Eastern African Submitted Names

Eastern African names include those from Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. See also about African names.

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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.

Warsan f Somali
Means "good news", derived from Somali war meaning "news" combined with the Somali feminine name suffix -san, itself a derivative of Somali wanaagsan meaning "good". A notable bearer of this name is Warsan Shire (1988-), a British writer, poet, editor and teacher of Somali descent.

Warũgũrũ f Kikuyu
Means "the one from the west" in Kikuyu.

Waseme f Swahili
Means "let them talk" in Swahili.

Wawira f Kikuyu
Means "the worker" in Kikuyu.

Wawuda f Eastern African
Means "one who is satisfied" in Taita.

Weheliye m Somali
Means "companion" in Somali.

Weldab m Eastern African
Eritrean given name of uncertain meaning. It might possibly be a variant or alternate transcription of Woldeab.

Weransia f Chaga
Means "hope" in Chagga.

Were m Luo

Werede m Amharic
Means "he descended" in Amharic.

Werik'i f Eastern African, Amharic
Means "gold" in Amharic.

Wetati f Amharic
Means “youthful” in Amharic.

Wibi f Amharic
Means "elegant" in Amharic.

Widdineh m Amharic
Means "you are dear" in Amharic.

Widi f Amharic
Means "precious" in Amharic.

Wiha f Amharic
Means "water" in Amharic.

Winta f Amharic, Tigrinya
Means "desire, dream gift" in Amharic and "need" in Tigrinya.

Wodaje m Amharic
Means "my friend" in Amharic.

Wokabi f Kikuyu

Woldeab m Eastern African, Tigrinya
Eritrean given name, of which the meaning is as of yet unknown.... [more]

Woldemariam m Amharic
Means "child of Mary" in Amharic. A notable bearer of this name is Yosef Wolde-Mariam, a member of the Norwegian musical duo Madcon.

Wondim m Amharic
Means "brother" in Amharic.

Wondimagegnenu m Amharic
Means "I have found a brother" in Amharic.

Wongel f Amharic
Amharic word for "gospel," commonly chosen by Christian families

Worb-a m Sidamo
Means "brave" in Sidama.

Woubishet m Amharic
Means "beautiful young grain" in Amharic.

Wubete f Ethiopian, African

Xaabsade m Somali
Means "keeper" in Somali.

Xaadsan f Somali
Means "cute" in Somali.

Xaaji m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Haji.

Xaawa f Somali
Variant of Xaawo.

Xalane m Somali

Xaliimo f Somali
Somali form of Halima.

Xalwo f Somali
Means "sweet" in Somali. It is the name of a Somali dessert.

Xamiid m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Hamid 1 or Hamid 2.

Xamse m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Hamza.

Xamza m Somali
Somali form of Hamza.

Xanaan f Somali
Somali form of Hanan 2.

Xandulle m Somali
Xandulle is a Somali name

Xareed m Somali
Means "rain" in Somali.

Xasna f Somali
Somali form of Hasna.

Xassan m Somali
Variant of Xasan.

Xawa f Somali (Rare)
Variant of Xaawo.

Xawo f Somali
Variant of Xaawo.

Xiddig f Somali
Means "star" in Somali.

Xidig m Somali
Means "star" in Somali.

Xirsi m Somali
This Somali name means "safeguard." The word xirsi also means "safeguard." The x in Somali is a voiceless pharyngeal fricative, a throaty sound that is not present in English. Somalis outside of Somalia may spell the name as HIRSI or HERSI.

Xuseen m Somali
Somali form of Husayn.

Xusen m Somali
Variant of Xuseen.

Yaasiin m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Yasin.

Yaasmiin f Somali
Somali form of Yasmin.

Yabaal m Somali
Meaning: Yabaal generally means "one who is ambitious" or "strives for success."... [more]

Yabets m Amharic
Means “sorrowful, born in pain” in Amharic.

Yacob m Ethiopian
Form of Jacob used in Ethiopia.

Yacquub m Somali
A Somali form of Yaqub.

Yafiet m Ethiopian

Yahye m Somali
Somali form of Yahya.

Yakobo m Swahili
Swahili form of Jacob or James.

Yäm'ata m Eastern African
Ethiopian variant of Adimata.

Yar f Dinka
Refers to a specific kind of cow in Dinka.

Yashimmabet f Amharic
Means "mistress of a thousand" in Amharic.

Yashuuca m Somali (?)
Somali form of Joshua.

Yasinta f Indonesian, Javanese, Swahili
Most likely an elaboration of Sinta. Indonesian model Yasinta Aurellia is a well-known bearer.

Yasmiin f Somali
Somali form of Yasmin.

Yaso f Eastern African, Central African

Yasoy m Eastern African
Potential variant of Youssou.

Yaxye m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of Yahya. This spelling is used in Somalia.

Yayehirad f Amharic
Means "may whoever sees you tremble" in Amharic.

Yeabsira f & m Amharic
Means "The Father's (God's) work" of Amharic origin, the official language of Ethiopia.

Yealem Tsehay f Amharic
Means "sun of the world" in Amharic.

Yelma m Amharic
Means "may he prosper" in Amharic.

Yemar m Amharic
Means "may he be pleasing" in Amharic.

Yenasu m Amharic
Means "may they rise" in Amharic.

Yeremiya m Bulgarian (Rare), Ganda
Luganda and Bulgarian form of Jeremiah.

Yeremyaah m Somali
Somali form of Jeremiah.

Yergu m Amharic
Means "may they be calm" in Amharic.

Yeshi f Amharic
Means "for a thousand". This name is often combined with other names (Yeshimebet is an example).

Yeshimebet f Amharic
Means "mistress of a thousand people", from a combination of Yeshi and Emebet.

Yesine f Amharic
Means “artwork” in Amharic.

Yetbarak m Amharic
Means "may he be blessed" in Amharic.

Yewondwossen m Amharic
Means "man of the border" in Amharic.

Yidnekatchew m Amharic
Means "may he astonish them" in Amharic.

Yirdaw m Amharic
Means "may He help him" in Amharic.

Yoadan f Ethiopian, Amharic
Amharic form of Jehoaddan.

Yodit f Ethiopian
Variant of Judith. The name of a Beta-Israel Queen also reffered to as Gudit.

Yohana f Indonesian, Amharic, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Indonesian feminine form of Yohanes, Amharic form of Johanna, Spanish variant of Johana and Portuguese variant of Joana.

Yohana m Swahili
Swahili form of John.

Yohane m Swahili
Swahili from of John.

Yohanna f Spanish (Latin American), Indonesian, Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare), Amharic (Rare)
Variant of Yohana.

Yokana m Nyoro
Bunyoro variant of Johannes.

Yonasani m Kiga
Kiga form of Jonathan.

Yoonis m Somali
Somali form of Yunus.

Yooxanaa m Somali
Somali form of John.

Yordanos f & m Ethiopian
Amharic form of Jordan. This is also the name of a river in Lalibela.

Yorkabel f Amharic

Yorusalem f Tigrinya
Tigrinya form of Jerusalem.

Yosia m Nyoro, Ganda
Nyoro and Ganda form of Josiah.

Yostima f Ethiopian
Buried at Daza, virgin daughter of a King. Saint in the Ethiopian/Abyssinian Church's Coptic Calendar.

Yosuf m Amharic
Amharic form of Joseph.

Yulitta f Indonesian (Rare), Eastern African
Variant of Julitta.

Yuna f Eastern African

Zabibu f Swahili
Swahili name meaning "grapes" which comes originally from Arabic word zabīb meaning 'raisins', given to five girls in the US in 2023

Zahnya f Swahili

Zahur m Swahili
Means "flower" in Swahili.

Zaituni f Eastern African, Swahili, Indonesian
From Swahili zeituni meaning "olive", ultimately from Arabic زيتون (zaytun).

Zakaryas m Amharic
Amharic form of Zachary.

Zakiyos m Amharic
Amharic form of Zacchaeus.

Zamanu m Amharic
Means "time, era" in Amharic.

Zambo m Central African, Eastern African
Is a popular given name for boys in many West Central African nations. Also the name of an Italian Safari crime drama film and the duology of jungle themed Bollywood mad scientist films that inspired the Captive Wild Woman series.

Zamzam f & m Arabic, Somali, Indonesian
From the name of a holy well in Mecca that, according to Islamic tradition, was miraculously created by Allah for Hajar and and her son Isma'il while the two were left in the desert without water... [more]

Zannabach f Amharic
Means "she rained" in Amharic.

Zawditu f Amharic
Means "the crown" in Amharic.

Zawe f Eastern African
Short form or diminutive of Zawedde.

Zawedde f Eastern African
Means "princess" in a language spoken in Uganda.

Zazi f Eastern African
Means "fertile" or "fruitful" in Swahili.

Zefrin m Eastern African (Rare)

Zegeye m Amharic
Means "he delayed" in Amharic.

Zeituni f Eastern African
This name coincides with Swahili zeituni meaning "olive", a derivative of Arabic زَيْتُون‎ (zaytūn). This was borne by Zeituni Onyango (1952-2014), a Kenyan-born half-aunt of former American president Barack Obama.

Zekaryas m Ethiopian

Zelalem m & f Amharic
Amharic for "forever" or "eternity"

Zelleke m Amharic
Means "he surpassed" in Amharic.

Zenabu m Amharic
Means "the rain" in Amharic.

Zende m Swahili
Means "strong, firm" in Swahili.

Zennash f Amharic
Means "your fame" in Amharic.

Zeray m Tigrinya, Ge'ez
Means "sower" in Ge'ez and Tigrinya.

Zerebruk m Ethiopian
Blessed generation or blessed family

Zeresenay m Eastern African

Zerezghi m Ethiopian

Zerihun m Ethiopian

Zeudi f Tigrinya
Means "crown" in Tigrinya. It is the name of the famous 1970 Eritrean-Italian actress Zeudi Araya (1951-).

Zewditu f Eastern African, Amharic
Zewditu is an Amharic word meaning "the Crown". Although it was sometimes erroneously Anglicized as Judith, it's not a cognate.... [more]

Zina f Amharic
Means "felicity" in Amharic.

Zitto m Eastern African

Zoreka m & f Kiga, Nkore, Tooro
Meaning “the show off” in Kiga.

Zuba m Swahili
Means "jump" in Swahili.

Zula m & f Tigrinya
Means "brilliant" in Tigrinya.... [more]

Zumaridi f Swahili
Means "emerald" in Swahili.

Zuwena f Swahili
Means "small and beautiful" in Swahili.

Zwatie m Swahili
Means "people of language" in Swahili.

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