African Names that Start With I
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- Izara
Origin:
Arabic, Basque, HausaMeaning:
"shawl; star; section of tree"Description:
Attractive, rhythmic choice with roots in several languages and cultures. It's a lesser-known a celestial name, meaning "star" in Basque and referring to a star in the constellation Boötes in Arabic.
- Imena
Origin:
African, ArabicMeaning:
"dream; faith"Description:
A worthy update for Imani.
- Ife
Origin:
African, YorubaMeaning:
"love"Description:
Simple African name all-but-unknown in the U.S. and Europe, which is exactly why it might make a perfect choice. Similarity to such popular names as Ava and Eva (and the Irish Aoife) makes it more familiar, but potentially more confusing.
- Iyabo
Origin:
African, YorubaMeaning:
"mother has returned"Description:
A lively name often used to honor a deceased grandmother in Yoruba culture.
- Idi
Origin:
AfricanMeaning:
"born during the Idd festival"Description:
Adverse associations with the ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
- Ibo
Origin:
AfricanMeaning:
"my people"Description:
Ibo is short but striking. Another, unrelated but equally appealing name is Ivo.