118 Nigerian Baby Names and Meanings

118 Nigerian Baby Names and Meanings

Choosing a Nigerian baby name means diving into the rich world of the countryā€™s diversity.

Nigeria boasts over 500 languages and 250 ethnic groups ā€“ so when we speak about Nigerian baby names, weā€™re covering a lot of ground.

The Nigerian diaspora is so vast that unofficial estimates reach up to 15 million people.

From athletes to writers to intellectuals, doctors, and comedians, Nigerians have made their mark in a variety of industries.

And in the world of powerful baby names.

Yes, whether you have Nigerian heritage or are just inspired by the beating heart of this West African nation, Nigerian names offer an inspiring mix of deep meaning and beautiful sounds.

Just cast your eye over the 118 popular, unique, and classic Nigerian baby names weā€™ve gathered below.

In this article: šŸ“

  • How do Nigerians name their babies?
  • What are the most common Nigerian names?
  • What is a Nigerian name for a girl?
  • What is a Nigerian boy name?

How do Nigerians name their babies?

With moniker meanings like ā€œthe first twin to taste the worldā€, ā€œjoy has filled our homeā€, and ā€œmy siblings are powerfulā€, nothing about Nigerian names feels accidental or impulsive.

Meaning and context matter a great deal.

But Nigeria is also a highly ethnically diverse country, with each distinct ethnic group holding its own naming traditions.

So, if youā€™re looking for one singular Nigerian naming practice, it doesnā€™t exist.

But its four major ethnic groups ā€“ the Hausa-Falani, the Igbo, the Yoruba, and the Ijaw ā€“ do offer insight into the most common approaches to picking baby names for Nigerian parents.

Because of colonial influence, itā€™s not uncommon for Ijaw to have European names, Biblical titles, or anglicized versions of their names.

Meanwhile, the Hausa-Fulani people hold naming ceremonies seven days after the birth of the child, with Hausa names often stemming from the Muslim religion.

In the Southwest of Nigeria, Yoruba babies can expect to receive two names.

The first is their oruku name, which often describes the circumstances of their birth ā€“ Abiodun means ā€œborn during a festivalā€, while Abidemi means ā€œborn during fatherā€™s absenceā€.

Later, parents will bestow an OrƭkƬ name (a praise name) that reflects the qualities they believe their child has or will come to possess.

Equally, for Igbo parents, naming their baby is an intentional act, with many choices based on affirming greatness, honoring circumstances (like a long TTC journey), or hopes for the future.

Each ethnic group has its own unique approach, but many align on one common ground: a name is more than an identity ā€“ it can be a story, a generational message, or even an homage to a respected family member.

Across Nigeria, children are named for, amongst other things, the conditions of their birth, the day they were born, their protectors in the world, and the state of their families.

With all that beautiful complexity in mind, letā€™s explore the most popular Nigerian names.

What are the most common Nigerian names?

Letā€™s start by looking at what name is at the top of the charts:

What is the most popular name in Nigeria?

According to Forebears.io, the most popular name in Nigeria is drum roll, please:

  1. Musa: This name means prophet and is the Arabic version of the name Moses ā€“ a name that comes from the phrase ā€œdrawn out of the waterā€.

But, because there are so many different cultures and languages, there are many other names that vie for the top position.

Here are some of the most common Nigerian names:

Most common Nigerian girl names:

Before we get going, itā€™s important to note that while weā€™ve separated this list, many Nigerian names are gender-neutral.

Itā€™s also worth noting that many Nigerian female names rooted in Igbo often stem from Ada, meaning ā€œfirst daughterā€.

Keep your eyes peeled for the variations:

  1. Kehinde: Meaning ā€œarrived lastā€. This name is often given to the second of a set of twins.
  2. Chioma: Meaning ā€œGod is goodā€. Chioma is a popular Igbo name
  3. Adaku: Meaning ā€œa girl who brings wealth to the family she is born intoā€.
  4. Fatima: An Arabic girlā€™s name meaning ā€œthe one who abstainsā€.
  5. Adanna: Meaning ā€œthe fatherā€™s daughterā€.
  6. Sade: Meaning ā€œhonor grants a crownā€. šŸ‘‘
  7. Patience: A common Ijaw virtue name meaning ā€œenduringā€ or, of course, ā€œpatienceā€.
  8. Fadekemi: Meaning ā€œgrace me with the crownā€.
  9. Chiamaka: Meaning ā€œGod is beautifulā€.
  10. Dayo: Meaning ā€œjoy arrivesā€. Nothing sums up babyā€™s debut better.

Most common Nigerian boy names:

You may notice many Nigerian names for boys have Arabic origin.

This is largely down to the majority of Hausa people being devout Muslims.

So, if you see male Nigerian names with a distinctive Islamic influence, youā€™ll know they stem from Northwestern Nigeria:

  1. Ibrahim: Meaning ā€œmy father is exaltedā€.
  2. Umar: Meaning ā€œflourisingā€.
  3. Ola: Meaning ā€œwealthā€, Ola often finds itself at the beginning of longer Yoruba names.
  4. Chinua: Meaning ā€œGodā€™s blessingsā€. The name of the famous writer, Chinua Achebe ā€“ highly regarded as Africaā€™s greatest storyteller.
  5. Sani: Meaning ā€œradianceā€. ā˜€ļø
  6. Adebowale: Meaning ā€œthe crown has returned homeā€.
  7. Oluwa: This is the Yoruba word for ā€œGodā€.
  8. Olufela: Meaning ā€œGod increases wealthā€. And, in its shortened form, itā€™s the name of the famous musician, Fela Kuti.
  9. Abubaker: Meaning ā€œfather of a young camelā€. A popular Muslim name, Abubaker is often named for the senior companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Abu Bakr.
  10. Mahammadu: This is the Hausa version of the prophet Muhammad.

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What is a Nigerian name for a girl?

So, weā€™ve mentioned above the popularity of the Igbo root Ada, but letā€™s not forget the prevalence of Chi.

Chi is a key spiritual concept in Nigeria that represents a guardian spirit or the ā€œIgbo personal life forceā€.

Itā€™s often used in female Nigerian names to keep baby under the protection of a personal spiritual guardian for their whole lives.

Which variation will grab you?

  1. Abebi: Meaning ā€œwe asked for a girlā€.
  2. Abeni: Meaning ā€œwe asked for her and she arrivedā€.
  3. Abosede: Meaning ā€œa girl who is born on a Sundayā€.
  4. Adaeze: Meaning ā€œthe daughter of the kingā€.
  5. Adaego: Meaning ā€œthe daughter of wealthā€.
  6. Adamma: Meaning ā€œbeautiful girlā€.
  7. Akachi: Meaning ā€œthe hand of Godā€.
  8. Alaba: Meaning ā€œsecond child after twinsā€.
  9. Alheri: Meaning ā€œgraceā€.
  10. Alika: Meaning ā€œmost beautifulā€.
  11. Amara: Meaning ā€œgraceā€.
  12. Ayo: Meaning ā€œjoyā€. Many names start with Ayo to show joy as part of a larger naming story.
  13. Ayodele: Meaning ā€œjoy has arrivedā€.
  14. Ayotunde: Meaning ā€œjoy has returnedā€.
  15. Chi: Chi means ā€œGodā€ and is often used as the first part of a name.
  16. Chiagozie: Meaning ā€œGod has blessed meā€.
  17. Chidi: Meaning ā€œGod is realā€.
  18. Chidinma: Meaning ā€œGod is goodā€.
  19. Chika: Meaning ā€œGod is the greatestā€.
  20. Chimamanda: Meaning ā€œGod will not fail meā€. And yes, like the renowned feminist and writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
  21. Chinara: Meaning ā€œGod receivesā€.
  22. Dada: Meaning ā€œcurly-haired childā€.
  23. Ebele: Meaning ā€œkindnessā€.
  24. Efe: Meaning ā€œwealthā€.
  25. Ekundayo: Meaning ā€œsadness has become joyā€.
  26. Funanya: Meaning ā€œloveā€.
  27. Hadiza: The Hausa version of the name Khadija*, Hadiza means ā€œthe one who comes firstā€.
  28. Ife: Meaning ā€œloveā€. ā¤ļø
  29. Ifeoma: Meaning ā€œgood thingā€.
  30. Ifiok: Meaning ā€œwisdomā€.
  31. Ige: Meaning ā€œborn feet firstā€.
  32. Ime: Meaning ā€œpatienceā€.
  33. Kayin: Meaning ā€œcelebrated oneā€.
  34. Lolade: Meaning ā€œGod is with youā€.
  35. Maryamu: The Hausa form of Maryam. This name has a range of connotations, from being connected to the Biblical Miriam (the sister of Moses) to meaning ā€œa sea of bitternessā€.
  36. Mojisola: Meaning ā€œwake up to wealthā€.
  37. Monifa: Meaning ā€œI am luckyā€.
  38. Ndidi: Meaning ā€œpatienceā€.
  39. Ngozi: Meaning ā€œblessingā€.
  40. Nkiruka: Meaning ā€œthe future is greater with youā€.
  41. Nneka: Meaning ā€œmy mother is supremeā€ (yep, that sounds about right).
  42. Nnenna: This name is sometimes given to a child who is believed to be the reincarnation of their fatherā€™s mother.
  43. Nnenne: Similar to Nnenna, Nnenne is given to a child believed to be the reincarnation of their motherā€™s mother.
  44. Nwanneka: Meaning ā€œmy siblings are powerfulā€.
  45. Oghenekevwe: Meaning ā€œGod has providedā€.
  46. Olubunmi: Meaning ā€œgift from Godā€.
  47. Omolara: Meaning ā€œa child is familyā€.
  48. Oni: Meaning ā€œborn in a sacred homeā€.
  49. Sarauniya: Meaning ā€œqueenā€. šŸ‘‘
  50. Taiwo: Often given to the first of a set of twins, Taiwo means ā€œthe first twin to taste the worldā€.
  51. Titilayo: Meaning ā€œeverlasting joyā€.
  52. Ufuoma: Meaning ā€œpeace of mindā€.
  53. Yejide: Meaning ā€œshe looks like her motherā€.
  54. Yetunde: Meaning ā€œmother has returnedā€.

