12 African Names for Girls and Their Meanings
African names for girls are becoming more and more popular as an option when it comes to naming babies. This isn’t that surprising, as they’re not only beautiful but they’re also full of meaning. Would you like to hear them?
A large percentage of the world’s population is interested in reclaiming their roots to the African continent. Many African names for girls are directly linked with African culture, languages and dialects. There are around 2000 dialects, among which include Afro-Asian, Nilo-Saharan, Nigero-Congolese and Khoisan.
So there are loads of names to choose from!
Strong links with nature
People from all around the world, both with and without African origins, love to support the culture of this continent. As for the origin of African names, it’s worth mentioning that many of them have a strong links with elements of nature, such as animals and plants. They’re also linked with the day of the week that the child was born as well as the order the child was born in, with respect to her siblings.
Without further ado, let’s go through some of these beautiful African names for girls.
Beautiful African names for girls
1. Nasha
This name could be an excellent choice if your little girl is born in Autumn, as its African meaning is “Born during the rain.”
2. Ashanti
Ashanti means “thanks.” It’s no surprise that this beautiful word has become a girl’s name because in African culture, the birth of a child is a blessing. Ashanti has also become a popular name in African-American culture as it’s the name of a famous North American singer and producer.
3. Kande
As we explained before, in African culture, it’s important for a child’s name to refer to the order in which the child arrived into the family. Kande means “first born,” so it’s a good option for your first daughter.
4. Akili
The name Akili comes from Tanzania and means “intelligent” or “brilliant.”
5. Chayna
This name is linked with the word “love,” so it has a tradition of being linked to loving. It will, without doubt, emphasize a beautiful virtue in your little girl.
6. Lewa
Lewa means “beautiful” in African dialects. Although it’s not a very popular name, its etymology is beautiful.
7. Ayana
This name’s origin takes us to Ethiopia and it has only one meaning. Ayana translates as “beautiful flower.”
8. Leiza
This name means “Devoted to God.” This name is very popular in African culture and, depending on the dialect, it can also be spelled Leeza or Leezah.
9. Nala
This name became popular due to Disney’s “The Lion King,” but it’s also a beautiful girl’s name that means “success.”
10. Cumbi
Cumbi means “party,” and it refers to the importance of a new female arrival to a family.
11. Oluchi
This is one of the most widely used Nigerian names. A public figure who has this name is the model Oluchi Onweagba.
12. Agbani
This name is linked to the Yoruba language, in the region of Lago (Ékó), where it’s quite common. Agbani Darego is a public figure who has this name.
In addition to the African names for girls that we’ve listed above, here are a few more to consider: Liya, Waris, Gelila, Aka, Belgúm, Delu and Musuke.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Mederos AA. (2018). La Naturaleza y las Religiones de Origen Africano. Converg rev cienc soc; (15). Disponible en: https://convergencia.uaemex.mx/article/view/9573
- Rainer, L., Bass Rivera, A., & Gandreau, D. (2011). Terra 2008 – the 10th international conference on the study and conservation of earthen architectural heritage. Getty Publications.
