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Boy Names from Africa

African names for baby boys represent the many languages and cultures from around the continent. Americans may be familiar with African names such as Chidi, Kamau, Neo, Kehinde, and Nnamdi through pop culture references. Barack, a Swahili name, is the widest known, as the name of 44th President Barack Obama.

Amari is currently the most popular African boy name in the United States. Along with Amari, other African boy names in the US Top 1000 are Omari, Ayan, Dakari, Sekani, Khari, and Zaire. Rare African boy names worth considering include Idir, Odion, Zenebe, and Uzochi.

African baby names for boys are historic choices that honor heritage. For our full list of African baby names, click here.

African Boy Names

Tau

Meaning: dusk, twilight; lion

Origin:Indigenous Australian or Tswana, Sotho
4283
Itri

Meaning: star

Origin:Berber
2570
Unathi

Meaning: God is with us

Origin:Xhosa
0
Yaw

Meaning: Born on a Thursday

Origin:Ghanaian, Akan, Twi
2619
Enitan

Meaning: person of story

Origin:Yoruba
3735
Gahiji

Meaning: the hunter

Origin:African
7416
Idi

Meaning: born during the Idd festival

Origin:African
5529
Thando

Meaning: love

Origin:Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
11468
Yao

Meaning: born on Thursday

Origin:Ewe
6463
Chima

Meaning: God knows

Origin:Igbo
5054
Chi

Meaning: spiritual being

Origin:Igbo
8158
Garian The name Garian is of African origin. It has...
Origin:African place-name
6530
Ibo

Meaning: my people

Origin:African
5825
Kato

Meaning: second of twins

Origin:African, Uganda
2939
Khamisi

Meaning: born on Thursday

Origin:Swahili
6950
Masozi

Meaning: tears

Origin:Tumbuka
18395
Okoro

Meaning: man

Origin:Urhobo
8324
Okello

Meaning: born after twins

Origin:Ugandan
4987
Seydou

Meaning: happy, lucky

Origin:Manding, Fula, Wolof, Serer
5898
Sefu

Meaning: sword

Origin:Swahili from Arabic
10820