African Boy Names
African boy names represent the many languages and cultures from around the continent. Americans may be familiar with African names such as Chidi, Kamau, Neo, Kehinde, and Nnamdi through pop culture references. Barack, a Swahili name, is the widest known, as the name of 44th President Barack Obama.
Amari is currently the most popular African boy name in the United States. Along with Amari, other African boy names in the US Top 1000 are Omari, Ayan, Dakari, Sekani, Khari, and Zaire. Rare African boy names worth considering include Idir, Odion, Zenebe, and Uzochi.
African baby names for boys are historic choices that honor heritage. The possibilities are diverse and varied from the range of African countries and cultures.
RELATED:
- Amari
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"eternal"Description:
An originally male name also used for girls, mostly because of its soft sound and vowel ending. Related to names and words in a range of languages—Yoruba, Thai, Hebrew—and with a variety of positive meanings.
- Neo
Origin:
Latin or TswanaMeaning:
"new or gift"Description:
This nouveau name of Keanu Reeves's character in The Matrix has not enjoyed the same burst of popularity as its female counterpart, Trinity, but it definitely sounds, well, newer. Neo Rauch is an interesting contemporary German artist.
- Zaire
Origin:
Place nameMeaning:
"the river that swallows all rivers"Description:
An African place name—Zaire was a Central African state from 1971 to 1997—it comes from a Kongo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers." A bold and wearable choice for a son.
- Obi
Origin:
African, Nigerian-IboMeaning:
"heart"Description:
"Return of the Jedi": strongly linked to the complex "Star Wars" character, Obi Wan Kenobi.
- Khari
Origin:
West AfricanMeaning:
"kingly"Description:
Though used quite often for babies of both sexes, Khari, meaning "kingly," was traditionally a boys' name. Musical couple Fetty Wop and Masika Kalysha, however, named their daughter Khari.
- Kwaku
Origin:
Ghanaian, Akan, TwiMeaning:
"Born on a Wednesday"Description:
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 Ghanans have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).
- Zuri
Origin:
KiswahiliMeaning:
"good, beautiful"Description:
Singular, strong, and rare outside East Africa.
- Kofi
Origin:
Ghanaian, Akan, TwiMeaning:
"born on Friday"Description:
This Akan day name is very much associated with Kofi Annan, the seventh secretary general of the United Nations. 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 system.
- Iniko
Origin:
NigerianMeaning:
"time of trouble"Description:
African name with Niko-nickname option.
- Barack
Origin:
Hebrew; also Swahili from ArabicMeaning:
"thunderbolt, lightning; or blessing"Description:
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 Semitic root, to the Hebrew name Baruch. Barack is also sometimes an alternate spelling of the Hebrew name Barak, which stems from the Semitic word for "lightning." Barack Obama may have found it a difficult name to grow up with, but the same won't be true for the many babies starting to be given that name. Other parents are being inspired to use Obama, which is a common surname among the Luo people of East Africa meaning "to lean or bend."
- Ajani
Origin:
Nigerian, YorubanMeaning:
"the victor"Description:
An easily assimilated African name, a novel twist on Johnny.
- Zuberi
Origin:
SwahiliMeaning:
"strong"Description:
Zuberi has separate origins as a Swahili given name meaning "strong," and an Arabic surname — primarily among Sunni Muslims in Pakistan — meaning "superior."
- Ayan
Origin:
SomaliMeaning:
"fortune"Description:
The African name Ayan was first seen on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2014. It's both simple and distinctive, a winning combination.
- Kwame
Origin:
Ghanaian, AkanMeaning:
"born on Saturday"Description:
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 system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).
- Sekani
Origin:
Sekani, TumbukaMeaning:
"people on the rocks; laugh"Description:
Sekani was the fastest-rising boy name of 2019, inspired by the character Sekani Carter in the 2018 movie The Hate U Give.
- Kamau
Origin:
KikuyuMeaning:
"quiet warrior"Description:
Kamau is from the Kikuyu language native to Kenya. It is recognizable as the middle name of comedian W. Kamau Bell.
- Kato
Origin:
African, UgandaMeaning:
"second of twins"Description:
Kato gained a lot of attention during the O. J. Simpson trial via witness Kato Kaelin (born Brian). It is also the name of a fictional character in "The Green Hornet." Spelled Cato, it has a lot more credibility as an ancient name.
- Udo
Origin:
IgboMeaning:
"peace"Description:
Udo is the Igbo word for peace, and, in Nigeria, is a name usually reserved for men. Related names include Akudo, Udoka and Udo-Amaka.
- Itri
Origin:
BerberMeaning:
"star"
- Chidi
Origin:
IgboMeaning:
"God exists"Description:
A very common boys' name (and nickname) in Nigeria that some Americans will recognize as the name of one of the main characters on NBC's The Good Place.