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Puppy names / Themes

African dog names

Names from Swahili, Yoruba, Zulu, Amharic and other African languages, with the language and meaning for each.

167 names. Filter, shuffle and save them in the name finder.

Swipe these namesKeep or pass each of the 167, then send your shortlist to your partner and see the names you both liked.

Girl names (60)

Abena
Akan day name for a girl born on Tuesday · Akan
Afua
Akan day name for a girl born on Friday · Akan
Akinyi
Luo name for a girl born in the morning · Luo
Akua
Akan day name for a girl born on Wednesday · Akan
Almaz
Means diamond in Amharic · Amharic
Ama
Akan name for a girl born on Saturday · Akan
Amahle
Means the beautiful ones in Zulu · Zulu
Anuli
Means joy in Igbo · Igbo
Asubuhi
Means morning in Swahili, for an early riser · Swahili
Bokkie
Afrikaans for little buck, used to mean sweetheart · Afrikaans
Bontle
Means beautiful in Tswana · Tswana
Buhle
Means beautiful in Zulu and Xhosa · Xhosa
Chipo
Means gift in Shona · Shona
Desta
Amharic for joy · Amharic
Dunia
Means world in Swahili, for a dog who is your whole world · Swahili
Esi
Akan day name for a girl born on Sunday · Akan
Furaha
Swahili for joy and happiness · Swahili
Hadithi
Means story in Swahili · Swahili
Hekima
Means wisdom in Swahili · Swahili
Heuning
Means honey in Afrikaans · Afrikaans
Hidaya
Means gift in Swahili · Swahili
Hodan
Means rich or lush in Somali · Somali
Ife
Means love in Yoruba · Yoruba
Johari
Means jewel in Swahili · Swahili
Khumo
Means wealth or riches in Tswana · Tswana
Kipepeo
Means butterfly in Swahili · Swahili
Konjit
Means beautiful in Amharic · Amharic
Lerato
Sotho for love · Sotho
Lesedi
Means light in Tswana · Tswana
Lulit
Means pearl in Amharic · Amharic
Malaika
Swahili for angel · Swahili
Maua
Means flowers in Swahili · Swahili
Maziwa
Means milk in Swahili, for a creamy white dog · Swahili
Mbali
Zulu for flower · Zulu
Mirembe
Luganda for peace · Luganda
Monifa
Means I am lucky in Yoruba · Yoruba
Mvua
Means rain in Swahili · Swahili
Mwezi
Means moon in Swahili · Swahili
Naledi
Tswana and Sotho for star · Tswana
Neema
Swahili for grace · Swahili
Ngozi
Igbo for blessing · Igbo
Nosipho
Means gift in Zulu and Xhosa · Zulu
Noxolo
Means peace in Xhosa · Xhosa
Nuru
Swahili for light · Swahili
Nyota
Swahili for star · Swahili
Oni
Means today in Yoruba · Yoruba
Onyinye
Means gift in Igbo · Igbo
Palesa
Means flower in Sotho · Sotho
Puleng
Means in the rain in Sotho · Sotho
Rufaro
Means happiness in Shona · Shona
Sethunya
Means bloom or flower in Tswana · Tswana
Skattie
Afrikaans for darling or treasure, a favourite South African endearment · Afrikaans
Somer
Means summer in Afrikaans · Afrikaans
Subira
Means patience in Swahili · Swahili
Thandeka
Means loved in Zulu · Zulu
Thandiwe
Zulu and Xhosa for loving one · Zulu
Upendo
Swahili for love · Swahili
Yaa
Akan day name for a girl born on Thursday · Akan
Zabibu
Means grape in Swahili, for a small, sweet dog · Swahili · small dogs
Zuri
Swahili for beautiful · Swahili

Boy names (50)

Abebe
Means flower or to blossom in Amharic · Amharic
Azizi
Means precious or beloved in Swahili · Swahili
Babu
Means grandfather in Swahili, for a wise old soul · Swahili
Baraka
Swahili for blessing · Swahili
Blits
Means lightning in Afrikaans, for a fast dog · Afrikaans
Boet
Afrikaans for brother, a friendly South African word for a mate · Afrikaans
Boetie
Means little brother in Afrikaans · Afrikaans
Chuma
Means iron in Swahili, for a strong, resilient dog · Swahili
Daktari
Means doctor in Swahili · Swahili
Fadhili
Means kindness or favour in Swahili · Swahili
Fisi
Means hyena in Swahili, for a loud, cheeky dog · Swahili
Hodari
Swahili for brave and able · Swahili
Jabari
Means brave or fearless in Swahili · Swahili
Jabulani
Zulu for rejoice, be happy · Zulu
Jasiri
Swahili for brave and bold · Swahili
Kaptein
Means captain in Afrikaans · Afrikaans
Kayode
Means bringing joy in Yoruba · Yoruba
Kgosi
Means king or chief in Tswana · Tswana
Kibo
The highest summit of Kilimanjaro · Swahili · big dogs
Kiboko
Swahili for hippopotamus · Swahili · big dogs
Kifaru
Means rhinoceros in Swahili, a symbol of strength · Swahili · big dogs
Kofi
Akan name for a boy born on Friday · Akan
Kojo
Akan day name for a boy born on Monday · Akan
Kwaku
Akan day name for a boy born on Wednesday · Akan
Kwame
Akan name for a boy born on Saturday · Akan
Kwasi
Akan day name for a boy born on Sunday · Akan
Leeu
Means lion in Afrikaans · Afrikaans · big dogs
Mandla
Means strength or power in Zulu · Zulu
Marijani
Means coral in Swahili · Swahili
Moto
Means fire or hot in Swahili, for an energetic dog · Swahili
Mto
Means river in Swahili · Swahili
Mwamba
Means rock in Swahili, for a solid, steady dog · Swahili
Ndovu
Another Swahili word for elephant, for a large dog · Swahili · big dogs
Nyati
Means buffalo in Swahili, for a resilient dog · Swahili · big dogs
Obi
Igbo for heart · Igbo
Rakker
Means scamp or rascal in Afrikaans · Afrikaans
Shujaa
Means hero in Swahili, for a family protector · Swahili
Sipho
Zulu and Xhosa for gift · Zulu
Sisay
Means good omen in Amharic · Amharic
Sizwe
Means nation in Xhosa and Zulu · Xhosa
Tau
Tswana and Sotho for lion · Tswana
Tembo
Swahili for elephant · Swahili · big dogs
Thabani
Means be happy in Zulu · Zulu
Thabo
Sotho and Tswana for joy · Sotho
Themba
Zulu for trust and hope · Zulu
Tshepo
Means hope in Sotho and Tswana · Sotho
Wagter
Means guard or keeper in Afrikaans · Afrikaans · big dogs
Workneh
Amharic for you are gold · Amharic
Xolani
Means peace in Zulu · Zulu
Yaw
Akan day name for a boy born on Thursday · Akan

