Masego f TswanaMeans
"blessings" in Tswana, from
sego "blessed".
Massinissa m Ancient Berber (Latinized), BerberLatinized form of Berber
Masensen meaning
"their lord". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Berber chieftain. He became the first king of Numidia after allying himself with the Roman Republic against Carthage.
Mukami f KikuyuPossibly means
"the one who milks the cows" in Kikuyu.
Munashe m & f ShonaMeans
"with God" in Shona, derived from
ishe meaning "lord, God".
Munyaradzi m ShonaMeans
"comforter, consoler" in Shona, from
nyaradza "to make quiet, to console".
Mwangi m KikuyuMeans
"rapid expansion" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations. The
Mwangi generation started around the beginning of the 20th century and lasted for about 30 years.
Mwenya f & m ChewaFrom the Chewa word for a type of flowering tree (species Breonadia salicina).
Naa f GaFrom a Ga word used as a feminine royal title.
Naliaka f LuhyaMeans
"born during the weeding season", from Luhya
liliaka meaning "weeding".
Nana 4 m & f AkanFrom an Akan word used as a title of a monarch.
Netsai f ShonaFrom Shona
netsa meaning
"trouble, annoy, bother".
Njinga m & f MbunduPossibly from a Bantu root meaning
"to twist, to wrap" (
kujinga in Kimbundu), alluding to the wrapping of the umbilical cord around the neck of the newborn. This name was borne by kings and queens of the African kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo, notably a 17th-century queen of Ndongo who resisted the Portuguese.
Nkruma m & f AkanMeans
"ninth born child" in Akan.
Nnamdi m IgboMeans
"my father is alive" in Igbo. This name is given to a child when it is believed that he is a reincarnation of his grandfather.
Nneka f IgboMeans
"mother is greater" in Igbo.
Nnenna f IgboMeans
"father's mother" in Igbo. This name is given in honour of the child's paternal grandmother.
Nsia m & f AkanMeans
"sixth born child" in Akan.
Nyambura f KikuyuFrom Kikuyu
mbura meaning
"rain". This is the name of one of the nine daughters of
Mumbi in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Nyarai f ShonaFrom Shona
nyara meaning
"be shy, be quiet, be humble".
Obinna m IgboMeans
"heart of the father" in Igbo, from
óbì "heart, mind" and
ńnà "father".
Okafor m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Afor" in Igbo,
Afor being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Ola 3 m & f YorubaFrom Yoruba
ọlà meaning
"wealth" or the related
ọlá meaning
"honour, respect". It is also a short form of names containing those elements.
Rabiu m HausaFrom Arabic
رابع (rābiʿ) meaning
"fourth", a derivative of
أربعة (ʾarbaʿa) meaning "four". It is sometimes added to a given name to indicate the fourth sibling bearing it.
Salisu m HausaFrom Arabic
ثالث (thālith) meaning
"third", sometimes added to a shared given name to indicate the third sibling bearing it.
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning
"name of God", from the roots
שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being
שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of
"God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed
Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor
David.
... [more] Sani 2 m HausaFrom Arabic
ثانٍ (thānin) meaning
"second", a derivative of
اثنان (ithnān) meaning "two". If two or more siblings share the same given name, this name may be appended to that of the second.
Sara f Hebrew, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, Catalan, Galician, Romanian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian, Macedonian, Polish, English, Arabic, Persian, Amharic, Tigrinya, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical LatinForm of
Sarah used in various languages.
Sethunya f TswanaMeans
"bloom, flower" in Tswana, derived from
thunya "to bloom".
Simba 2 m SwahiliMeans
"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.
Tafadzwa m & f ShonaMeans
"we are pleased" in Shona, from
fadza meaning "please, make happy".
Tafari m Amharic (Rare)Possibly means
"he who inspires awe" in Amharic. This name was borne by Lij Tafari Makonnen (1892-1975), also known as Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarians (
Ras Tafari meaning "king Tafari") revere him as the earthly incarnation of God.
