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Swahili Names for Girls

Nameberry
By Nameberry
Updated Tue Jun 09 2020
Swahili is one of the most familiar African languages and cultures in the US, taught in many colleges and even some high school, and so Swahili baby names are of interest to anyone looking for African names for their children. Nameberry's Swahili names for girls are collected here. Most familiar to Americans, of course, are names that are a spin on the Presidential Barack, but other Swahili names for girls familiar in the west include the Muslim Aisha and the celebrity-connected Zahara and Taraji. But there are still other Swahili girl names that may be of interest to the expectant parent or name lover.

Below, our complete list of Swahili girl names. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
  1. Nia

    • Origin:

      Swahili; Welsh form of the Irish Niamh

    • Meaning:

      "resolve; brilliance"

    • Description:

      Short but energetic and substantial, Nia has special meaning for African-American parents, as it's one of the days of Kwanza. Nia also benefits by its similarity to (yet differentness from) the megapopular Mia.
  2. Asha

    • Origin:

      Sanskrit; Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "hope; life"

    • Description:

      Asha is an Indian name that comes from the Sanskrit word for hope or desire, but it is also a Swahili name derived from Aisha, meaning life. Since the ascendance of Ashley through the 1980s and 90s, all baby names Ash-related have been used in the U.S. for both girls and boys, from Ashlyn to Ashby, Ashton to Asher. Despite its separate roots, Asha is part of this group.
  3. Aisha

    • Origin:

      Arabic; Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "living, prosperous"

    • Description:

      Aisha was Muhammad's favorite wife, making this lovely name and its myriad variations hugely popular among Muslims and also African-Americans. It's been energized by TV personality Aisha Tyler. Pronunciation is usually eye-EE-sha but some say ay-sha.
  4. Sanaa

    • Origin:

      Swahili; Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "work of art; shining light"

    • Description:

      Simple-yet-unusual name with a creative meaning. Actress Sanaa Lathan promoted it, and it was on the U.S. popularity list from 2003 to 2011. Shaquille O'Neal used it as the middle name of his daughter Amirah. And spelled Sana'a, it's the capital of Yemen.
  5. Dalia

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Spanish, or Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "branch; dahlia; gentle"

    • Description:

      Similar in sound to the flower name Dahlia, this gentle but distinctive name, heard in many cultures, hits that Golden Mean between too popular and too unusual. In Lithuanian mythology, Dalia is a goddess of weaving and of fate.
  6. Zahara

    • Origin:

      Hebrew; Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "to shine; flower"

    • Description:

      Zahara, a delicate but strong multicultural name, came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie bestowed it on her Ethiopian-born daughter, and we predict other parents will adopt it as well. If you want something simpler than Zahara, consider Zara, a royal name in England--but also the name of a Spanish-based clothing store chain.
  7. Zaina

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "beauty, grace"

    • Description:

      Zaina is the simplified form of Zaynab, the name of the eldest daughter of Muhammad. Zayna is another accepted spelling, while international forms include Zainabu, which exists in both the Arabic and Swahili languages, and Zenja, which is popular in Bosnia.
  8. Alika

    • Origin:

      Hawaiian; Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "truthful; most beautiful"

    • Description:

      Alika is a multicultural choice that's far off the beaten track.
  9. Ali

    • Origin:

      Short form of Alison or Alice or Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "supreme, exalted"

    • Description:

      One of the sweet simple unisex names balanced enough to stand on its own.
  10. Neema

    • Origin:

      Swahili, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "divine grace, blessing"

    • Description:

      Ultimately from the Arabic ni'ma, this Swahili name celebrates the blessing of a baby. Also used as a masculine name, Neema is notably borne by film director Neema Barnette and activist Neema Namadamu.
  11. Dalili

    • Origin:

      Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "a sign from the gods"

    • Description:

      Lovely, melodic Dalila/Delilah cousin.
  12. Dalila

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "guide"

    • Description:

      Names that sound and/or are spelled like Dalila exist in several languages, from the Swahili Dalili to the Arabic Dalil to the Hebrew Delilah. A beautiful cross-cultural choice.
  13. Panya

    • Origin:

      African, Swahili; or, Russian, diminutive of Stephania

    • Meaning:

      "mouse, tiny one; or, crowned one"

    • Description:

      Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.
  14. Nuru

    • Origin:

      Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "light, born during the day"

    • Description:

      Related to the better-known Arabic name Noor.
  15. Raziya

    • Origin:

      Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "agreeable, pleasant"

    • Description:

      An appealing East African possibility.
  16. Siri

    • Origin:

      Norse, diminutive of Sigrid

    • Meaning:

      "fair victory"

    • Description:

      Siri is a charming and lively Scandinavian name that is no longer on the table given the ubiquity of Apple's digital Siri. Too bad, because Siri -- along with variations Syrie and Cyrie -- is unique, enchanting, and adorable. But now taken.
  17. Taraji

    • Origin:

      Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "hope"

    • Description:

      This name gained widespread attention via the actress Taraji P. Henson, who was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. A variant is Taraja.
  18. Kamaria

    • Origin:

      Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "moonlight"

    • Description:

      Lush and unusual.
  19. Marini

    • Origin:

      Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "healthy, pretty"

    • Description:

      A gorgeous Swahili name for girls that hits multiple trends — Mar- names like Margot and Marley, and names that end in I, like Leilani and Zuri.
  20. Koffi

    • Origin:

      Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "born on Friday"

    • Description:

      Authentic African name with unfortunate coffee association, also too close to the male Kofi.

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