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African Names that Start With S

Updated October 2026

Names16

Total Names16

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About this list

There are 16 African names that start with the letter S for boys and girls, including Syaire, Sanaa, Samiya, Sena, Shanti, Salama, Subira, Sharmaarke, Sarel, Samba, Sadio, Sassandra, Senegal, Shany, Senegal, and Shango.

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

The names

Showing 1–16 of 16

Syaire
Variation of Zaire or Sire, Kongo, English
"the river that swallows all rivers; king, royal, noble"
Zaire has been a hugely stylish choice in the US in recent years, derived from the name of a now dissolved Central African state which takes its name from the Kongo term "the river that swallows all…
Sanaa
Swahili; Arabic
"work of art; shining light"
Simple-yet-unusual name with a creative meaning. Actress Sanaa Lathan promoted it, and it was on the U.S. popularity list from 2003 to 2011. Shaquille O'Neal used it as the middle name of his…
Samiya
Arabic
"high, exalted, praised"
Samiya is a name used by parents of both Arabic and African ancestry. Spelling variations include Samiyah, Samiah, and Samia.
Sena
Korean; Hindi; Turkish; Arabic; Ewe
"this world's beauty or grace; army; to praise; bringing heaven to earth"
Sena is one of those names that is as obscure in the Western World as it is simple and straightforward. Sena exists as a name in a range of languages and cultures and may be pronounced like Senna…
Shanti
Hindi, Sanskrit
"peace"
A gentle Hindi name, ultimately from the Sanskrit śāntī , Shanti may equally refer to a state of mental and physical peace, maintained despite any stresses or difficulties and Hindu prayers for…
Salama
African, Swahili
"peace, safety, security"
The three soft a's make for a calm and rhythmic name, though some risk of salami jokes.
Subira
African, Swahili
"patience"
One African name that's virtually unknown in the western world, but sounds both soft and strong.
Sharmaarke
Somali
"see no evil, hear no evil, protect from evil; honor and blessings"
Also spelled as Sharmarke and Shemarke, this Somali name may reflect the phrase "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". While it is a double-edged proverb, associated with deliberate ignorance,…
Sarel
Afrikaans and Dutch form of Charles, French, German
"free man"
An Afrikaans variation of Charles, likely adapted other forms such as Carel and Charl, Sarel is also used occasionally among Dutch speakers. A historic bearer is Sarel Cilliers, a 19th-century…
Samba
West African, Fula
"second son"
A Western African name meaning "second son", Samba is also a style of Brazilian music and dance. It is particularly popular in Senegal and Mali.
Sadio
Senegalese
"unknown; lucky, happy"
Sadio Mané is a Senegalese footballer who plays for the Bayern Munich football club as well as Senegal's national team. He was injured and unable to play in the 2022 World Cup, but increased soccer…
Sassandra
African place-name
Sassy alternative to Cassandra -- maybe too sassy.
Senegal
African place-name
Unlikely to take over Kenya's spot as the dominant African place-name.
Shany
Swahili
"marvelous, wonderful"
Peppy cheerleader with African roots.
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.

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