African Names

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).

A bit masculine in 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).

The name of a great seventeenth century African warrior queen, known for her brilliance as an administrator and organizer, and unstinting commitment to peace.

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."

Kadida is an Anglicized form of the Arabic name Khadija, wife of the Muslim prophet Muhammad.

This town in northern Libya could find a spot on the name map.

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.

Girlish, but has a nice feeling of uniqueness and unity.

A bold and evocative African place name. The country of Kenya gets its name from Mount Kenya, referred to it as "Kirinyaga" or "Kerenyaga" by the local Kikuyu people, meaning "mountain of whiteness" due to its snow-capped peak.

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

Has a feminine feline feel.

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

Adwoa is a given name used for women born on Monday in Western Africa, particularly Ghana and some parts of Togo and Ivory Coast. The male equivalent is Kwadwo.

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.

Unlikely to take over Kenya's spot as the dominant African place-name.

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.

A bright and melodic Swahili name with a positive meaning, Zuwena is particularly popular in Tanzania and Uganda. It also appears in the title of a song by Tanaznian artist Diamond Platnumz.

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

Nigerian name with an honorable meaning.