There’s so much more to African names than just being a means of identification.
The continent, which is blessed with so many ethnic groups and languages, have their own unique ways of selecting names for their children.
These names show the tribe in which one is from and their origin. But there’s more.
Take a look at the following African names and their meaning as provided by behindthename.com. The female names start from page number 6.
ABIDEMI m Western African, Yoruba
Means “born during father’s absence” in Yoruba.
ABIMBOLA m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “born wealthy” in Yoruba.
ABIODUN m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “born on a festival” in Yoruba.
ABIOYE m Western African, Yoruba
Means “born into royalty” in Yoruba.
ABOUBACAR m Western African, Wolof, Serer, Fula
Form of ABU BAKR used in western Africa.
ABUBAKAR m Western African, Hausa, Fula
Form of ABU BAKR used in Nigeria.
ADE m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “crown” in Yoruba, also a short form of other Yoruba names beginning with this element.
ADEBAYO m Western African, Yoruba
Means “the crown meets joy” in Yoruba.
ADEBOLA m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “the crown has met wealth” in Yoruba.
ADEBOWALE m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “the crown has come home” in Yoruba.
ADEDAYO m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “the crown becomes joy” in Yoruba.
ADEGOKE m Western African, Yoruba
Means “the crown has been exalted” in Yoruba.
ADETOKUNBO m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “the crown came from over the sea” in Yoruba.
ADISA m Western African, Yoruba
Means “one who is clear” in Yoruba.
AFOLABI m Western African, Yoruba
Means “born into wealth” in Yoruba.
AKACHI m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “the hand of God” in Igbo.
AKPAN m Western African, Ibibio
Means “first-born son” in Ibibio.
AKPOFURE m & f Western African, Urhobo
Means “life is peaceful” in Urhobo.
AKUCHI m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “wealth from God” in Igbo.
ALEMAYEHU m & f Eastern African, Amharic
Means “I have seen the world” in Amharic.
ALHAJI m Western African, Hausa
Means “pilgrim” in Hausa, a derivative of Arabic حَجِّي (hajji) meaning “pilgrimage, hajj”.
ALINAFE m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “he is with us” in Chewa.
AMADI m Western African, Igbo
Means “free man” in Igbo.
AMADI m Western African, Yoruba
Means “seemed destined to die at birth” in Yoruba.
AMADOU m Western African, Wolof, Serer, Fula, Manding
Form of AHMAD used in parts of western Africa.
AMAHLE m & f Southern African, Zulu
Means “the beautiful ones” in Zulu.
AMEQRAN m Northern African, Berber
Means “eldest” in Tamazight.
ANAN m & f Western African, Akan
Means “fourth born child” in Akan.
ANDILE m & f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means “they have increased” in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.
AWOTWI m & f Western African, Akan
Means “eighth born child” in Akan.
AYANDA m & f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means “they are increasing” in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.
AYOf & m Western African, Yoruba
Means “joy” in Yoruba, or a short form of names containing that element.
AYODELE m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “joy has come home” in Yoruba. African, Yoruba
Means “joy has filled the home” in Yoruba.
AYOMIDE f & m Western African, Yoruba
Means “my joy has arrived” in Yoruba.
AYOTUNDE m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “joy has returned” in Yoruba.
AZUBUIKE m Western African, Igbo
Means “the past is your strength” or “your back is your strength” in Igbo.
Scroll through the numbers below for the rest of the names in alphabetical order:
