Beautiful South African Names And What They Mean

South Africa boasts a variety of cultures, traditions and languages, and parents often choose to name their children according to these distinctions. Here are some of the most beautiful African names and what they mean.

The country’s most popular names are a result of a rich history and have been influenced by everything, from the European settlers to traditional Xhosa and Zulu inhabitants.

Amahle

Female | Amahle, meaning “the beautiful one”, is a popular Zulu name and is pronounced Ah-MAH-she.

Annika

Arno

Male | Arno, an Afrikaans name from Germanic origin, means “eagle” and is pronounced AR-nou.

Elna

Female | Elna is an Afrikaans name meaning “beloved” and is derivative from the Swedish Elin and the Danish and Dutch Helena. Pronounce it ÊLL-nah.

Friedrich

Male | An Afrikaans name from the Old German Frederick, Frederich means “peaceful ruler”. Pronounce it FRED-e-rich.

Imka

Female | Imka, meaning “water”, is an Afrikaans name of Frisian derivative. Pronounce it IEM-ka.

Jabulani

Male | Jabulani, a Zulu name often shortened to Jabu, means “rejoice” and is pronounced Jah-boo-LAH-nee.

Kaya

Female | Kaya means “restful place” and is a popular Zulu name. Pronounce it KAH-yah.

Kholwa

Female | Kholwa is a name used in both the Zulu and Ndebele cultures and means “believe”. The name is pronounced Col-u-WHA.

Lerato

Female | Lerato is a Sotho name meaning “love” and is pronounced LE-raa-too.

Lindiwe

Female | Lindiwe is a Zulu name that means “waited for” and is pronounced LIN-dee-wê.

Luan

Male | Luan is an Afrikaans name meaning “lion” and is pronounced LU-han.

Mandla

Male | Mandla is a popular Zulu name meaning “strength”. Pronounce it MAN-dhla.

Mieke

Female | Mieke is a popular Afrikaans name meaning “water” and is derived from Dutch. Pronounce it MY-khu.

Mpho

Unisex | Mpho is a unisex name of Tswana origin meaning “gift”. Pronounce it M-phô.

Oratile

Unisex | Oratile is a unisex name meaning “origin” and is pronounced O-ra-TEE-lê.

Thabisa

Female | Thabisa is a Zulu name meaning “to bring joy” and is pronounced Tha-BEE-sa.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.