New Names to the African Name Web Site
- Chioma is a Nigerian, Igbo name meaning “Good God” or others might prefer “God is good”.
- Juah – Girl Name, Kru, Liberia
- Mechen – Boy or Girl – Meaning Tears, Bassa, Liberia
- Secret – Girl Name ” The 9 months “secret” is revealed”.
- Siahbonu – Boy or Girl “You didn’t do it to me”
- Snortie – Girl Name, Kru, Liberia
- Tiedi – Girl Name, Kru, Liberia
- Wehte – Girl Name, Kru, Liberia
- Welleh – Girl Name, Kru, Liberia
African Name
- Anika – Yoruba dailect Nigeria
- Ameyo is a girl name from Ghana and the Ewe dialect meaning a girl born on Saturday
- Ayana– Beautiful Flower- Ethiopian
- Ariel– Loiness of God
- Kai – Girl name, basically means “love”, Yoruba dialect, Nigeria
- Komnan– Boy’s Name in Ghana Fante means born on Monday.
More Names from Liberia
- Dwede (pronounced “dwe-day”. This is a female’s name meaning Dwe’s Mother; as you would say Junior’s Ma or Pa.)
- Mamawa (MAWAY) (This is another female’s name meaning small-mother. This name is for someone who is the name-sake of your mother or grandmother or just another older person you call Ma or Mama in the family)
- Sianeh ( is actually ” Sie-Anyene” which means Sie’s Wife. If your
husband’s name is Sie, and a girl is named after you, you may decide to call her this name to reflect your love and honour for your husband - Wahde (pronounced “Wah-Day” means Wah’s Mother. Again if you have a son called WAH, and a girl is named after you, you can choose to call that child Wahde reflecting your love and respect for your son Wah.
- Wonlay (this name can be given to either a boy or girl child. Actually
it is pronounced “War-nie” and means “Tired”. This name is given a girl
whose parents have lost a lot of children in either childbirth/childhood.
They are simply saying that “We are tired of all troubles/problems.) - Yenplu ( is actually pronounced “NYENE-PLU” and the name means
“White Woman”. It is given to a considered-beautiful girl child). - Dwe (the name DWE is a boy’s name, and for a girl it is “NYENE-DWE”.
NYENE is Woman or Wife. Dwe is the Grebo name for an elephant and so this name is given to a person who is great, strong and power, and sometimes even big. - Monon-Konmlan (or Konmlan for short)– Boy name In Liberian Kru means I’m the one with the luck/blessing.
- Soe-Tehpoe (or Tehpoe for short)- boy name In Liberian kru means I’m not to be blamed/I’m not responsible for what happened.
- Jayplo/Japlo— Girl name in Liberian Kru means beautiful girl.
Kissi Names
The Kissi people are from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Boys Name
- Saa, Saah or Sarh: First boy
- Tamba: Second boy
Girls Name
- Sia: First girl
- Kumba: Second girl
- Finda: Third girl
Names from “Africa’s Experience in America”
List of names from African slaves and later free people of Newport, Rhode Island. Newport was at the center of the African Slave Trade during the Colonial Period. Today, it has the nation’s oldest and largest slave burial markers with the oldest dating back to 1690. Nearly all Newport slaves came from Cape Coast then on to Barbados and Jamaica to Newport.
- Cuffee – is the Anglicized version of the Ghanaian name “Kofi” which is a name given to boys born on Friday.
- Salmar
- Nubia
- Yama
- Quamino
- Mowatt
- Cuff
- Mingo
- Occramar
- Marycoo
- Zingo
- Quarco
- Orbour (Female)
- Mimbo (Female)
African names whose origins are not known.
Girls
- A – Abu, Amma
- B – Banwai, Bella
- C – Chioma, Coto
- D – Deddeh, Dwede
- E – Ebun
- F – Famata, Fatima, Fazzie, Feta
- G – Garmaih
- H – Hawa
- J – Jlay, Juah, Jugbeh
- K – Kamah, Kebbeh, Kona, Kollie, Korto, Korlu, Kula
- L – Lorpu
- M – Madia, Mamawa, Massa, Mayatu, Matu, Mazu, Miata or Miatta, Moima, Munah, Musu, Miehdi
- N – Nowah Nahdi, Neeway, Nahweh, Nowu
- O – Owalla
- S – Saybah, Sadatu, Sadia, Saida, Sianeh, Siata or Siatta
- T – Tonia, Tenneh, Tuma
- W – Wyiata, Wonlay
- Y – Yama, Yarta or Yatta, Yassa or Yassah, Yamah, Yarmah, Yata, Yenpu
- Z – Zoe
Boys
- A – Abu, Amu, Ansu, Armah
- B – Boimah, Boikai
- F – Flomo, Foday, Fokra
- G – Goma
- K – Kandaki, Kwame, Kofa, Kofi
- L – Lamie
- M – Marbue, Massala, Momo
- O – Oso, Sia, Sidiki, Siafa
- T – Tokpah, Toyuwa, Trokon
- V – Varney
- W – Wleh
- Z – Zanele, Zinnah, Zwana
Looking for a name for an expected son?
How about Suah? Suah is a boy’s name. The name comes from Liberia, West Africa and it belongs to the dialect of Gio. The name “Suah” means “A new era, a new beginning”
It is pronounced Sue-ah. Sue as in a girls name and Ah- as in “Ah, that hurts.” or like the sound you make after you had a refreshing drink. Su-ah not Su-uh.
Click here to listen to correct pronuncation of the name Suah
Muslim Names
These names are popular throughout West Africa with the Mandingos, Fulani and other Muslims.
Girls
Fanta , Ramatu short for Ramatula, Kasnatu, Koja, Swana, Nyeimaah, Mathenneh, Lagbeh, Watta, Sao, Sayo and Keima or Kayma.
- Kosnatu – is a Isalamic name from Sierra Leone, West Africa, Kosnatu means Brilliance.
- Rahmatulah – The mercy of God
- Fatima – The prophet’s daughter
- Bintu – The daughter of
- North African Names
- Roukea – Muslim female name.
Boys
- Amadu
- Solo
- Blama
- Mamadee
- Momolu
-
Ahmed