Names in South Africa

This is a list of names in which the place is South Africa.
gender
usage
place
Amahle m & f Zulu
Means "the beautiful ones" in Zulu.
Amogelang m & f Tswana
Derived from Tswana amogela meaning "welcome, accept".
Anaclet m French (African)
French form of Anacletus, most common in Francophone Africa.
Andile m & f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "they have increased" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.
Ayanda m & f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "they are increasing" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.
Bandile m & f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "they have increased" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.
Banele m & f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Swazi
Means "it is enough" in Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi.
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.
Boipelo m & f Tswana
Means "joy, rejoicing" in Tswana, from ipela meaning "to rejoice".
Boitumelo f & m Tswana
Means "joy" in Tswana, from itumela meaning "to be happy".
Bongani m Zulu
Means "grateful, thankful" in Zulu.
Bonolo f Sotho
Means "ease" in Sotho.
Braam m Afrikaans
Afrikaans short form of Abraham.
Buhle f & m Xhosa, Ndebele
From Xhosa and Ndebele buhle "beautiful, handsome", from the root hle.
Charlize f Afrikaans
Feminine form of Charles using the popular Afrikaans name suffix ize. This name was popularized by South African actress Charlize Theron (1975-), who was named after her father Charles.
Chrizanne f Afrikaans
Combination of Christine and Anne 1 used in South Africa.
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.
Dikeledi f Tswana
Means "tears" in Tswana.
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.
Dumi m Zulu, Ndebele
Short form of Dumisani.
Dumisani m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "praise" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Enzokuhle m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "to do good" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots enza "to do" and hle "beautiful, good".
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.
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.
Gugulethu f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
From Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele igugu "treasure, pride" and lethu "our".
Hlengiwe f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Swazi
Means "helped, rescued, redeemed" in Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi.
Iminathi f Zulu
Means "he stands with us" in Zulu.
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]
Itumeleng m & f Tswana
Means "be happy" in Tswana, from itumela meaning "to be happy".
Johnson m English (African)
From an English surname meaning "son of John". As a given name, it is most common in English-speaking Africa.
Kabelo m Sotho, Tswana
Means "allotment, share, gift" in Sotho and Tswana.
Kagiso m & f Tswana
Means "peace" in Tswana.
Karabo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "answer" in Sotho and Tswana.
Katlego m & f Tswana
Means "success, prosperity" in Tswana.
Katleho m & f Sotho
Means "success, prosperity" in Sotho.
Kefilwe m & f Tswana
Means "I was given" in Tswana, derived from filwe "given".
Keitumetse f & m Tswana
Means "I am happy" in Tswana, from itumetse meaning "happy".
Kelebogile f & m Tswana
Means "I am thankful" in Tswana, derived from leboga "to be thankful, to thank".
Kgosi m Tswana
Means "king, chief" in Tswana.
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]
Lebogang m & f Tswana
Means "be thankful" in Tswana.
Lebohang m & f Sotho
Means "be thankful" in Sotho.
Lerato f & m Sotho
Means "love" in Sotho.
Lesedi f & m Tswana
Means "light" in Tswana.
Lesego m & f Tswana
Means "luck, blessing" in Tswana, from sego "blessed".
Lethabo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "joy, happiness" in Sotho and Tswana.
Lethokuhle f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "bring goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots letha "to bring" and hle "beautiful, good".
Lindiwe f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Swazi
Means "waited for, awaited" in Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi, from linda "to wait".
Lisakhanya f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "still shining" in Xhosa and Zulu, from the roots sa "still, continuing" and khanya "to shine".
Longin m Polish, French (African)
Polish and French form of Longinus. As a French given name, it is most common in Francophone Africa.
Lovemore m Southern African
From the English words love and more. This name is most common in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the south of Africa.
Lubanzi m & f Xhosa, Zulu
Means "it is wide" in Xhosa and Zulu, from the phrase uthando lubanzi "love is wide".
Lungile f & m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "correct, right, good" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Lwandle m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "ocean" in Zulu and Xhosa.
Mandla m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "strength, power" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Mandlenkosi m Zulu, Ndebele
From Zulu and Ndebele amandla "strength, power" and inkosi "king, chief".
Marietjie f Afrikaans
Afrikaans diminutive of Maria.
Masego f Tswana
Means "blessings" in Tswana, from sego "blessed".
Mbalenhle f Zulu
From Zulu imbali "flower" and hle "beautiful".
Mbali f Zulu
Means "flower" in Zulu.
Melisizwe m Xhosa
Means "leader of the nation" in Xhosa.
Melokuhle f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "stand for goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots mela "to stand for, to represent" and hle "beautiful, good".
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.
Minenhle f & m Zulu
From Zulu imini "day" and hle "beautiful".
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.
