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African Names that Start With M

Updated October 2026

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About this list

There are 10 African names that start with the letter M for boys and girls, including Makenna, Makena, Mansa, Massai, Masai, Mandela, Marjani, Moya, Maaza, and Mandla.

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African Names African Names for Girls African Names for Boys Names That Start With M

The names

Showing 1–10 of 10

Makenna
Spelling variation of McKenna, Irish, Eastern African
"son of Kenneth; happy one"
Makenna can be considered a member of the McKenna, Mackenna, Mckenzie and Mckayla family: surname style names that are popular for girls. It translates to "son of Kenneth", or taking Kenneth's…
Makena
Scottish, Meru, or Hawaiian
"son of Kenneth; happy one, gift"
Makena may be one of the names with the most diverse range of possible roots. It can be a spelling variation of the Scottish surname McKenna, or a name from the East African Meru community with a…
Mansa
Manding, Western African
"king, ruler"
Traditionally used as a title within the Mali empire, this regal choice is now used as a given name in Western African countries and among Mandinka and Maninka speakers.
Massai
African tribe; also Italian
"owner of land and farms"
Unusual name chosen for her son by actress Nia Long, who combined it with the even more unusual literary middle name, Zhivago.
Masai
African
"people who speak Maa"
Masai may have a modern air around it, however, it is likely inspired by the name of the Maasai people, who live in Kenya and Tanzania. As such, the name translates to "people who speak Maa".…
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.
Marjani
Swahili from Arabic, Hindi, Sanskrit
"coral; cleansing, purification"
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".…
Moya
Irish variation of Máire or Mary, Spanish place name, Zulu, Sotho, Lala
"beloved, bitter; estate of Modius, estate of measure; spirit, wind"
A multicultural choice with a distinctive sound, Moya may appeal as a unique alternative to Maia/Maya or Mia. Given to a handful of girls each year in the US, it is more commonly heard in the UK or…
Maaza
Amharic
"aroma or essence"
Pronounced mah-zah, Maaza means a pleasant scent, usually from a yellow daisy popular in Ethiopia. Hot young Ethiopian-American novelist Maaza Mengiste introduced the name to our shores.
Mandla
African
"strength"
This obscure Zulu name was chosen by Stevie Wonder.

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