Connecting African Heritage - Male

Malik

Arabic; Greenlandic

"king; owner; wave"

A name with many spelling variations, including Malek, Melik, and Maliq, Malik is a popular name of Arabic and Semetic origin that is used internationally as both a given name and a surname. In terms…

Zaire

Place name, Congo

"the river that swallows all rivers"

Zaire was a Central African state from 1971 to 1997 that has recently risen up the charts as a boys name. Deriving from a Congo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers", it makes a bold and…

Kobe

Swahili

"tortoise"

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant, whose name was inspired by a Japanese steak house, brought this energetic and appealing name into -- and out of -- the mix. Bryant's tragic death in a helicopter crash…

Zain

Variation of Zayn, Arabic

"beauty, grace"

Zayn and the more Western-friendly Zain sound exactly like the popular Zane but have a different root, in Arabic and African cultures. The name was made familiar to Europeans and Americans by British…

Ayan

Somali

"fortune"

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.

Kellan

Spelling variation of Kellen

"swamp; slender"

Kellan Lutz is the attractive young actor who plays Emmett Cullen in the Twilight series.

Issa

Issa is a masculine name with multicultural origins. In Arabic culture, it is the name for Jesus (prophet Isa in Islam) and means 'God is salvation.' It also appears in Slavic languages as a…

Nile

River name, color name, or variation of Niall, Irish

"champion"

Water names are a cool category these days, and this one of the famous Egyptian river is no exception. It streamlines the fussier Niles and also may be thought of as a color name, meaning dark blue…

Ajani

Nigerian, Yoruban

"the victor"

An easily assimilated African name, a novel twist on Johnny.

Kion

Kion is a modern masculine name that gained recognition through Disney's "The Lion Guard," where Kion is the son of Simba. The name likely draws inspiration from "ki" sounds in Swahili or other…

Kato

African, Uganda

"second of twins"

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…

Kwame

Ghanaian, Akan

"born on Saturday"

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…

Amadou

West African

A form of Ahmad popular in Western Africa. It ranked in the French Top 500 for much of the 1980s.

Kofi

Ghanaian, Akan, Twi

"born on Friday"

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…

Dakarai

Dakarai is a masculine name of Shona origin from Zimbabwe meaning 'happiness' or 'joy.' This distinctive name carries positive connotations and cultural significance in African naming traditions.…

Tayo

Yoruba, African

"worth joy"

Tayo, also written as Táyò in Yoruba, is a name that sounds as joyful as its meaning.

Ezana

Ethiopian, Geʽez, meaning unknown

Ezana of Aksum was the ruler of an ancient kingdom that is now in Eritrea and Ethiopia. He was the first monarch of Aksum to convert to Christianity and is a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo…

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.

Kasim

Kasim is a masculine name with Arabic origins, meaning 'one who divides' or 'distributor,' often interpreted as someone who distributes justice or fairness. The name appears in Islamic tradition and…

Kwabena

Ghanaian, Akan, Twi

"Born on a Tuesday"

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…