Names in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Aisha f Arabic, Urdu, Hausa, Swahili, Kazakh, African American
Means "living, alive" in Arabic. This was the name of Muhammad's third wife, the daughter of Abu Bakr. Some time after Muhammad's death she went to war against Ali, the fourth caliph, but was defeated. Her name is used more by Sunni Muslims and less by Shias.... [more]

Amina 1 f Arabic, Bosnian, Tatar, Bashkir, Chechen, Ingush, Kazakh, Urdu, Swahili, Hausa
Derived from Arabic أمن (ʾamina) meaning "safe, secure". This was the name of the Prophet Muhammad's mother, who died when he was young.

Anaclet m French (African)
French form of Anacletus, most common in Francophone Africa.

Asha 2 f Swahili
From Swahili ishi meaning "live, exist", derived from Arabic عاش (ʿāsha).

Ashura f Swahili
From the name of an Islamic holy day that commemorates the death of Husayn ibn Ali. It is so named because it falls on the tenth day of Muharram, deriving from Arabic عشرة (ʿashara) meaning "ten".

Bahati f & m Swahili
Means "luck, good fortune" in Swahili, ultimately from Persian بخت (bakht).

Bakari m Swahili
From the Swahili name for the constellation Boötes.

Baraka m Swahili
Means "blessing" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic بركة (baraka).

Bijou f & m French (African)
Means "jewel" in French. It is mostly used in French-speaking Africa.

Blessing m & f English (African)
From the English word blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.

Chausiku f Swahili
Means "born at night" in Swahili.

Comfort f English (African)
From the English word comfort, ultimately from Latin confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It is now most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Dorcas f Biblical, English (African)
Derived from Greek δορκάς (dorkas) meaning "gazelle". This is the Greek translation of the name Tabitha in the New Testament (see Acts 9:36). At present it is most commonly used in English-speaking Africa.

Eshe f Swahili
Variant of Asha 2.

Fadhili m Swahili
Means "kindness, favour" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic.

Faraji m Swahili
Means "consolation" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic فرج (faraj).

Favour m & f English (African)
From the English word favour, ultimately from Latin faveo "to favour". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Friday m English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English frigedæg meaning "Frig's day". Daniel Defoe used it for a character in his novel Robinson Crusoe (1719). As a given name, it is most often found in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria and Zambia.

Furaha f Swahili
Means "joy, happiness" in Swahili, borrowed from Arabic فرح (fariḥa).

Gift m & f English (African)
From the English word gift, of Old Norse origin. This name is most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Gifty f English (African)
From the English word gift. This name is most common in Ghana in Africa.

Hadija f Swahili
Swahili form of Khadija.

Halima f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Hausa, Swahili
Feminine form of Halim. Halima was the name of the foster mother of the Prophet Muhammad.

Hamisi m Swahili
From Swahili Alhamisi meaning "Thursday", from Arabic الخميس (al-khamīs), itself derived from خمسة (khamsa) meaning "five".

Hawa f Arabic, Swahili
Arabic form of Eve.

Ibrahim m Arabic, Malay, Indonesian, Pashto, Urdu, Kazakh, Tatar, Bashkir, Avar, Bosnian, Dhivehi, Albanian, Hausa, Swahili
Arabic form of Abraham, also used in several other languages. This form appears in the Quran.

Imamu m Swahili
Means "spiritual leader" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic إمام (ʾimām).

Imani f & m Swahili, African American
Means "faith" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic إيمان (ʾīmān).

Innocent m History (Ecclesiastical), English (African)
From the Late Latin name Innocentius, which was derived from innocens "innocent". This was the name of several early saints. It was also borne by 13 popes including Innocent III, a politically powerful ruler and organizer of the Fourth Crusade.... [more]

Jengo m Swahili (Rare)
Means "building" in Swahili.

Johnson m English (African)
From an English surname meaning "son of John". As a given name, it is most common in English-speaking Africa.

Juma m Arabic, Pashto, Swahili
Means "Friday" or "week" in Arabic.

