Rhythmic and unusual.

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.

An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.

Diarra has a nice meaning, but we could see it leading to possible teasing re association with a certain digestive problem.

Spirit that protects babies from illness...and surname of designer Naomi.

This Hindi word which is used in prayer is one of the prime names that mean peace, always a nice message to impart to a child. Nick Nolte used it for his daughter.

Short but impactful, Ife is a meaningful Yoruba name, taken from the word ífé meaning "love". Predominantly used in Nigeria or among Nigerian families, it may also be used in as an element in longer names such as Ifeoluwa ("love of God") , Ifedapo ("love came together"), Ifedayo ("love turned to joy") and Olufemi ("God loves me").

Simple but sultry.

A relatively common French surname associated with sometimes scandalous French novelist/dramatist Jean Genet. The name may derive from genêt, the French name for the broom shrub. Alternatively, it can derive from the French forms of Eugene, John or Janet as an ancestral surname.

Simple, delicate, and unusual.

Has a feminine feline feel.

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 system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

This Swahili and Muslim female name referring to the Prophet Muhammed's nurse. It is a popular name in Egypt and Somalia.

Popular etymology derives this West African country's name from the Wolof words sunu gal, "our canoe". It's an appealing image, of a nation of people all in the same boat. Some country names have taken off as baby names, but this one, not yet.

Nigerian name with an honorable meaning.

Something slightly negative about that Nil beginning; more positive similar names would be Lilla or Willa, Lucilla or Priscilla. Nilla may also be a short form of the Scandinavian Gunilla.

Pleasing crossover possibility.

Abyssinia is the ancient name of the Ethiopian Empire, no longer found on any map but with a possible future as a melodic girls' name in the ever-expanding place-name category. Among African names for girls, this one is undiscovered.

One African choice that might be easier to understand if spelled phonetically: it's pronounced TAH-shee.

This African name, which derives from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, is used for both girls and boys -- but in the US, its most notable bearer is (male) artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley, who paints brown- and black-skinned people in the style of European Old Masters, was born in Los Angeles of an African-American mother and a Yoruba father and was also a twin, thus his name. An attractive and creative choice for either gender.