, she enjoys sharing her own journey of motherhood, and providing encouragement for new mums.

Ad

Ad

Loading...

Ad

Loading...