By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Ethiopian or Slovene variation of Rozalija
"a people from southwest Ethiopia; rose"
Simple but sultry.
Arabic
"beloved, sweetheart"
A name whose sweet sound matches with its meaning, Habiba is popular in Somalia and North Africa. It comes from the Arabic habib meaning "dear, beloved", making it a bright and endearing choice.
Arabic, Basque, Hausa
"shawl; star; section of tree"
Attractive, rhythmic choice with roots in several languages and cultures. It's a lesser-known a celestial name, meaning "star" in Basque and referring to a star in the constellation Boötes in Arabic.
African
"born on Friday"
This variant of the more-difficult Afua, from the Akan language of what is now Ghana in West Africa, is a traditional "day name" that can make a perfectly pretty modern choice.
Somali or Azerbaijani from Arabic
"fortune; clear, revelation"
Ayan is an African name heard for both sexes.
Kiswahili
"good, beautiful"
Singular, strong, and rare outside East Africa.
Igbo, Polish, diminutive of Alicja
"nobility"
Ala is the Igbo earth goddess whose symbol is the crescent moon. In a very different vein, Ala can be a diminutive for Alicja or Alexandra or really any other name with an A at both ends and an L in…
Ghanaian, Akan, Twi
"Born on a Tuesday"
The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this…
Spelling variation of Zaire, African place-name
"river that swallows all rivers"
Zaire, derived from the name of a now dissolved Central African state which takes its name from the Kongo term "the river that swallows all rivers", has become a stylish choice for American boys,…
African place-name or Japanese
"the god of the waters"
Pleasing crossover possibility.
"Born on a Wednesday"
Akan, Fante, Ghanaian
"born on Tuesday"
This name from the Akan language of Ghana in West Africa is traditionally given to baby girls born on a Tuesday. The male version is Kwabena or Kobena.
Russian, Hungarian, Arabic, African, Nsenga
"related to Zeus; rose; adornment, ornament; spirt name"
A truly international name with an arty feel, Zina has many origins. It is used as a short form of Zinaida, Rozina, and Zenobia in Russia, Hungary, and Poland and as an alternative form of Xena,…
Ewe, Akan, Ghanaian, Cherokee
"born on Saturday; water"
Ama is a day name used by the Akan people of Ghana for girls born on Saturday. Names that reference a baby's birth by day of the week, time of day, or season of the year are common in many African…
"free man"
This name from the Igbo language of Africa, which feels like the more-familiar Arabic Ahmad, might be an original and attractive choice.
African tribe; also Italian
"owner of land and farms"
Unusual name chosen for her son by actress Nia Long, who combined it with the even more unusual literary middle name, Zhivago.
"season's beginning"
Kia is a sweet, simple name that is now, unfortunately, associated with a Korean car label. Better today: Nia, Thea, or Keira.
Twi
"Born on a Monday"
Kwadwo is a name given to men born on Monday in Western Africa, particularly Ghana and some parts of Togo and Ivory Coast. The female variant is Adwoa. Kwadwo would be familiar to sports fanatics,…
African, Arabic mythological name; diminutive of Melissa, Greek
"honeybee"
Lissa might be an abbreviation of Melissa, but it's more substantial in its own right: Lissa is the name of a supreme mother goddess in African mythology and an Arabic symbol of rebirth.
"people who speak Maa"
Masai may have a modern air around it, however, it is likely inspired by the name of the Maasai people, who live in Kenya and Tanzania. As such, the name translates to "people who speak Maa".…