Taiwo m & f YorubaMeans
"taste the world, taste life" in Yoruba.
Talatu f HausaFrom Hausa
Talata meaning
"Tuesday" (of Arabic origin).
Tambudzai f ShonaFrom Shona
tambudza meaning
"make trouble, frustrate".
Tanina f BerberFrom the name of a legendary bird, similar to an eagle or a phoenix.
Tatenda m & f ShonaMeans
"thank you" in Shona, from
tenda meaning "thank".
Tau m Tswana, SothoMeans
"lion" in Tswana and Sotho. Tau was the name of the last ruler of the Rolong in South Africa (18th century).
Tendai m & f ShonaFrom Shona
tenda meaning
"be thankful, thank".
Tichaona m ShonaMeans
"we will see" from Shona
ticha "we will" and
ona "see".
Tinashe m & f ShonaMeans
"we are with God", from Shona
ti "we",
na "with" and
ishe "lord, God".
Tumaini f & m SwahiliMeans
"wish, hope" in Swahili, from Arabic
طمع (ṭamiʿa) meaning "to desire".
Uchenna m & f IgboMeans
"wisdom of the father, sense of the father" in Igbo.
Umar m Arabic, Urdu, Uzbek, Tajik, Kyrgyz, Indonesian, HausaMeans
"flourishing, living long" in Arabic, related to Arabic
عمر (ʿumr) meaning "life". Umar was a companion and strong supporter of the Prophet
Muhammad who became the second caliph of the Muslims. He is considered to be one of the great founders of the Muslim state. The name was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Persia, Umar Khayyam.
Unathi m & f XhosaMeans
"he or she is with us" in Xhosa, from the prefix
u- meaning "he, she" and
nathi meaning "with us".
Wafula m LuhyaMeans
"born during the rainy season", from Luhya
ifula meaning "rainy season".
Wairimu f KikuyuFrom Kikuyu
irimũ meaning
"ogre, giant". In the Kikuyu origin legend Wairimu is of one of the nine daughters of
Mumbi.
Wamalwa m LuhyaMeans
"born during the brewing season" in Luhya.
Wambui f KikuyuMeans
"zebra" in Kikuyu. This is one of
Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wangari f KikuyuFrom Kikuyu
ngarĩ meaning
"leopard". In the Kikuyu origin legend this is the name of one of the nine daughters of
Mumbi.
Wangui f KikuyuFrom Kikuyu
ngũi meaning
"song leader". This is one of
Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wanjala m LuhyaMeans
"born during famine", from Luhya
injala meaning "hunger, famine".
Wanjiku f KikuyuMeaning unknown. This is one of
Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wanjiru f KikuyuPossibly from Kikuyu
njĩra meaning
"way, path". In the Kikuyu origin legend this is the name of one of the nine daughters of
Mumbi.
Wanyonyi m LuhyaMeans
"born during the weeding season", from Luhya
enyonyi meaning "weeds".
Yaa f AkanMeans
"born on Thursday" in Akan.
Yared m Biblical Hebrew, EthiopianHebrew form of
Jared. This form is also used in Ethiopia. It was borne by a semi-legendary 6th-century Ethiopian musician who is considered a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Yaw m AkanMeans
"born on Thursday" in Akan.
Yewubdar f AmharicMeans
"beautiful beyond limits" from Amharic
ውብ (wb) meaning "beautiful" and
ዳር (dar) meaning "limit, horizon, frontier, shore".
Zanokuhle f & m Xhosa, ZuluMeans
"come with goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots
za "to come, to approach" and
hle "beautiful, good".
Zawadi f & m SwahiliMeans
"gift" in Swahili, derived from Arabic
زواد (zawād) meaning "provisions".
Zola 2 f & m XhosaFrom the Xhosa root
-zola meaning
"calm".
Zuhura f Swahili, DhivehiMeans
"Venus (planet)" in Swahili and Dhivehi. Both are borrowed from Arabic
الزهرة (al-Zuhara), derived from the root
زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".