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African names: Akan, Igbo, Yoruba, Swahili and more
Names from West and East Africa: Akan day names from Ghana, Igbo and Yoruba names from Nigeria and Swahili names from Kenya and Tanzania. 199 names so far, each with its own page, story and name art.
Abacar
may mean “as Abu Bakr”
Arabic, via Portuguese and Swahili
Abdou
“servant”
Arabic, via Wolof
Abebi
“we asked for her and she came”
Yoruba
Abena
may mean “born on Tuesday”
Akan
Abeni
may mean “we asked for her, and she came”
Yoruba
Adaeze
may mean “king's daughter, princess”
Igbo
Adaobi
“first daughter of the family”
Igbo
Adaora
“daughter of the people”
Igbo
Addo
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Germanic, Akan
Ade
“crown, royalty”
Yoruba
Adebayo
“royalty came with joy”
Yoruba
Adebola
“the crown meets wealth”
Yoruba
Adediran
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Adedire
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Adedure
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Adegbamigbe
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Adegbemibu
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Adejugbe
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Adejuyigbe
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Adekugbe
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Adeola
“crown of wealth”
Yoruba
Adesola
“the crown makes wealth”
Yoruba
Adio
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Adisa
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Adjoa
“born on Monday”
Akan
Adubi
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Adunni
may mean “sweet to have”
Yoruba
Adwoa
“born on Monday”
Akan
Afia
“born on Friday”
Akan
Afolabi
“born into wealth and honour”
Yoruba
Aganju
may mean “name of an orisha”
Yoruba
Agbaakin
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Aissata
“alive, living”
Fulani, from Arabic
Aissatou
may mean “alive, living”
Fulani and Wolof, from Arabic
Ajadi
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ajagbe
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ajaja
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ajala
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ajani
may mean “he who wins after a struggle”
Yoruba
Ajayi
may mean “born face down”
Yoruba
Akachi
“hand of God”
Igbo
Akanni
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Akin
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Turkish and Yoruba
Akosua
“born on Sunday”
Akan
Akua
“born on Wednesday”
Akan
Alaba
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Alabi
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Aladegbuji
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Aladejana
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Aladelusi
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Aladesanmi
may mean “crown +”
Yoruba
Ama
“born on Saturday”
Akan
Amani
“peace”
Swahili and Arabic
Amara
may mean “grace”
Igbo, also Sanskrit and Latin
Amarachi
“grace of God”
Igbo
Amari
may mean “strength; or eternal”
Yoruba, Swahili or Hebrew
Asha
“hope”
Sanskrit and Swahili
Atanda
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ato
“born on Saturday”
Fante (Akan)
Awa
“living”
Arabic, via Wolof
Awobuluyi
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Awodiran
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Awoyale
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ayandiran
may mean “drum +”
Yoruba
Ayo
“joy”
Yoruba
Ayodele
“joy has come home”
Yoruba
Ayomide
“my joy has come”
Yoruba
Baako
“first-born”
Akan
Babajide
“father has returned”
Yoruba
Babatunde
“father has returned”
Yoruba
Bahati
“luck, good fortune”
Swahili
Baraka
“blessing”
Arabic and Swahili
Binta
“daughter”
Arabic, via Fula and Mandinka
Bisi
may mean “wealth has multiplied”
Yoruba
Bode
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Germanic, Yoruba
Bolanle
“found wealth at home”
Yoruba
Chiamaka
may mean “God is beautiful”
Igbo
Chibuike
“God is strength”
Igbo
Chidi
“God exists”
Igbo
Chidinma
“God is good”
Igbo
Chinedu
“God leads”
Igbo
Chinonso
“God is near”
Igbo
Chinwe
“God owns”
Igbo
Chioma
“good God, good chi”
Igbo
Chukwuemeka
“God has done great things”
Igbo
Damilola
