International Baby Names · Boy Names Lists
African Boy Names
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Nairobi
African place name
The capital of Kenya makes a melodic and worldly name.
Neo
Latin or Tswana
"new or gift"
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…
Nnamdi
Igbo
"my father is alive"
In the Igbo culture of Nigeria, the name Nnamdi is given to baby boys who are thought to be reincarnations of their grandfathers. The name is familiar via Nnamdi Asomugha, a former NFL player married…
Obi
Short form of Obadiah or African, Igbo
"heart"
Strongly linked in the US to the complex "Star Wars" character, Obi Wan Kenobi, but also popular in Nigeria as a short form of names containing the element Obi "heart". Obi can also be a nickname for…
Odion
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.
Okello
Ugandan
"born after twins"
Mellow and musical.
Okoro
Urhobo
"man"
A traditional name in southern Nigeria.
Oyibo
Urhobo
"white"
Rudo
Shona
"love"
In the Shona language of souther Africa, this simple and wearable boys' name means love .
Rutendo
Shona
"faith"
Rutendo is a unisex name used in southern Africa, particularly Zimbabwe. It is used more often among baby girls.
Sefu
Swahili from Arabic
"sword"
Sefu derives from the Arabic word sayf , meaning sword.
Sekani
Sekani, Tumbuka
"people on the rocks; laugh"
Sekani was the fastest-rising boy name of 2019, inspired by the character Sekani Carter in the 2018 movie The Hate U Give . The Sekani, also spelled Tse’khene, are a First Nations culture in Canada.…
Selam
Amharic
"peace"
A unisex name with a lovely serene meaning in the Ambaric language of Ethiopia.
Seydou
Manding, Fula, Wolof, Serer
"happy, lucky"
Western African variation of Sa'id
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.
Tadesse
Amharic
"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…
Tafari
Amharic
"he who inspires awe"
King Tafari was the last king of Ethiopia. He is worshipped today as an incarnation of God by Rastafarians.
Tariku
Amharic
"his story"
Tariku is a traditional Ethiopian name as well as that of a river in Indonesia.
Tatenda
Shona
"thank you"
A unisex Shona name most closely associated with Tatenda Taibu, captain of the Zimbabwean cricket team.
Tau
Indigenous Australian or Tswana, Sotho
"dusk, twilight; lion"
Tau, rhyming with cow, is a simple straightforward name with roots in two languages and cultures, the Kaurna language spoken by indigenous Australian people or the African Tswana language, a Bantu…