Western African Submitted Names

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.

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

Wumpini m & f Dagbani
Means "God's gift" in Dagbani.

Wundeiya m & f Dagbani
"God has accepted"

Wuninmi m & f Dagbani
Means "God knows" in Dagbani.

Wunintira m & f Dagbani
Means "it is God who gives" in Dagbani.

Wunko m & f Dagbani
Means "only God" in Dagbani.

Wunnam m & f Dagbani
Means "God's creation" in Dagbani.

Wuntia m & f Dagbani
Means "God has given" in Dagbani.

Wuntima f & m Dagbani
Means "God has given me" in Dagbani.

Wunzalgu m & f Dagbani
Means "God's plan" in Dagbani.

Wura f Yoruba
Means "gold" in Yoruba.

Wuraola f Yoruba
Means "gold of wealth" or "shining treasure of wealth" in Yoruba.

Xetsa f Ewe
Means "twin" in Ewe.

Xewqa f Ewe

Yaabari m & f Ogoni
Means "thank God" in Khana.

Yaba f & m Nigerian, Yoruba

Yahaya m Malay, Western African, Hausa
Malay and Hausa form of Yahya.

Yakasu m Bariba
Means "bush" in Bariba, this name is given to a child born in the bush.

Yaƙutu f Hausa
Refers to a sapphire, ruby, jacinth, corundum, or similar stone.

Yalany m & f Manding
Mandinka name of unknown meaning.

Yalsumah m & f Dagbani
Means "good things" in Dagbani.

Yambo m Western African
A famous bearer was Yambo Ouologuem (1940–2017) a Malian writer. Possibly from the Dogon language.

Yamiche f Akan
Means "god's gift" in Akan.

Yankoï m Songhai, Western African
Meaning unknown.

Yany m & f Western African
Named from the Kingdom of Yany in Gambia, a diminutive of Yanimarew.

Yao m Baoulé
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".

Yaounou m & f Western African

'Yarja f Hausa
Means "fair" in Hausa.

Yarra f & m Western African, Yoruba, Arabic (Maghrebi), Northern African
Means "child" in Yoruba, Nago and Kanga, spoken in Northern and Western Africa.

Yawa f Western African, Ewe
Means "born on Thursday" in Ewe.

Yawo m Western African, Akan
Means "born on Thursday" in Akan. It is tipically given to a boy born this day.

Yaya m Indonesian, Western African
Indonesian form of Yahya as well as the form used in parts of western Africa.

Yeggul-ngon m & f Wolof
Wolof 'death prevention' name meaning "s/he has not reached the afternoon".

Yemi m & f Yoruba
Means "I am honourable" in Yoruba.

Yemisi f & m Yoruba
Means "honours me" in Yoruba.

Yengiga f Wolof, Western African

Yeni m Yoruba
Means "fit" in Yoruba.

Yennenga f Mossi
Yennenga is a legendary princess, and is considered to be the mother of the Mossi people. Her son Ouedraogo was the founder of the Mossi Kingdoms.

Yenpape m Manding, Western African

Yerda f & m Dagbani
Means "trust" in Dagbani.

Yetty f Nigerian
Diminutive of Yetunde.

Yeye m & f Nigerian (Rare)

Yezo m Fula, Western African
A name used by the Fula people, who are the largest ethnic group in Western Africa and the Sahel.

Yiko m & f Dagbani
Means "power" in Dagbani.

Yinah f Nigerian (Rare), Afro-American (Slavery-era)

Yinlayefa f Ijaw
Means "nothing can be compared to a mother" in Ijaw.

Yma f Western African, Manding
Manding and Susu form of Mary.

Yobanna f Yoruba
Means “yes, correct” in Yoruba.

Yobe m Western African

Yognon f French Creole, Western African

Yohance m African American (Rare), Hausa (?)
Used by American comedian, writer and civil rights activist Dick Gregory for his son born 1973. According to a 1973 issue of Jet magazine, Gregory and his wife Lillian found the name in a book called Names from Africa, and Yohance 'means "God's gift" in the Hausa language of Nigeria.'

Yohanse f Hausa
Variant of Yohance.

Yome m Western African

Yoon f Bariba
Name traditionally given to the first born daughter.

Yoonduaru f Bariba
Means "born near a river" in Bariba.

Yoongura f Bariba
Means "born whilst it was raining" in Bariba.

Yoonsua f Bariba
Means "born on the road" in Bariba.

Yoro m Wolof

Yoroakpo f Ijaw
Means "a woman's life" in Ijaw.

Younoussi m Manding

Youssou m Western African

Youssouf m Western African
Form of Yusuf chiefly used in parts of French-influenced western Africa.

Yumzaa m & f Dagbani
Means "love all" in Dagbani.