Choosing a Nigerian baby name means diving into the rich world of the countryâs diversity.
Nigeria boasts over 500 languages and 250 ethnic groups â so when we speak about Nigerian baby names, weâre 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 weâve gathered below.
In this article: đ
- 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 âthe first twin to taste the worldâ, âjoy has filled our homeâ, and âmy siblings are powerfulâ, 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 youâre looking for one singular Nigerian naming practice, it doesnât exist.
But its four major ethnic groups â the Hausa-Falani, the Igbo, the Yoruba, and the Ijaw â do offer insight into the most common approaches to picking baby names for Nigerian parents.
Because of colonial influence, itâs 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 â Abiodun means âborn during a festivalâ, while Abidemi means âborn during fatherâs absenceâ.
Later, parents will bestow an OrĂkĂŹ 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 â 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, letâs explore the most popular Nigerian names.
What are the most common Nigerian names?
Letâs 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:
- Musa: This name means prophet and is the Arabic version of the name Moses â a name that comes from the phrase âdrawn out of the waterâ.
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, itâs important to note that while weâve separated this list, many Nigerian names are gender-neutral.
Itâs also worth noting that many Nigerian female names rooted in Igbo often stem from Ada, meaning âfirst daughterâ.
Keep your eyes peeled for the variations:
- Kehinde: Meaning âarrived lastâ. This name is often given to the second of a set of twins.
- Chioma: Meaning âGod is goodâ. Chioma is a popular Igbo name
- Adaku: Meaning âa girl who brings wealth to the family she is born intoâ.
- Fatima: An Arabic girlâs name meaning âthe one who abstainsâ.
- Adanna: Meaning âthe fatherâs daughterâ.
- Sade: Meaning âhonor grants a crownâ. đ
- Patience: A common Ijaw virtue name meaning âenduringâ or, of course, âpatienceâ.
- Fadekemi: Meaning âgrace me with the crownâ.
- Chiamaka: Meaning âGod is beautifulâ.
- Dayo: Meaning âjoy arrivesâ. Nothing sums up babyâs 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, youâll know they stem from Northwestern Nigeria:
- Ibrahim: Meaning âmy father is exaltedâ.
- Umar: Meaning âflourisingâ.
- Ola: Meaning âwealthâ, Ola often finds itself at the beginning of longer Yoruba names.
- Chinua: Meaning âGodâs blessingsâ. The name of the famous writer, Chinua Achebe â highly regarded as Africaâs greatest storyteller.
- Sani: Meaning âradianceâ. âïž
- Adebowale: Meaning âthe crown has returned homeâ.
- Oluwa: This is the Yoruba word for âGodâ.
- Olufela: Meaning âGod increases wealthâ. And, in its shortened form, itâs the name of the famous musician, Fela Kuti.
- Abubaker: Meaning âfather of a young camelâ. A popular Muslim name, Abubaker is often named for the senior companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Abu Bakr.
- Mahammadu: This is the Hausa version of the prophet Muhammad.
What is a Nigerian name for a girl?
So, weâve mentioned above the popularity of the Igbo root Ada, but letâs not forget the prevalence of Chi.
Chi is a key spiritual concept in Nigeria that represents a guardian spirit or the âIgbo personal life forceâ.
Itâs 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?
- Abebi: Meaning âwe asked for a girlâ.
- Abeni: Meaning âwe asked for her and she arrivedâ.
- Abosede: Meaning âa girl who is born on a Sundayâ.
- Adaeze: Meaning âthe daughter of the kingâ.
- Adaego: Meaning âthe daughter of wealthâ.
- Adamma: Meaning âbeautiful girlâ.
- Akachi: Meaning âthe hand of Godâ.
- Alaba: Meaning âsecond child after twinsâ.
- Alheri: Meaning âgraceâ.
- Alika: Meaning âmost beautifulâ.
- Amara: Meaning âgraceâ.
- Ayo: Meaning âjoyâ. Many names start with Ayo to show joy as part of a larger naming story.
- Ayodele: Meaning âjoy has arrivedâ.
- Ayotunde: Meaning âjoy has returnedâ.
- Chi: Chi means âGodâ and is often used as the first part of a name.
- Chiagozie: Meaning âGod has blessed meâ.
- Chidi: Meaning âGod is realâ.
- Chidinma: Meaning âGod is goodâ.
- Chika: Meaning âGod is the greatestâ.
- Chimamanda: Meaning âGod will not fail meâ. And yes, like the renowned feminist and writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
- Chinara: Meaning âGod receivesâ.
- Dada: Meaning âcurly-haired childâ.
- Ebele: Meaning âkindnessâ.
- Efe: Meaning âwealthâ.
