Swahili names: meanings and how to say them
100 Swahili names, each with its own page and a free printable name card. Swahili's own Bantu names come first, then names that arrived along the Indian Ocean trade routes and from Arabic, now just as much at home in Swahili families. For the full story, see our Swahili names guide.
A name has two stories
20-second filmRead the transcript
What does a Swahili name carry? Upendo means love. Its roots are Bantu-Swahili. Amani means peace, with Arabic roots. Meaning and origin tell different stories. Both names belong in Swahili families. Say Upendo. Clear vowels. Stress the second-to-last syllable.
Who for
Origin
Showing 100 of 100 names.
🌳 Bantu-Swahili
| Name | Meaning | Say it | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nyota | Star | NYO-tah | Girl |
| Upendo | Love | oo-PEN-do | Girl |
| Zuri | Beautiful | ZOO-ree | Girl |
| Moyo | Heart | MO-yo | Girl or boy |
| Simba | Lion | SEEM-bah | Boy |
| Maua | Flowers | mah-OO-ah | Girl |
| Mwezi | Moon | MWEH-zee | Girl or boy |
| Wema | Kindness, goodness | WEH-mah | Girl |
| Umoja | Unity | oo-MO-jah | Girl or boy |
| Kito | Precious one, jewel | KEE-to | Girl or boy |
| Pendo | Love | PEN-do | Girl |
| Jua | Sun | JOO-ah | Girl or boy |
| Mwanga | Light | MWAN-gah | Girl or boy |
| Upepo | Wind | oo-PEH-po | Girl or boy |
| Pwani | Coast | PWAH-nee | Girl or boy |
| Kilima | Hill, mountain | kee-LEE-mah | Girl or boy |
| Twiga | Giraffe | TWEE-gah | Girl or boy |
| Kifaru | Rhino | kee-FAH-roo | Boy |
| Kipenzi | Beloved | kee-PEN-zee | Girl |
| Penzi | Beloved, sweetheart | PEN-zee | Girl |
| Mshindi | Winner | m-SHEEN-dee | Boy |
| Chuma | Iron, metal | CHOO-mah | Boy |
| Mfalme | King | m-FAHL-meh | Boy |
| Balozi | Ambassador | bah-LO-zee | Boy |
| Lengo | Purpose, goal | LEN-go | Girl or boy |
| Mfundishi | Master teacher | m-foon-DEE-shee | Boy |
| Chausiku | Born at night | chah-oo-SEE-koo | Girl |
| Doto | Second-born twin | DO-to | Girl or boy |
| Pili | Second-born | PEE-lee | Girl or boy |
| Chiku | One who talks a lot | CHEE-koo | Girl |
| Binti | Daughter | BEEN-tee | Girl |
| Goma | Drum; also used for a celebration or dance | GO-mah | Girl or boy |
⛵ Borrowed (trade-route)
💮 Arabic-origin
| Name | Meaning | Say it | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amani | Peace | ah-MAH-nee | Girl or boy |
| Imani | Faith | ee-MAH-nee | Girl |
| Baraka | Blessing | bah-RAH-kah | Boy |
| Neema | Grace, blessing | neh-EH-mah | Girl |
| Amina | Trustworthy | ah-MEE-nah | Girl |
| Jabari | Brave | jah-BAH-ree | Boy |
| Nia | Purpose, intention | NEE-ah | Girl |
| Nuru | Light | NOO-roo | Girl or boy |
| Asha | Living, alive | AH-shah | Girl |
| Aziza | Precious | ah-ZEE-zah | Girl |
| Jamila | Beautiful | jah-MEE-lah | Girl |
| Furaha | Joy | foo-RAH-hah | Girl |
| Juma | Born on a Friday | JOO-mah | Boy |
| Rehema | Mercy | reh-HEH-mah | Girl |
| Zahra | Flower, shining one | ZAH-rah | Girl |
| Hassan | Handsome | hah-SAHN | Boy |
| Abedi | Worshipper | ah-BEH-dee | Boy |
| Adila | Just, fair | ah-DEE-lah | Girl |
| Amana | Trust, responsibility | ah-MAH-nah | Girl |
| Busara | Wisdom | boo-SAH-rah | Girl or boy |
| Bashir | Bringer of good news | bah-SHEER | Boy |
| Dunia | World | doo-NEE-ah | Girl |
| Elimu | Education | eh-LEE-moo | Girl or boy |
| Faraja | Comfort | fah-RAH-jah | Girl |
| Faida | Benefit | fah-EE-dah | Girl or boy |
| Fadhili | Kindness, grace | fah-DHEE-lee | Girl or boy |
| Fahari | Pride, splendour | fah-HAH-ree | Girl or boy |
| Fikiri | Thinker, thoughtful one | fee-KEE-ree | Boy |
| Ghani | Wealthy | GHAH-nee | Boy |
| Heri | Blessing, goodness | HEH-ree | Girl or boy |
| Hawa | Eve | HAH-wah | Girl |
| Halima | Gentle, patient | hah-LEE-mah | Girl |
| Hamisi | Born on a Thursday | hah-MEE-see | Boy |
| Hekima | Wisdom | heh-KEE-mah | Girl or boy |
| Ibrahim | Abraham | ee-brah-HEEM | Boy |
| Iddi | Festival, Eid | EE-dee | Boy |
| Jabali | Mountain, strong as rock | jah-BAH-lee | Boy |
| Karim | Generous | kah-REEM | Boy |
| Lulu | Pearl | LOO-loo | Girl |
| Leila | Night | LAY-lah | Girl |
| Latifa | Gentle | lah-TEE-fah | Girl |
| Musa | Moses | MOO-sah | Boy |
| Mustafa | Chosen one | moos-TAH-fah | Boy |
| Mariam | Mary | MAH-ree-ahm | Girl |
| Nasra | Victory | NAHS-rah | Girl |
| Omari | Flourishing, long life | o-MAH-ree | Boy |
| Raha | Pleasure, ease | RAH-hah | Girl |
| Rashid | Guided, rightly led | rah-SHEED | Boy |
| Riziki | Provision, sustenance | ree-ZEE-kee | Girl or boy |
| Salma | Peaceful | SAHL-mah | Girl |
| Saidi | Lucky, fortunate | sah-EE-dee | Boy |
| Subira | Patience | soo-BEE-rah | Girl |
| Shukuru | To give thanks | shoo-KOO-roo | Boy |
| Safari | Journey | sah-FAH-ree | Girl or boy |
| Tumaini | Hope | too-mah-EE-nee | Girl |
| Tausi | Peacock | tah-OO-see | Girl |
| Tabasamu | Smile | tah-bah-SAH-moo | Girl |
| Uhai | Life | oo-HAH-ee | Girl or boy |
| Uhuru | Freedom | oo-HOO-roo | Boy |
| Waziri | Minister | wah-ZEE-ree | Boy |
| Yusuf | Joseph | YOO-soof | Boy |
| Zawadi | Gift | zah-WAH-dee | Girl |
| Zuberi | Strong | zoo-BEH-ree | Boy |
| Zubeda | Noble | zoo-BEH-dah | Girl |