Jumanne m Swahili
Means "Tuesday" in Swahili.

Kibwe m Kongo
Meaning unknown.

Lazarus m Biblical, Biblical Latin, English (African)
Latinized form of Λάζαρος (Lazaros), a Greek form of Eleazar used in the New Testament. Lazarus was a man from Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha, who was restored to life by Jesus.... [more]

Longin m Polish, French (African)
Polish and French form of Longinus. As a French given name, it is most common in Francophone Africa.

Malaika f Swahili
Means "angel" in Swahili, derived from Arabic ملك (malak).

Mariamu f Swahili
Swahili form of Miriam.

Marijani m Swahili
Means "coral" in Swahili, originally a borrowing from Arabic مرْجان (marjān).

Memory f English (African)
From the English word memory, ultimately from Latin memor "mindful, remembering". This name is most common in Malawi, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.

Mohamed m Arabic, Dhivehi, Swahili
Alternate transcription of Arabic محمّد (see Muhammad) chiefly used in Egypt and Algeria. This is also the usual Dhivehi and Swahili form.

Monday m & f English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.

Mosi f & m Swahili
Means "first (child)" in Swahili.

Mwajuma f Swahili
Contracted form of Mwanajuma.

Mwanahamisi f Swahili
Means "child born on Thursday" in Swahili.

Mwanahawa f Swahili
Combination of Swahili mwana meaning "child" and the name Hawa.

Mwanaidi f Swahili
Means "child born during the festival" in Swahili.

Mwanaisha f Swahili
Combination of Swahili mwana meaning "child" and the name Aisha.

Mwanajuma f Swahili
Means "child born on Friday" in Swahili.

Neema f Swahili
Means "divine grace" in Swahili, from Arabic نعمة (niʿma) meaning "blessing".

Nia 2 f Swahili, African American
Means "purpose, aim" in Swahili, borrowed from Arabic نيّة (nīya).

Nuru f Swahili
Means "light" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr).

Omari m Swahili
Meaning uncertain, possibly a Swahili variant of Umar.

Peace f English (African)
From the English word peace, ultimately derived from Latin pax. This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Pendo f Swahili
Variant of Upendo.

Pili 2 f Swahili
Means "second (child)" in Swahili.

Praise f & m English (African)
From the English word praise, which is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Late Latin preciare, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth". This name is most common in English-speaking Africa.

Precious f English (African), African American (Modern)
From the English word precious, ultimately derived from Latin pretiosus, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth".

Promise f & m English (African)
From the English word promise, from Latin promissum. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Rajabu m Swahili
Swahili form of Rajab.

Ramadhani m Swahili
Swahili form of Ramadan.

Rehema f Swahili
Means "mercy, compassion" in Swahili, from Arabic رحْمة (raḥma).

Sauda f Swahili
Meaning uncertain, possibly a variant of Sawda.

Sefu m Swahili
Possibly a Swahili form of Saif.

Shabani m Swahili
Swahili form of Shaban.

Simba 2 m Swahili
Means "lion" in Swahili. This is the name of the main character in the Disney movie The Lion King (1994), about a lion cub who exiles himself after his father is murdered.

Subira f Swahili
Means "patience" in Swahili, from Arabic صبر (ṣabara).

Tatu 2 f Swahili
Means "third (child)" in Swahili.

Tumaini f & m Swahili
Means "wish, hope" in Swahili, from Arabic طمع (ṭamiʿa) meaning "to desire".

Uhuru m Swahili
Means "freedom" in Swahili.

Upendo f Swahili
Means "love" in Swahili.

Zainabu f Swahili, Hausa
Swahili and Hausa form of Zaynab.

Zawadi f & m Swahili
Means "gift" in Swahili, derived from Arabic زواد (zawād) meaning "provisions".

Zuberi m Swahili
Swahili form of Zubair.

Zuhura f Swahili, Dhivehi
Means "Venus (planet)" in Swahili and Dhivehi. Both are borrowed from Arabic الزهرة (al-Zuhara), derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".

Zuri f Swahili
Means "beautiful" in Swahili.