Mpho m & f Tswana, Sotho
Means "gift" in Tswana and Sotho, a derivative of fa "to offer".
Neo 1 f & m Tswana
Means "gift" in Tswana, a derivative of naya "to give".
Nkazimulo m & f Zulu
Means "glory, brightness" in Zulu.
Nkosana m Xhosa
Means "prince" in Xhosa.
Nkosazana f Xhosa
Means "princess" in Xhosa.
Nolene f Afrikaans
Elaborated form of Nola, most commonly found in South Africa.
Nomusa f Ndebele
Means "merciful" in Ndebele.
Nonhle f Xhosa
From the Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with hle "beautiful".
Nontle f Xhosa
Variant of Nonhle.
Nosipho f Zulu, Xhosa
From the Zulu and Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with isipho "gift".
Nosizwe f Xhosa
From the Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with isizwe "nation".
Noxolo f Xhosa, Ndebele
From the Xhosa and Ndebele feminine prefix no- combined with uxolo "peace".
Nqobile f & m Zulu
Means "they conquered" in Zulu, from nqoba "to conquer".
Ntombi f Zulu
Means "girl" in Zulu.
Ntombifuthi f Zulu
Means "a girl again" in Zulu.
Ntombizodwa f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "only girls", from Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele intombi "girl" and zodwa "only".
Okuhle f & m Zulu, Xhosa
Means "that which is beautiful, that which is good" in Zulu and Xhosa.
Omphile f & m Tswana, Sotho
Means "he has given" in Tswana and Sotho.
Onalerona f & m Tswana, Sotho
Means "he is with us" in Tswana and Sotho.
Palesa f Sotho
Means "flower" in Sotho.
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.
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.
Puleng f Sotho
Means "in the rain" in Sotho.
Refilwe m & f Tswana
Means "we were given" in Tswana, derived from filwe "given".
Rethabile f & m Sotho
Means "we are happy" in Sotho.
Sandile m Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "we increased" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele, from anda "to increase".
Sethunya f Tswana
Means "bloom, flower" in Tswana, derived from thunya "to bloom".
Sibonakaliso m & f Zulu
From Zulu isibonakaliso meaning "sign, token, proof".
Sibongile f Zulu, Ndebele
Means "we are thankful" in Zulu and Ndebele, from bonga "to thank".
Sibusisiwe f Ndebele
Means "we are blessed" in Ndebele.
Sibusiso m Zulu, Swazi, Ndebele
Means "blessed" in Zulu, Swazi and Ndebele, from busisa "to bless".
Sifiso m Zulu
Means "wish" in Zulu.
Sipho m Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "gift" from Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele isipho.
Siphosethu m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "our gift" in Zulu and Xhosa.
Sithembile f & m Zulu
Means "we trust" in Zulu.
Siyabonga m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "we thank you" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Sizwe m Xhosa
Means "nation" in Xhosa.
Tau m Tswana, Sotho
Means "lion" in Tswana and Sotho. Tau was the name of the last ruler of the Rolong in South Africa (18th century).
Tebogo f & m Tswana
Means "gratitude, thanks" in Tswana.
Teboho m Sotho
Means "gratitude" in Sotho.
Thabang m & f Tswana
Means "be happy" in Tswana.
Thabani m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "be happy" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Thabo m Sotho, Tswana
Means "joy, happiness" in Sotho and Tswana.
Thandeka f Zulu, Ndebele
Means "loved" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Thandi f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
Short form of Thandiwe.
Thandiwe f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
Means "loving one" in Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele, from thanda "to love".
Thando m & f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
From Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele thanda meaning "to love".
Thandolwethu f & m Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele, Swazi
Means "our love" in Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele and Swazi, from thanda "to love".
Thato m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "will, desire" in Sotho and Tswana.
Themba m Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "trust, hope" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.
Thulani m Zulu
Means "be quiet, be peaceful" in Zulu.
Thulile f Zulu
Means "quiet, peaceful" in Zulu.
Tjaart m Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of Tjaard.
Tshepo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "hope" in Sotho and Tswana.
Tsholofelo f Tswana
Means "hope, expectation" in Tswana.
Tumelo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "faith" in Sotho and Tswana.
Tumisang m & f Tswana
Means "give praise, glorify" in Tswana.
Unathi m & f Xhosa
Means "he or she is with us" in Xhosa, from the prefix u- meaning "he, she" and nathi meaning "with us".
Xolani m Zulu
Means "peace" in Zulu.
Zandile f Zulu
Means "they have increased" in Zulu.
Zanokuhle f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "come with goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots za "to come, to approach" and hle "beautiful, good".
Zephania m Southern African, Eastern African
Variant of Zephaniah. This form of the name appears to be used in southern and eastern Africa.
Zodwa f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Short form of Ntombizodwa.
Zola 2 f & m Xhosa
From the Xhosa root -zola meaning "calm".