African Names

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.

Simple, delicate, and unusual.

If you're looking for an African place-name, this one belongs to the main town in eastern Morocco.

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).

Sassy alternative to Cassandra -- maybe too sassy.

This obscure Zulu name was chosen by Stevie Wonder.

This name of the capital of an ancient Egyptian dynasty makes Lois X-rated.

Rhythmic and unusual.

A wonderful meaning for a bright and musical West African name.

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

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

Though this is traditionally a male name, it can work for a girl in our culture. Might also be considered a short form of the Italian Amadea.

Not many parents would want to use Tisa for its literal meaning in this era of smaller families, but Tisa is a name with much crossover appeal. Simple and straightforward, it's also both distinctive and feminine and relates to similar-sounding Western names such as Lisa and Trisha and Tea. If you're looking for an African name that can bridge cultures, Tisa is an excellent pick.

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