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What is a Nigerian boy name?

As you may have noticed, the first letters of Nigerian baby names often carry key clues to their ethnicity.

Just as many Igbo names contain the word chi (often for a girl), many others contain the word chukwu, meaning ā€œthe almightyā€ or ā€œmost highā€, in reference to the high god.

Complex doesnā€™t even cut it for Nigerian names:

  1. Achebe: Meaning ā€œYou are protectedā€.
  2. Ade: Meaning ā€œcrownā€(You will see this as the prefix to many other names that hold the crown).
  3. Adebayo: Meaning ā€œthe joyful crownā€.
  4. Adebola: Meaning ā€œthe crown and wealthā€.
  5. Adetokunbo: Meaning ā€œthe crown that came from overseasā€.
  6. Adisa: Meaning ā€œsomeone who has clarityā€.
  7. Abidemi: Meaning ā€œborn while father was awayā€.
  8. Abimbola: Meaning ā€œborn wealthyā€.
  9. Afolabi: Meaning ā€œborn into wealth and high statusā€.
  10. Akpan: Meaning ā€œfirstborn sonā€.
  11. Akpofure: Meaning ā€œlife is peacefulā€.
  12. Alhaji: Meaning ā€œpilgrimā€.
  13. Amadi: Meaning ā€œfreemanā€.
  14. Ayokunle: Meaning ā€œjoy has filled our homeā€.
  15. Azubuike: Meaning ā€œyour past is your strengthā€.
  16. Babatunde: Baba means ā€œfatherā€. Tunde means ā€œreturnedā€. So, Babatunde means ā€œfather has returnedā€.
  17. Bamidele: Meaning ā€œfollow me homeā€.
  18. Bitrus: Meaning ā€œthe Hausa version of Peterā€.
  19. Chiemeka: Meaning ā€œGod has performed great deedsā€.
  20. Chizoba: Meaning ā€œGod protect usā€.
  21. Ekene: Meaning ā€œthanks and praiseā€.
  22. Ekwueme: Meaning ā€œhe does what he says he is going to doā€.
  23. Emem: Meaning ā€œpeaceā€.
  24. Enitan: Meaning ā€œa person with a storyā€.
  25. Enyinnaya: Meaning ā€œfatherā€™s friendā€.
  26. Folami: Meaning ā€œrespect and honorā€.
  27. Idowu: Meaning ā€œborn after twinsā€.
  28. Ifeanyichukwu: Meaning ā€œnothing is impossible with Godā€.
  29. Ikechukwu: Meaning ā€œthe power of Godā€.
  30. Itoro: Meaning ā€œpraise godā€.
  31. Kayode: Meaning ā€œhe who brings joyā€.
  32. Kyauta: Meaning ā€œgiftā€.
  33. Obi: Meaning ā€œheartā€. ā¤ļø
  34. Okoro: Meaning ā€œmanā€.
  35. Olamide: Meaning ā€œwealth has arrivedā€.
  36. Olamilekan: Meaning ā€œwealth is increasedā€.
  37. Olu: Meaning ā€œGodā€, Olu is often seen at the beginning of a greater name.
  38. Olufemi: Meaning ā€œGod loves meā€.
  39. Olufunmilayo: Meaning ā€œGod has given me joyā€.
  40. Olumide: Meaning ā€œGod has comeā€.
  41. Sadiq: A Hausa name, Sadiq means ā€œloyalā€.
  42. Uduak: Meaning ā€œdesireā€.
  43. Wole: As in the Noble Prize-winning playwright, Wole Soyinka. His name means ā€œhas come home toā€.

Nigerian baby names strike a beautiful balance between descriptive and emotionally profound.

They also leave you a host of avenues for naming your baby.

Will you honor your TTC journey, the day of their birth, or the hopes you have for their future?

Whichever you decide, weā€™d love to see it (and you) on Peanut.

Best of luck in your search mama.

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