African Boy Names

Not long ago, the name of this central African republic was firmly in place-name territory and not seen as baby appropriate. But those boundaries are moving so quickly that all kinds of place-names that were once not considered as baby names, from Alaska to Morocco to Chicago to, yes, Congo are on the list. The place-name Congo is taken from the people and language of the Kingdom of Kongo. In that language, the word kongo means "gather".

Teboho comes from the Sotho language native to southern Africa. It's most commonly used as a name in Lesotho and South Africa.

Eminently usable Nigerian name that works for both sexes.

Sefu derives from the Arabic word sayf, meaning sword.

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 system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

We're always looking for cool new U names (it's the least common initial for first names!) and Uzochi is our latest favorite find. It's an Igbo name derived from the components uzo, meaning "road" or "way," and Chi, referring to God. Uzochi is most frequently used in Nigeria.

Mellow and musical.

This charming West African mini name fits in with the other similarly short names that are all the rage right now. Actress Ayo Edebiri is the star of TV's The Bear.

Zuberi has separate origins as a Swahili given name meaning "strong," and an Arabic surname — primarily among Sunni Muslims in Pakistan — meaning "superior."

Western African variation of Sa'id

An African family name ripe for adoption in honor of Nelson Mandela, the South African activist imprisoned for almost thirty years for his antiapartheid activities.

This name from the Shona language is a new entrant to the Top 1000 in the US.

King Tafari was the last king of Ethiopia. He is worshipped today as an incarnation of God by Rastafarians.

This African name, which derives from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, is used for both girls and boys -- but in the US, its most notable bearer is (male) artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley, who paints brown- and black-skinned people in the style of European Old Masters, was born in Los Angeles of an African-American mother and a Yoruba father and was also a twin, thus his name. An attractive and creative choice for either gender.

This strong (literally) African name comes from the Chewa language of southern Africa.

Rhythmic, strong, and buoyant.

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

Djimon has become a familiar African name via powerful Benin-born, Oscar-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou.