Your Name in Swahili
Many names have a traditional Swahili form: John is Yohana, Mary is Mariamu. Others share their meaning with a Swahili name: Stella means “star”, and so does Nyota. Type your first name to find yours. Every answer comes from our hand-checked lists: we never make one up.
Traditional Swahili forms
Bible names have their own Swahili forms. Some came through Arabic, because the Bible and the Qur'an share them.
| English | Swahili | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| John | Yohana | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Peter | Petro | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Paul | Paulo | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| James | Yakobo | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Jacob | Yakobo | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Joseph | Yusufu | Arabic-origin |
| Mary | Mariamu | Arabic-origin |
| David | Daudi | Arabic-origin |
| Moses | Musa | Arabic-origin |
| Abraham | Ibrahimu | Arabic-origin |
| Isaac | Isaka | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Solomon | Sulemani | Arabic-origin |
| Elizabeth | Elisabeti | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Andrew | Andrea | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Matthew | Mathayo | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Mark | Marko | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Luke | Luka | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Thomas | Tomaso | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Philip | Filipo | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Stephen | Stefano | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Michael | Mikaeli | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Daniel | Danieli | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Samuel | Samweli | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Noah | Nuhu | Arabic-origin |
| Adam | Adamu | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Eve | Hawa | Arabic-origin |
| Sarah | Sara | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Esther | Esta | Biblical name, Swahili form |
| Timothy | Timotheo | Biblical name, Swahili form |
Swahili names with the same meaning
| English name (meaning) | Swahili name (meaning) | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Stella (star) | Nyota (star) | Bantu-Swahili |
| Grace (grace) | Neema (grace, blessing) | Arabic-origin |
| Joy (joy) | Furaha (joy) | Arabic-origin |
| Faith (faith) | Imani (faith) | Arabic-origin |
| Irene (peace) | Amani (peace) | Arabic-origin |
| Leo (lion) | Simba (lion) | Bantu-Swahili |
| Margaret (pearl) | Lulu (pearl) | Arabic-origin |
| Lucy (light) | Nuru (light) | Arabic-origin |
| Rose (rose) | Waridi (rose) | Arabic-origin |
| Felix (lucky, happy) | Bahati (luck, fortune) | Persian-rooted |
| Felix (lucky, happy) | Furaha (joy) | Arabic-origin |
Looking for a new name rather than your own? Read our Swahili names guide, browse 100 Swahili names, or try the Swahili name generator.