Names for either (57)

Amani
Swahili for peace · Swahili
Ayo
Yoruba for joy · Yoruba
Ayodele
Yoruba for joy has come home · Yoruba
Bahati
Means luck or good fortune in Swahili · Swahili
Chidi
Igbo for God exists · Igbo
Chui
Swahili for leopard · Swahili
Dada
Yoruba for curly hair · Yoruba
Dayo
Means joy arrives in Yoruba · Yoruba
Dogo
Means small in Swahili, for a little dog · Swahili · small dogs
Duma
Swahili for cheetah · Swahili
Ertjie
Means little pea in Afrikaans, for a tiny dog · Afrikaans · small dogs
Farai
Means rejoice or be happy in Shona · Shona
Imani
Swahili for faith · Swahili
Jua
Means sun in Swahili, for a bright, cheerful dog · Swahili
Kachumbari
A zesty East African tomato and onion salad · Swahili
Kagiso
Means peace in Tswana · Tswana
Karanga
Means peanut in Swahili · Swahili · small dogs
Kipenzi
Means darling or beloved in Swahili · Swahili
Knoppie
Means little button in Afrikaans · Afrikaans · small dogs
Koffie
Means coffee in Afrikaans, for a brown dog · Afrikaans
Konokono
Means snail in Swahili, for a slow, steady dog · Swahili
Kyauta
Means gift in Hausa · Hausa
Lethabo
Means joy or happiness in Sotho and Tswana · Sotho
Lwandle
Means ocean in Zulu and Xhosa · Zulu
Mandazi
A sweet East African fried dough, like a doughnut · Swahili
Mbegu
Means seed in Swahili, for a small pup with big potential · Swahili · small dogs
Mbuni
Means ostrich in Swahili, for a leggy dog · Swahili
Mkate
Means bread in Swahili · Swahili
Mpho
Means gift in Sotho and Tswana · Sotho
Mudiwa
Means beloved or darling in Shona · Shona
Ndege
Means bird in Swahili, for a small, chirpy dog · Swahili · small dogs
Ndizi
Means banana in Swahili · Swahili
Nkanyezi
Means star in Zulu · Zulu
Nyuki
Means bee in Swahili · Swahili
Paka
Means cat in Swahili, a cheeky choice for a dog · Swahili
Pampoen
Means pumpkin in Afrikaans · Afrikaans
Pilau
A spiced rice dish loved along the East African coast · Swahili
Pomboo
Means dolphin in Swahili, for a friendly, sociable dog · Swahili
Popo
Means bat in Swahili, for a dog with big ears · Swahili
Rafiki
Swahili for friend · Swahili
Rudo
Means love in Shona · Shona
Samaki
Means fish in Swahili, for a water-loving dog · Swahili
Slapie
Means a little sleep or nap in Afrikaans, for a sleepy dog · Afrikaans
Sokkies
Means socks in Afrikaans, for a dog with white paws · Afrikaans
Stukkie
Means little piece in Afrikaans, for a tiny dog · Afrikaans · small dogs
Tatenda
Means thank you in Shona · Shona
Thando
Means love in Zulu and Xhosa · Zulu
Tumaini
Swahili for hope · Swahili
Tumbili
Means monkey in Swahili, for a playful, energetic dog · Swahili
Twiga
Swahili for giraffe · Swahili · big dogs
Uche
Means wisdom or mind in Igbo · Igbo
Udo
Means peace in Igbo · Igbo
Upepo
Means wind in Swahili, for a fast, restless dog · Swahili
Vetkoek
Means fat cake, a fried dough bread loved in South Africa · Afrikaans
Vitumbua
Small, sweet East African rice cakes · Swahili · small dogs
Wollie
Means woolly in Afrikaans, for a fluffy dog · Afrikaans
Zawadi
Swahili for gift · Swahili

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