Updated October 2026
Across 3 pages
of 3
African
"the hunter"
A name that originated in Rwanda, rhythmically evocative.
African place-name
This town in northern Libya could find a spot on the name map.
French
"broom (shrub); or descended from John or Eugene"
A relatively common French surname associated with sometimes scandalous French novelist/dramatist Jean Genet. The name may derive from genêt , the French name for the broom shrub. Alternatively, it…
"my people"
Ibo is short but striking. Another, unrelated but equally appealing name is Ivo.
"born during the Idd festival"
Adverse associations with the ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
Place name, Kikuyu
"mountain of white"
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"…
African hero name
Used to honor Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of the independent Kenyan republic. The problem: with the name Kenya now used largely for girls, along with the vowel ending, Kenyatta sounds fairly…
African place name
The capital of Kenya makes a melodic and worldly name.
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.
"thirteenth born son"
If you choose this name, it's not likely to be for the meaning.
African, Yoruba
"god of war"
Militaristic.
African, Swahili
"second born"
Will be frequently misunderstood as Pele or, worse, "pilly".
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…
African, Yoruba, mythology name
More substantial than it sounds: Shango was the god of thunder and legendary ancestor of the Yoruba people of Nigeria.
"shining"
Girlish, but has a nice feeling of uniqueness and unity.
"strength"
This obscure Zulu name was chosen by Stevie Wonder.
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…
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.
Ethiopian
"in honor of God"
Wesley Snipes chose this distinctive East African name for his son.