- Ekundayo: Meaning âsadness has become joyâ.
- Funanya: Meaning âloveâ.
- Hadiza: The Hausa version of the name Khadija*, Hadiza means âthe one who comes firstâ.
- Ife: Meaning âloveâ. â€ïž
- Ifeoma: Meaning âgood thingâ.
- Ifiok: Meaning âwisdomâ.
- Ige: Meaning âborn feet firstâ.
- Ime: Meaning âpatienceâ.
- Kayin: Meaning âcelebrated oneâ.
- Lolade: Meaning âGod is with youâ.
- 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 âa sea of bitternessâ.
- Mojisola: Meaning âwake up to wealthâ.
- Monifa: Meaning âI am luckyâ.
- Ndidi: Meaning âpatienceâ.
- Ngozi: Meaning âblessingâ.
- Nkiruka: Meaning âthe future is greater with youâ.
- Nneka: Meaning âmy mother is supremeâ (yep, that sounds about right).
- Nnenna: This name is sometimes given to a child who is believed to be the reincarnation of their fatherâs mother.
- Nnenne: Similar to Nnenna, Nnenne is given to a child believed to be the reincarnation of their motherâs mother.
- Nwanneka: Meaning âmy siblings are powerfulâ.
- Oghenekevwe: Meaning âGod has providedâ.
- Olubunmi: Meaning âgift from Godâ.
- Omolara: Meaning âa child is familyâ.
- Oni: Meaning âborn in a sacred homeâ.
- Sarauniya: Meaning âqueenâ. đ
- Taiwo: Often given to the first of a set of twins, Taiwo means âthe first twin to taste the worldâ.
- Titilayo: Meaning âeverlasting joyâ.
- Ufuoma: Meaning âpeace of mindâ.
- Yejide: Meaning âshe looks like her motherâ.
- Yetunde: Meaning âmother has returnedâ.
post:4815933
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 âthe almightyâ or âmost highâ, in reference to the high god.
Complex doesnât even cut it for Nigerian names:
- Achebe: Meaning âYou are protectedâ.
- Ade: Meaning âcrownâ(You will see this as the prefix to many other names that hold the crown).
- Adebayo: Meaning âthe joyful crownâ.
- Adebola: Meaning âthe crown and wealthâ.
- Adetokunbo: Meaning âthe crown that came from overseasâ.
- Adisa: Meaning âsomeone who has clarityâ.
- Abidemi: Meaning âborn while father was awayâ.
- Abimbola: Meaning âborn wealthyâ.
- Afolabi: Meaning âborn into wealth and high statusâ.
- Akpan: Meaning âfirstborn sonâ.
- Akpofure: Meaning âlife is peacefulâ.
- Alhaji: Meaning âpilgrimâ.
- Amadi: Meaning âfreemanâ.
- Ayokunle: Meaning âjoy has filled our homeâ.
- Azubuike: Meaning âyour past is your strengthâ.
- Babatunde: Baba means âfatherâ. Tunde means âreturnedâ. So, Babatunde means âfather has returnedâ.
- Bamidele: Meaning âfollow me homeâ.
- Bitrus: Meaning âthe Hausa version of Peterâ.
- Chiemeka: Meaning âGod has performed great deedsâ.
- Chizoba: Meaning âGod protect usâ.
- Ekene: Meaning âthanks and praiseâ.
- Ekwueme: Meaning âhe does what he says he is going to doâ.
- Emem: Meaning âpeaceâ.
- Enitan: Meaning âa person with a storyâ.
- Enyinnaya: Meaning âfatherâs friendâ.
- Folami: Meaning ârespect and honorâ.
- Idowu: Meaning âborn after twinsâ.
- Ifeanyichukwu: Meaning ânothing is impossible with Godâ.
- Ikechukwu: Meaning âthe power of Godâ.
- Itoro: Meaning âpraise godâ.
- Kayode: Meaning âhe who brings joyâ.
- Kyauta: Meaning âgiftâ.
- Obi: Meaning âheartâ. â€ïž
- Okoro: Meaning âmanâ.
- Olamide: Meaning âwealth has arrivedâ.
- Olamilekan: Meaning âwealth is increasedâ.
- Olu: Meaning âGodâ, Olu is often seen at the beginning of a greater name.
- Olufemi: Meaning âGod loves meâ.
- Olufunmilayo: Meaning âGod has given me joyâ.
- Olumide: Meaning âGod has comeâ.
- Sadiq: A Hausa name, Sadiq means âloyalâ.
- Uduak: Meaning âdesireâ.
- Wole: As in the Noble Prize-winning playwright, Wole Soyinka. His name means âhas come home toâ.
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, weâd love to see it (and you) on Peanut.
Best of luck in your search mama.