African Girl Names

Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.

Also spelt Sebele, this soft-sounding name means "harvest" in the Amharic language of Ethiopia.

The more familiar name Thandi is often used as a nickname for Thandeka.

A pretty pan-botanical name from the Sotho languages, spoken mainly in the southern part of Africa.

A captivating and sprightly name brought into the limelight by actress Thandiwe Newton.

Zenzile derives from the word uzenzile, meaning "you bought this upon yourself." It was the given name of Miriam Makeba, a singer known as Mama Africa. Her mother gave Makeba the name after a difficult delivery because she had previously been warned that she was unlikely to survive the pregnancy.

A rare and beautiful name that could easily cross cultures.

An Ethiopian name that means "joy."

Attractive African name with a meaning that honors mom.

Might frequently be understood as "pilly." Can also be a short form of Pilar -- though the long form is better.

Mirembe is a feminine Ugandan name stemming from the Luganda word "emirembe" meaning peace, quiet. In Luganda, Rs are pronounced similar to Ls, so mill-EM-beh is an approximate pronunciation.

Pronounced mah-zah, Maaza means a pleasant scent, usually from a yellow daisy popular in Ethiopia. Hot young Ethiopian-American novelist Maaza Mengiste introduced the name to our shores.

Nakato was traditionally used on the second-born (female) twin among the Luganda-speaking people of Uganda.

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.

Feminine form of the male name Lelisa.

Related to the better-known Arabic name Noor.

Achol is an African name that usually means more specifically, "second born after the first child dies," making it a name often used for rainbow babies. Achol Ayor is a South Sudanese model.

U is an oft-rejected first initial, but a name like Uzoma makes it cool.

Ameyo is a common name in West Africa, where it is traditional to give a child a name that reflects their time of birth. Ameyo means "born on Saturday" and is derived from the word mene. Kwame is the masculine counterpart.