Western African names include those from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. See also about African names.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
ArikefYoruba Means "seen and cared for" in Yoruba.
Arinolaf & mYoruba Means "one amongst honour" or "in the midst of wealth" in Yoruba, from àárín "centre, middle" combined with either ọlá "honour, respect" or ọlà "wealth"... [more]
Arukubuf & mIjaw Means "a child born in a canoe" in Ijaw.
ArzikifHausa Means "wealth, riches; prosperity" in Hausa.
Asaaseasam & fAkan Means "the land is finished" in Akan. The implication of this name is that there is no more land for the dead to be buried - so the child is encouraged to live as there will be no more space for his/her burial.
AsabifYoruba Means "one selected for birth" in Yoruba.
AshefYoruba From Yoruba àṣẹ meaning "power, authority, command". In Yoruba religion, àṣẹ is the natural power that makes things happen and produces change.
AtsenmAfizere Atsen which means"Visitor" is a male given name among the Afizere people of Nigeria. who are predominantly in Jos Plateau and Bauchi State Nigeria.
AttamAkan Means "twin" in Fante, an Akan language.
Átuaym & fBandial Means "the white one" in Bandial.
AuwalmWestern African, Hausa Derived from Arabic أول ('awwal) meaning "first". This name is commonly given to the first of multiple children with the same name.
Awaranm & fIjaw Means "a child born during the august break in the rainy season" in Ijaw.
Awolayem & fYoruba Means "the oracle cannot explain this" or "the oracle cannot lie" in Yoruba, from ao "oracle, occult, Ifa", the negation prefix ò, and ní "to have" combined with either àyè "explanation, understanding" or ayè "lie, falsehood"
AyafBaoulé Derived from Baoulé ya "Friday", referring to the day of the week on which the child was born and hence to be understood as "born on Friday".
BadamYoruba Possibly from Yoruba bá meaning "togerher with" and dà meaning "mix". It is likely a short form of another name.
BademNigerian The use of the name in Nigeria is likely due to the Bade Emirate, a traditional state in Yobe State, Nigeria, the home of the Bade people.
Badigwalam & fKassena Means "they have defeated the slave raider" in Kasem.
BediakomAkan Means "came to engage in wars" in Akan.
BedunamNigerian, Ngas The name BEDUNA is from plateau state Nigeria which means "is it bad?" It's a question name, when someone utter a word that is not good and didn't come to pass then you can ask him BEDUNA "is it bad?"
BeemonimDagbani Founder of Gushegu and Karaga. Name of one of the sons of Naa Gbewaa.
BejidemYoruba Means "(one that) come(s) with rain" in Yoruba.
Bekem & fIjaw, Ogoni Means "America" or "American" in Khana and "English" in Ijaw.
Beninyef & mDagbani Means "stay and witness" in Dagbani.
BenkosmCentral African, Manding, Afro-American (Slavery-era) Benkos Biohó (died 1621), also known as Domingo Biohó, was said to have been born in either the Democratic Republic of Congo or Angola, where he was seized by the Portuguese slaver Pedro Gomez Reynel, sold to businessman Juan Palacios, and later, after transportation to what is now Colombia in South America, sold again to the Spaniard Alonso del Campo in 1596, in Cartagena de Indias... [more]
Chidumebif & mIgbo A name commonly used among the Igbo people of southeast Nigeria. Particularly in Imo state, the name translates to, "God is at my side" or conversely, "God is with me". While it is used by men, the name is more commonly given to girls
ChiemeelamIgbo This is a name that is given among the Igbos usually it has a celebratory undertone to it. It is formed by joining two words "CHI-EMEELA" - "God thank you" Chi-God and Emeela-thank you/well done Usually it is given to baby boys when the parents are satisfied or do not wish to have more children, especially if the gender of the child was sought after.
ChinualumogumIgbo Means "may God fight on my behalf" in Igbo. This was the full birth name of Chinua Achebe (1930-2013), a Nigerian writer.
Chinwemmerif & mIgbo Chinwe is a short form of a variety such as Chinwendu, Chinweizu, Chinwemmeri and others. Chinwe in itself means "God's own." Chinwemmeri means "God's own victory." These names are synonymous with the Igbo ethnic group from the south eastern Nigeria.
ChukwunenyemIgbo Igbo name from Eastern Nigeria. It originates from the belief that children are gifts from God and means "God gives". The feminine variant is Chinenye, which also has the same meaning