“bless me with wealth”
Yoruba
Ebele
“mercy, kindness”
Igbo
Ebo
“born on Tuesday”
Akan (Fante)
Ebuka
“God is great”
Igbo
Efua
“born on Friday”
Akan
Ekene
“praise, thanksgiving”
Igbo
Ekua
“born on Wednesday”
Akan
Emeka
“God has done great things”
Igbo
Enitan
“person of a story”
Yoruba
Esi
may mean “born on Sunday”
Akan
Ezinne
“good mother”
Igbo
Faraji
“consolation, relief”
Swahili, from Arabic
Fatou
Read its story
Arabic, via Wolof and Mandinka
Fatuma
“to abstain”
Arabic, via Swahili
Femi
“God loves me”
Yoruba
Folake
“pampered with wealth”
Yoruba
Folasade
“honour confers a crown”
Yoruba
Funmilayo
“give me joy”
Yoruba
Gbenga
“God lifts me up”
Yoruba
Ibidun
“birth is sweet”
Yoruba
Idowu
“child born after twins”
Yoruba
Ifabunmi
“Ifá gave me”
Yoruba
Ifadiran
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ifalaye
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ifamakinde
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Ifeanyi
“nothing is impossible”
Igbo
Ifedayo
“love has become joy”
Yoruba
Ifeoma
“good thing, beautiful thing”
Igbo
Ifunanya
“love”
Igbo
Ijeoma
“good journey, safe travels”
Igbo
Imani
“faith”
Swahili, from Arabic
Ireti
“hope”
Yoruba
Jabari
may mean “brave, fearless”
Swahili, from Arabic
Jelani
may mean “mighty, great”
Swahili
Johari
“jewel”
Swahili
Juma
“born on Friday”
Arabic and Swahili
Kayode
“he brought joy”
Yoruba
Kehinde
“the second-born twin”
Yoruba
Kelechi
“thank God”
Igbo
Kemi
may mean “God pampers me”
Yoruba
Kijana
“youth, young person”
Swahili
Kobina
“born on Tuesday”
Akan (Fante)
Kofi
“born on Friday”
Akan
Kojo
“born on Monday”
Akan
Kosisochukwu
“as it pleases God”
Igbo
Kunle
may mean “fills the home”
Yoruba
Kwabena
“born on Tuesday”
Akan
Kwadwo
“born on Monday”
Akan
Kwaku
“born on Wednesday”
Akan
Kwame
“born on Saturday”
Akan
Kwasi
“born on Sunday”
Akan
Kwesi
“born on Sunday”
Akan
Malaika
“angel”
Swahili
Morayo
“I have found joy”
Yoruba
Muyiwa
may mean “short form”
Yoruba
Nana
“grandparent, chief”
Akan and Hebrew
Ndèye
“mother”
Wolof
Neema
“grace, blessing”
Swahili, from Arabic
Ngozi
“blessing”
Igbo
Nia
may mean “purpose”
Swahili, Welsh
Nkechi
“what God gave”
Igbo
Nnamdi
“my father is alive”
Igbo
Obi
“heart”
Igbo
Obiageli
“one who has come to enjoy”
Igbo
Obinna
“father's heart”
Igbo
Ogundare
may mean “linked with Ogun”
Yoruba
Ogunde
may mean “linked with Ogun”
Yoruba
Ogundele
may mean “linked with Ogun”
Yoruba
Ogundepo
may mean “linked with Ogun”
Yoruba
Ogundiran
may mean “linked with Ogun”
Yoruba
Ogunmoriyele
may mean “linked with Ogun”
Yoruba
Ogunoye
may mean “linked with Ogun”
Yoruba
Oguntuyi
may mean “linked with Ogun”
Yoruba
Oladele
“wealth has come home”
Yoruba
Olamide
“my wealth has come”
Yoruba
Olu
may mean “lord, God”
Yoruba
Oluchi
“God's work”
Igbo
Olufemi
“God loves me”
Yoruba
Olugbodi
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Olumide
“my Lord has come”
Yoruba
Oluwadamilare
“God has justified me”
Yoruba
Oluwaseun
“we thank God”
Yoruba
Oluwatobi
“God is great”
Yoruba
Omari
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Swahili and Arabic
Omidiran
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Yoruba
Rehema
“mercy, compassion”
Swahili, from Arabic
Rotimi
may mean “stay with me”
Yoruba
Sade
“honour confers a crown”
Yoruba
Shani
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Hebrew and Swahili
Simba
“lion”
Swahili
Somto
“join me in praising God”
Igbo
Taiwo
“first to taste the world”
Yoruba
Tatu
“third born”
Finnish, Swahili
Temitope
“mine is worthy of thanks”
Yoruba
Timi
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
Finnish, Hungarian and Yoruba
Tobenna
“praise the Father”
Igbo
Tolu
“belongs to God”
Yoruba
Tolulope
“praise belongs to God”
Yoruba
Tumaini
“hope”
Swahili
Tunde
“has returned”
Yoruba
Uche
“will, thought; God's will”
Igbo
Uchenna
“God's will, God's thought”
Igbo
Ugochi
“God's eagle, God's glory”
Igbo
Uzoma
“good road, good way”
Igbo
Waridi
“rose”
Swahili
Yaa
“born on Thursday”
Akan
Yaw
“born on Thursday”
Akan
Yetunde
“mother has returned”
Yoruba
Yewande
“mother has returned”
Yoruba
Zakaria
“Yahweh has remembered”
Hebrew, via Swahili
Zakayo
“pure”
Hebrew, via Swahili
Zawadi
“gift”
Swahili
Zikora
“show the world”
Igbo
Zuri
“beautiful, good”
Swahili