International Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Igbo
"patience"
Upbeat and attractive girl name from Nigeria.
Kamba
"billy goat"
In Akamba culture, children were historically given names with animal meanings if their mother's first pregnancy was a stillbirth. It was thought that these names promoted survival and kept the bad…
Mende
"sweet"
Friendly and energetic name from the Mende language of West Africa.
African, Nigerian-Igbo
"blessing"
Dynamic and creative; common in Africa, challenging here. Pronunciation isn't as difficult as you'd guess, but everyone will have to ask. Many favor n-GO-zee, but a native speaker tells us that it is…
"my mother is supreme"
Attractive African name with a meaning that honors mom.
Akan
"sixth born child"
West African naming tradition dictated that children were named for their time of birth or birth order — Nsia would have been given to a sixth-born baby girl.
Yoruba
"festival of joy"
A cool -o girl name most often used in Nigeria, with a charmingly cheerful and celebratory meaning. A famous namesake is Nigerian professional wrestler Odunayo Adekuoroye.
Zulu, Xhosa
"ours"
The literal meaning of Olwethu is "ours," which is in reference to the love of the child.
