African Names

Has a feminine feline feel.

Dynamic and creative; common in Africa, challenging here. Pronunciation isn't as difficult as you'd guess, but everyone will have to ask. Many favor n-GO-zee, but a native speaker tells us that it is closer to n-GAW-zee, and we've found at least one n-GAH-zee, too.

Gingery.

While this African place-name is much more popular for boys, nearly 40 girls were named Zaire last year. Among African baby names, this is one of the best-known in the US.

Zenebe is an appealing name well-used in Ethiopia but rarely heard outside its native land. But it translates easily into English and Zen makes for a cool and attractive nickname. A winning choice for those looking for an African boys' names that bridges cultures.

Adverse associations with the ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

Its resonant rhythm and positive connotations have led to some popularity with African-American parents, though it tends to have a masculine feel, particularly considering the rise of a certain Barack.

Although the best-known Kehinde is the male painter Kehinde Wiley, this name is used for both genders in its native Nigeria and can be just as attractive for a girl.

Sassy alternative to Cassandra -- maybe too sassy.

A name that originated in Rwanda, rhythmically evocative.

Nigerian name with an honorable meaning.

The capital of Kenya makes a melodic and worldly name.

A name with the kind of pan-cultural feel that's in vogue now... and forever, it is both a Swahili name meaning "coral", ultimately from the Arabic marjan, and a Hindi name, meaning "purification".

A captivating and sprightly name brought into the limelight by actress Thandiwe Newton.

More substantial than it sounds: Shango was the god of thunder and legendary ancestor of the Yoruba people of Nigeria.

Used to honor Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of the independent Kenyan republic. The problem: with the name Kenya now used largely for girls, along with the vowel ending, Kenyatta sounds fairly feminine.

The surname of the 44th US President has been been adopted as a first, for girls as well as boys, by admiring parents around the world. And the O beginning even makes it fashionable. Though Barack Obama's name derives from the Luo people of Kenya, Obama is also a Japanese place name and a surname that means "little beach."

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.

Kia is a sweet, simple name that is now, unfortunately, associated with a Korean car label. Better today: Nia, Thea, or Keira.

Djimon has become a familiar African name via powerful Benin-born, Oscar-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou.