African Names for Boys
Across 3 pages
of 3
Odion
Esan
"first born of twins"
Strong name from the Esan language of Nigeria, with a satisfyingly specific meaning for a child's place in the family.
Odissan
African
"thirteenth born son"
If you choose this name, it's not likely to be for the meaning.
Ogun
African, Yoruba
"god of war"
Militaristic.
Pili
African, Swahili
"second born"
Will be frequently misunderstood as Pele or, worse, "pilly".
Senegal
Country name
Popular etymology derives this West African country's name from the Wolof words sunu gal , "our canoe". It's an appealing image, of a nation of people all in the same boat. Some country names have…
Shango
African, Yoruba, mythology name
More substantial than it sounds: Shango was the god of thunder and legendary ancestor of the Yoruba people of Nigeria.
Taye
African, Ethiopian
"he has been seen"
Taye, also used as a short form of Taylor, began to stand on its own with the emergence of actor Taye (born Scott) Diggs.
Unika
African
"shining"
Girlish, but has a nice feeling of uniqueness and unity.
Zuri
Kiswahili
"good, beautiful"
Singular, strong, and rare outside East Africa.
Mandla
African
"strength"
This obscure Zulu name was chosen by Stevie Wonder.
Congo
Place-name
"gather"
Not long ago, the name of this central African republic was firmly in place-name territory and not seen as baby appropriate. But those boundaries are moving so quickly that all kinds of place-names…
Mandela
African surname
An African family name ripe for adoption in honor of Nelson Mandela, the South African activist imprisoned for almost thirty years for his antiapartheid activities.
Barack
Hebrew; also Swahili from Arabic
"thunderbolt, lightning; or blessing"
The name of the 44th president, which he inherited from his Kenyan father, is related to the Swahili word "baraka," meaning "blessing," derived from the Arabic "baracka." It is linked, through the…
Alimayu
Ethiopian
"in honor of God"
Wesley Snipes chose this distinctive East African name for his son.
Obama
Luo; Japanese
"bending or leaning; little beach"
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…
Kymani
Eastern African
"adventurous traveler"
One of the most popular African names for boys, Kymani was in the US Top 1000 list from 2008 until 2016. Spelled Ky-mani, it's the name of Bob Marley's son.
Zenebe
Amharic
"raining"
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…
Kehinde
Yoruba
"second-born of twins or one who falls behind"
This African name, which derives from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, is used for both girls and boys -- but in the US, its most notable bearer is (male) artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley, who paints brown-…
Kwadwo
Twi
"Born on a Monday"
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. Kwadwo would be familiar to sports fanatics,…
Kwabena
Ghanaian, Akan, Twi
"Born on a Tuesday"
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…