200 Unique African Boy Names

Africa is a huge continent with a large number of different tribes and ethnic groups and as such has a rich bank of baby name inspiration.

You may be wondering what is special about a name? The issue of names and naming in Africa is always taken very seriously as a person’s name is believed to go a long way in determining the course of their life.

Africans have this ideology that there is some kind of life force in everything. And when a child is given a name, it means providing them with all the life force they need to successfully solve problems or make a positive impact on society.

Apart from that, a name connects you with a pasthistory, tradition and cultural festival. It’s so fundamental that even if you want to look back and see where you came from and dig into your roots or lineage, you must start with your name.

African names transcend the individual to whom they are given. It is linked to many centuries of history that help shape and define the true personality of the African people. It tells stories of communities, paints pictures of glory and greatness, and has the power to mark past victories and promise prosperity for the future. They are usually passed from one generation to the next to restore, preserve, or create a sense of honor.

One of the things that is relatively common with traditional African names is that the grandparent or elder person is usually the person who chooses the name.

Whatever traditional African name a baby is, this is highly dependent on various factors including the day, time or season a baby is born, what the baby looks like and the circumstances under which they are born.

A child’s name can also depend on birth order, especially if they are twins. Here a person does not have to declare whether they are the eldest or the youngest of their siblings because their names say so much. For example, in Nigeria, the Yoruba refer to the first twin as Taiwo (the first to see the world) and the second as Kehinde (who came after him). Likewise, the Kalenjins of Kenya call the first-born Yator (the first to pave the way) and the last-born Towett (the last).

Parents in some African countries usually name their children after famous political figures in hopes that one day they will become as successful as the people they are named after. The Luos in Kenya are particularly well known for this. Many parents also express their religious beliefs through the names they give their children. Across the length and breadth of the continent, many local names have religious connections. Among the Igbo and Yoruba tribes of Nigeria, a name beginning or ending in Chi, Chukwu, or Oluwa refers to the supreme god.

In Africa, it is common for people to have more than one name—for example, a tribal name, a religious or religious-based name, and a name derived from the day or time of their birth.

In some parts of the continent, a person is named as soon as the umbilical cord falls off, while in other parts a child earns a name after seven days. In some cases, a person is given a name and then given an adult name by eleven or twelve.

So there are variations in names and naming methods, but one thing that’s relatively common is that African names have meanings.

Meanwhile in Africa the male child is revered more than the female child, it is every man’s dream to have at least one male child in his life, someone who can carry on in the family line.

There is this belief that the female child will eventually marry into another family while the male stays behind and takes over the father. Africans take names seriously and male names are very different from female ones.

Here is a list of African boy names that will suit your little boy.

Read more: 200+ Cute and Unique Baby Girl Names and Meanings

Selected African Boy Names

1) Adelaja

2) Adetokunbo

3) Adigun

4) Adam

5) Adunbi

6) rework

7) Afram

8) Agyeman

9) Abasi

10) Abeeku

11) Abejids

12) Abidugun

13) Abiola

14) Abudakar

15) Achinike

16) Addae

17) Addi

18) Goodbye

19) Adebayo

20) Adegoke

21) Bagenda

22) Bahemuka

23) Baingana

24) Bakari promise

25) Balondemu

26) Bandel

27) Banga

28) Bategeka

29) Bayana

30) Berhanua

31) Birtuka

32) Birungi

33) Babafemi

34) Babatunji

35) Badru

36) Badu

37) Chioke

38) Chitundu

39) Chukwudi

40) Chi

41) Chijoke

42) Chinese

43) Coffee

44) Commie

45) Daudi

46) Dawit

47) Dayo

48) Deg

49) Dembe

50) Dulana

51) Danladi

52) Dulani

53) Dumaka

54) Eleva

55) Enani

56) Ekundayo

57) Essia

58) Ewansiha

59) Fariji

60) Fenuku

61) Fantasia

62) Fethee

63) Finn

64) Ganya

65) Gezan

66) Gonza

67) Gainde

68) Galabba

69) Goredenna

70) Gyasi

71) Gowon

72) Hamadi

73) Hanif

74) Haoniyao

75) Habib

76) Haruna

77) Haji

78) Hakim

79) Idi

80) Idogbe

81) Ilom

82) Imasu

83) Ipyana

84) Iroagbulam

85) Issa

86) item be

87) Ifeanyi

88) Iben

89) Isiom

90) Ibru

91) Jaman

92) Jata

93) Jibade

94) Jima

95) Jideofor

See again: 200 Unique African Girl Names and Their Meanings

96) Yidd

97) Jabulani

98) Jafari

99) Jimiyu

100) Juma

101) Cave

102) Kayin

103) Kayonga

104) Keanjaho

105) Kelile

106) Kemi

107) Boiler

108) Kokayi

109) Kovan

110) Kpodo

111) Kudzai

112) Customer

113) Kwabena

114) Kabiito

115) Kabonero

116) Kakyomya

117) Kami

118) Maskini

119) Mawalawde

120) Mazi

121) Mbwana

122) Mekonnas

123) Merille

124) Miruts

125) Mugisa

126) Muhairwe

127) Mukasa

128) Mulumba

129) Musisi

130) Musoke

131) Muwanga

132) Mwaka

133) Mwake

134) Natukundo

135) Nikusubila

136) Njere

137) Nkrumah

138) Nnamdi

139) Nando

140) Nnaemeka

141) Nsubuga

142) Nuwamanya

143) Nyakoojo

144) Nakisisa

145) Nagila

146) Nangwaya

147) Nassor

148) Obadele

149) Oban

150) Obaseki

151) Obinna

152) Obaseki

153) Olu

154) Remi

155) Raheed

156) Rabiu

157) Semanda

158) Shomari

159) Simba

160) Sisay

161) Sissy

162) Siwazuri

163) Sono

164) Sowande

165) Sultan

166) Thenga

167) Tian

168) Tikhavonna

169) Tombe

170) Tongo

171) Teruworq

172) Tukesiga

173) Tusuubira

174) Tyehimba

175) Tajiri

176) Tapy

177) Tefere

178) Teka

179) Ugo

180) Uba

181) Umaru

182) Udoka

183) Umiya

184) Wanniya

185) Wasswa

186) Valoga

187) Weke

188) Yanapay

189) Yohanna’s

190) Yahcay

191) Yorkoo

192) Yusuf

193) Zewde

194) Zinyeza

195) Zira

196) Ziwa

197) Zoputan

198) Zula

199) Zulan

200) Zawadi

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