International Baby Names
African Girl Names
Across 8 pages
of 8
Ayo
Yoruba, Nigerian
"joy"
This charming West African mini name fits in with the other similarly short names that are all the rage right now. Ayo is enjoying new visibility thanks to actress Ayo Edebiri, star of TV's The Bear .
Bayo
African, Nigerian, Yoruba
"the crown meets joy"
Short form of Adebayo
Behati
Afrikaans version of Beate or Beata
"blessed"
Namibian supermodel Behati Prinsloo, who has walked the runway for every designer from Prada to Versace to Vera Wang, has introduced us to this Afrikaans version of Beata and relative of Beatrice.…
Bisoye
Yoruba
"born into chieftancy, born into title"
A bouncy Yoruba name used primarily in Nigeria, Bisoye is a variant of the more common Abisoye and lends easily to the cute nickname Bee.
Chioma
African, Igbo
"good God"
Beautiful West African name that could appeal across cultures.
Desta
Amharic
"joy"
An Ethiopian name that means "joy."
Fayola
Yoruba, "lucky, good fortune, blessed"
"lucky, good fortune, blessed"
A beautiful Yoruban name associated with honor and good fortune. Both fy-o-la and fay-OH-luh are used as pronunciations. Instagrammer Fayola Leo and musician Sri Fayola are notable bearers.
Efemena
Urhobo
"here is my wealth"
A unisex name used among the Urhobo people of Southern Nigeria.
Efia
Akan
"born on Friday"
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…
Enu
African, Akan
"fifth born child"
Even if you're not planning on having five kids, Enu makes a cute name for a son or daughter.
Amma
Tamil, Akan
"mother, or born on a Saturday"
An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning. Amma is also a Ghanaian name. The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born…
Farai
Shona
"rejoice"
A bright, joyful and unisex name of Shona origin, also used as the name of a fashion brand.
Eshe
African, Swahili
"life"
A variant of Asha, which is related to the classic Arabic name Aisha, yet another way to say life. Other on-the-rise names with this uplifting meaning: Zoe and Vivian varieties such as Viviana,…
Gabisile
Bantu, Zulu, Xhosa
"has made people envious, but they won't get it"
Intriguing and rare South African name.
Aminata
Arabic
"trustworthy, faithful"
This elaboration of the Arabic amīn, meaning "trustworthy" or "to feel safe" was a fast riser in 2022, but has yet to crack the Top 1000. Latvian musical artist Aminata Savadogo's 2021 song "It's…
Gugu
Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
"treasure"
Gugu is derived from the word igugu , meaning "treasure." It's commonly used as a nickname for Gugulethu.
Habiba
Arabic
"beloved, sweetheart"
A name whose sweet sound matches with its meaning, Habiba is popular in Somalia and North Africa. It comes from the Arabic habib meaning "dear, beloved", making it a bright and endearing choice.
Ife
Yoruba
"love"
Short but impactful, Ife is a meaningful Yoruba name, taken from the word ífé meaning "love". Predominantly used in Nigeria or among Nigerian families, it may also be used in as an element in longer…
Imara
Kiswahili
"firm"
This could make a hauntingly evocative name for an American child, striking the perfect balance of the unusual and the familiar. Imara's meaning adds further appeal placing it among the special class…
Afia
African
"born on Friday"
This variant of the more-difficult Afua, from the Akan language of what is now Ghana in West Africa, is a traditional "day name" that can make a perfectly pretty modern choice.