J-M
JATAU m Western African, Hausa
Means “fair-coloured, light” in Hausa.
JELANI m Eastern African, Swahili
Means “mighty” in Swahili.
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JENGO m Eastern African, Swahili
Means “building” in Swahili.
JUMAANE m Eastern African, Swahili
Means “born on Tuesday” in Swahili.
KABELO m Southern African, Sotho
Means “given” in Sotho.
KAGISO m & f Southern African, Tswana
Means “peace” in Tswana.
KAMAU m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Possibly means “quiet warrior” in Kikuyu.
KARIUK Im Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means “reincarnated one” in Kikuyu.
KATLEGO m & f Southern African, Tswana
Means “success” in Tswana.
KATLEHO m Southern African, Sotho
Means “success” in Sotho.
KATO m Eastern African, Ganda
Means “second of twins” in Luganda.
KAYIN m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means “celebrated child” in Yoruba.
KAYODE m Western African, Yoruba
Means “he brought joy” in Yoruba.
KEFILWE m & f Southern African, Tswana
Means “I was given” in Tswana.
KGOSI m Southern African, Tswana
Means “king, chief” in Tswana.
KHAMISI m Eastern African, Swahili
Means “born on Thursday” in Swahili.
KIBWE m Eastern African, Swahili
Means “blessed” in Swahili.
KIRABO m & f Eastern African, Ganda
Means “gift” in Luganda.
KISEMBO m & f Eastern African, Tooro
Means “gift” in Rutooro.
KOBINA m Western African, Akan
Variant of KWABENA.
KOFI m Western African, Akan
Means “born on Friday” in Akan.
KOJO m Western African, Akan
Variant of KWADWO.
KONDWANI m & f Southern African, Chewa, Tumbuka
Means “be happy, rejoice” in Chewa and Tumbuka.
KUMBUKANI m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “remember” in Chewa.
KWABENA m Western African, Akan
Means “born on Tuesday” in Akan.
KWADWO m Western African, Akan
Means “born on Monday” in Akan.
KWAKU m Western African, Akan
Means “born on Wednesday” in Akan.
KWAME m Western African, Akan
Means “born on Saturday” in Akan.
KWASI m Western African, Akan
Means “born on Sunday” in Akan.
KWEKU m Western African, Akan
Variant of KWAKU.
KWESI m Western African, Akan
Variant of KWASI.
KYAUTA m Western African, Hausa
Means “gift” in Hausa.
LANRE m Western African, Yoruba
Short form of OLANREWAJU.
LEKAN m Western African, Yoruba
Short form of OLAMILEKAN.
LELISA m Eastern African, Oromo
From Oromo leellisaa meaning “admirer”.
LENCHO m Eastern African, Oromo
Means “lion” in Oromo.
LIMBANI m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “be strong” in Chewa.
LIMBIKANI m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “work hard” in Chewa.
LUNGILE f & m Southern African, Zulu, Ndebele
Means “correct, right, good” in Zulu and Ndebele.
MADALITSO m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “blessings” in Chewa.
MAINA m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means “sing, dance” in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations, each lasting about 30 years. The Maina generation occupied the last part of the 19th century.
MAKENA f & m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means “happy one” in Kikuyu.
MAMADOU m Western African, Wolof, Serer, Fula, Manding
Form of MUHAMMAD used in western Africa.
MANDLA m Southern African, Zulu, Ndebele
Means “strength, power” in Zulu and Ndebele.
MANDLENKOSI m Southern African, Zulu, Ndebele
From Zulu and Ndebele amandla “strength, power” and inkosi “king, chief”.
MASAMBA m Eastern African, Yao
Means “leaves, vegetables” in Yao.
MASOZI m & f Southern African, Tumbuka
Means “tears” in Tumbuka.
MAVUTO m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “troubles, problems” in Chewa.
MAWULI m Western African, Ewe
Means “God lives” in Ewe.
MAWUNYO m & f Western African, Ewe
Means “God is good” in Ewe.
MAYAMIKO m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “praise, gratitude” in Chewa.
MAYESO m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “test (from God)” in Chewa.
MELISIZWE m Southern African, Xhosa
Means “leader of the nation” in Xhosa.
MINENHLE f & m Southern African, Zulu
From Zulu imini “day” and hle “beautiful”.
MOSI m Eastern African, Swahili
Means “first (child)” in Swahili.
MOTI m Eastern African, Oromo
Means “leader” in Oromo.
MPHATSO m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “gift” in Chewa.
MPHO m & f Southern African, Tswana, Sotho
Means “gift” in Tswana and Sotho, a derivative of fa “to offer”.
MTENDERE m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means “peace” in Chewa.
MUBIRU m Eastern African, Ganda
Meaning unknown. This is the name of a figure in Ganda mythology associated with forests and hunting.
MUDIWA f & m Southern African, Shona
Means “beloved” in Shona.
MUHAMMADU m Western African, Hausa, Fula
Hausa and Fula form of MUHAMMAD.
MUNASHE m & f Southern African, Shona
Means “with God” in Shona.
MWANGI m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means “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.
MWENYE m Eastern African, Swahili
Means “owner, lord” in Swahili.
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