International Baby Names · Boy Names Lists
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Tumbuka
"tears"
A sonorous, if mournful, name from the Tumbuka language of Malawi and Zambia.
Swahili
"first born child"
Traditional Swahili choice for the eldest child.
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.
Ugandan
"born after twins"
Mellow and musical.
Urhobo
"man"
A traditional name in southern Nigeria.
"white"
Shona
"love"
In the Shona language of souther Africa, this simple and wearable boys' name means love .
"faith"
Rutendo is a unisex name used in southern Africa, particularly Zimbabwe. It is used more often among baby girls.
Swahili from Arabic
"sword"
Sefu derives from the Arabic word sayf , meaning sword.
Amharic
"peace"
A unisex name with a lovely serene meaning in the Ambaric language of Ethiopia.
African, Yoruba, mythology name
More substantial than it sounds: Shango was the god of thunder and legendary ancestor of the Yoruba people of Nigeria.
"revived"
Tadesse, also spelled Tadese, is seen as both a surname and as a masculine given name in Ethiopia. Notable bearers include sculptor Tadesse Mamecha, long-distance runner, Tadesse Abraham, and artist…
"his story"
Tariku is a traditional Ethiopian name as well as that of a river in Indonesia.
"thank you"
A unisex Shona name most closely associated with Tatenda Taibu, captain of the Zimbabwean cricket team.
West African and South African, meaning unknown
T'Challa is the "real" name of Marvel's Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman in the 2018 blockbuster. That year, Marvel released a comic revealing the name means "he who put the knife where it…
Sotho
"gratitude"
Teboho comes from the Sotho language native to southern Africa. It's most commonly used as a name in Lesotho and South Africa.
"be thankful"
"make things happen"
Upbeat name for a son with a hopeful future.
Tswana
"joy"
