African Names for Girls

Simple but sultry.

Energetic choice that bounces off the tongue.

Samiya is a name used by parents of both Arabic and African ancestry. Spelling variations include Samiyah, Samiah, and Samia.

Akosua means "born on a Sunday," which relates the name to the sun and thus to fire.

A variant of Asha, which is related to the classic Arabic name Aisha, yet another way to say life. Other on-the-rise names with this uplifting meaning: Zoe and Vivian varieties such as Viviana, Viveca, and Vivienne.

Nyala is a secret nature name with a fashionable animal meaning. Nyala might be an appropriate name for a baby girl born under the sign of Capricorn, which is symbolized by the goat, or in the Chinese Year of the Goat -- though the last one was 2015 and we won't have another until 2027. Although the nee beginning is most frequently cited as the correct pronunciation, the name can -- and often will -- be pronounced with the first syllable rhyming with my and sigh.

This variant of the more-difficult Afua, from the Akan language of what is now Ghana in West Africa, is a traditional "day name" that can make a perfectly pretty modern choice.

Makenna is a name from the East African Meru community, with a sweet, cheerful meaning and a spirited sound. It could also be used as a spelling variation of the Scottish surname McKenna, or as a nod to the Hawaiian place name, Makena, on the south-west of the Island of Maui, possibly borrowed from the Meru name or from the Hawaiian Makana, meaning "gift".

Lush and unusual.

A worthy update for Imani.

A truly international name with an arty feel, Zina has many origins. It is used as a short form of Zinaida, Rozina, and Zenobia in Russia, Hungary, and Poland and as an alternative form of Xena, Xenia, and Zena in various European countries. It is also an Arabic name meaning "adornment", an Nsenga name referring to a child's spirit name, a Galician form of Gina, and an Amharic name that could mean "felicity, happiness".

Lissa might be an abbreviation of Melissa, but it's more substantial in its own right: Lissa is the name of a supreme mother goddess in African mythology and an Arabic symbol of rebirth.

Kenya is fairly commonly heard as a girl's name, but its capital city makes a much more exceptional choice. The name comes from the Maasai phrase "Enkare Nairobi," which translates to "cold water." Nairobi is popularly known as the Green City.

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.

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.

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

Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks lower than spelling variant Kenia.

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

Too close to "payola."

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".