African Dog Names

Abaro

Abayomi

A name of Nigerian origin meaning 'bringer of joy' or 'he who brings joy'.

Abea

Abeni

Means "we prayed and we received" in Yoruba

Abiba

No documented meaning in the sources checked

Abiona

No documented meaning in the sources checked

Addo

A name of African origin.

Adia

A name of African origin meaning 'gift' or 'present'

Adisa

Means "bundled up and set to dry" in Yoruba

Afi

A name of African origin meaning 'born on a Friday'

Afiro

Aja

A name of African origin meaning 'a spirit' or 'the one who is wise'.

Ajani

Yoruba: from à- (nominalising prefix) + jà (to fight) + ní (to have), literally "one fought for to have"

Akani

Recorded as a masculine given name in Tsonga

Akello

The name Akello means 'he who brings the harvest' in Luo, a language spoken in East Africa.

Akenna

Akima

Recorded as a given name in Russian and, rarely, Japanese

Akimu

Akra

Alafia

A Yoruba word meaning 'peace' or 'serenity'

Amalou

Arusha

Recorded as a feminine given name in Indian usage

Ashanti

African name meaning 'thank you' or 'the people who are not afraid.'

Askari

Swahili word for 'guard' or 'watchman'

Askia

A given name recorded in African American and Indonesian use; also the title of the first ruler of the Songhai Askia dynasty

Ausha

Badou

Bako

A Hausa (Nigerian) name for a male child born after visitors arrived in the household

Ballou

Bano

The title of a leader or chief in some African cultures.

Bayo

Recorded as a masculine given name in Western African usage

Bazulu

Beja

From Arabic بَجَا (bajā), from the Beja endonym Bidhááwi

Biko

A word referring to an ancestor or a spiritual guide in certain cultures

Bikolo

Bok

Bonga

A name derived from African languages.

Chaka

Recorded as a given name in African American (rare) and Zulu use

Chipo

Means "gift" in Shona

Cimba

Dabo

Recorded as a masculine given name in American English

Dakarai

Means "rejoice" in Shona

Dayo

Means 'joy' or 'joyful' in some African languages

Deraja

Dimba

A nickname, borne by two Brazilian footballers

Dinka

Recorded as a feminine given name in Croatian, Macedonian and archaic Jewish use

Djalie

Djambo

Djola

Dudu

Portuguese diminutive of Eduardo.

Duma

A Russian assembly with advisory or legislative functions

Fayola

African origin meaning 'wealthy' or 'successful'.

Femi

Love, affection in Yoruba

Gebi

Hasani

From Hasan with the Albanian suffix -i

Hatia

From Swahili, borrowed from Arabic خَطِيئَة (khaṭīʔa)

Ikor

Ikoro

Ikota

Imana

A name of African origin meaning 'the power of love'.

Imani

Means "faith" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic ʾīmān

Imilo

Isani

Recorded as a given name in modern English, used for girls

Iya

Meaning unknown; borne by Saint Ia of Persia, a 4th-century martyr

Jada

Elaborated form of Jade; also a Hebrew name meaning "he knows"

Jamar

Invented name, from the sounds of Jamal and Lamar

Jambo

A Scottish football nickname, from jam, short for Jam Tarts

Jengu

A water spirit in the traditional beliefs of the Sawabantu groups of Cameroon

Juma

Swahili for 'Sunday'

Jumoke

The name means 'a child that brings joy' in Yoruba.

Kabili

Kabora

Kadi

Short form of Katariina

Kalahari

Kalimo

Kalu

A name of African origin meaning 'to be strong' or 'to be powerful'.

Kamara

A given name recorded in Malagasy and, rarely, in African American use

Kamari

Combination of the sounds found in names such as Jamari, Amari and Kamaria

Kamaria

From Arabic qamar, meaning "moon"; also the root of the name of the Comoros.

Kamau

A Kikuyu name of unknown meaning, given as an initiation name

Kamo

An African name meaning 'the one who brings joy'

Kanza

An African name meaning 'treasure'.

Karee

Karee is a common name for the tree Searsia lancea, also called karree.

Karia

Swahili word borrowed from Arabic qarya, meaning village.

Kasa

Not documented as a word with a meaning in the sources checked

Kasi

Kazi

Means 'work' or 'effort' in Swahili

Keeba

Keisha

A female given name, possibly invented or based on the Hebrew Keziah

Kele

Recorded as a given name in Hawaiian, Hopi, Medieval Jewish and Brazilian Portuguese use

Kemba

The name Kemba is of African origin and means 'helping'.

Kemi

A name of African origin meaning 'the one who loves'

Kenya

From the name of the African country Kenya, itself named for Mount Kenya.

Kia

A diminutive of Kristina, used in many European languages

Kimba

From Barngarla dyimba, 'ashes'

Kimbo

Recorded as a masculine given name in Australian English

Kinta

A name of African origin meaning 'the one who has a strong will'

Kito

The meaning of Kito is 'gift' in Swahili

Kofi

Means "born on Friday" in Akan

Kombo

A word meaning 'to combine' or 'to mix'