Top 60 Ethiopian Boy Names & Their Meanings

60 Ethiopian Boy Names & Their Meanings

Split by the Great Rift Valley, Ethiopia is an African country with many archaeological treasures and is a place with a very dense culture. The treasures go back over three million years. Just like the distinction in its culture and traditions, Ethiopian baby names are also unique.

Ethiopian Baby Boy Names

Ethiopian names mostly have a Biblical or Islamic origin. Ethiopians also have names derived from the Amharic language, an official language of Ethiopia. Here are some of the most adorable and traditional Ethiopian names for your little boy:

Most adorable and traditional Ethiopian names for your little boy:

Names 

Meanings

Aaron

This is a timeless name which means “high mountain”. It is the name of Moses’ elder brother according to the Old testament. This is one of the most popular Ethiopian orthodox bible names for boys.

Abebe

This is a name with an Ethiopian origin and the meaning of the name is “He has Grown”.

Abel

This popular name belongs to the son of Adam and Eve. The meaning of the name is ‘willing, ready, or capable’.

Abraham

This is a very popular Ethiopian boy name as the name belongs to the founding father of the Jews. The meaning of the name is “father of the multitudes”.

Abai 

Abai is an Ethiopian name that has Brazilian origin. It refers to “the Nile river”.

Addisu

Addisu is a classic Ethiopian name that means “new flower”.

Aklilu

Aklilu originates from the Amharic word aklil, which means “crown”. It is a popular Ethiopian baby boy name.

Anbassa

Anbassa is another name rooted in the Ethiopian culture. This popular name means “lion”.

Afework

This Ethiopian name means “one who never speaks evil” or “one who always speaks pleasant things”.  This is a very unique Ethiopian baby name.

Ajani

A very unique option which many parents choose, the meaning of the name is “the victor”. This is a retro charm as it is a mid-century name.

Alimayu

A very distinctive baby name, this name of Ethiopian origin has the meaning “in honour of God”. The short form of the name is “Ali”.

Amadi

This is derived from one of the languages in Ethiopia. The meaning of this name is “tree man”. It is believed to be a variation of Ahmed.

Aman

A very popular name with an Ethiopian origin, this name means “peace”. This is also widely used as a nickname in Ethiopia.

Amari

Because of the soft sound and vowel ending, this is a very popular boy name in Ethiopia. The name has many meanings in different regions, though the root is African. It means “strength”.

Barack

Barack is a popular Ethiopian name of Arabic origin. It means “blessed”.

Bemnet

Bemnet is a popular Ethiopian name of Amharic origin and means “by faith in the lord”.

Biruk

Biruk is a classic Ethiopian name of Amharic origin and means “blessed by the lord”.

Cherenet

Cherenet is a delightful Ethiopian name that means “kindness” and is of Amharic origin.

Chinua

This name has an Ethiopian origin. The name comes from the word “Ibo” and the meaning of the name is “Blessing of God”.

Daniel

Daniel is an Ethiopian name originating from the Hebrew word “din”, which means “to judge”.

Dejen

Dejen is an Ethiopian name that means “foundation and support” in Amharic.

Desta

Desta is a classic girl’s name in Ethiopian culture that means “joy”. 

Djimon

Djimon is a powerful male name of African and Yoruba origin, meaning “powerful blood”.

Emanuel

Emmanuel is a popular masculine name having Hebrew roots.it means “God is with us”. 

Ephrem

Ephrem is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, and the means “fruitful”.

Eskender

Eskender is a commonly used Ethiopian namethat means “the name of Alexander the great”.

Ebo

A very powerful Ethiopian name, the meaning of the name is “Born of Tuesday”. It came from the word “ibo” and the meaning of that name is “my people”.

Genet

Genet is a popular female name of African and Ethiopia origin that means “heaven”.

Gyasi

Gyasi is an Ethiopian boy’s name of Ghanaian origin, meaning “wonderful baby or child”.

Haji

Haji is a unique baby boy’s name of Swahili origin. It means “born during the pilgrimage to Mecca”.

Hakim

Hakim is a classic male name of Arabic origin that means “wise”.

Jemal

Jemal is a popular Islamic baby boy’s name of Arabic origin,  which means “handsome”.

Jonathan

Jonathan is a common name given to males, meaning “Yahweh has given” in Hebrew.

Kato

Kato is a boy’s name having Latin roots which means “all-knowing”.

Kojo

Kojo is a popular variant of the Ghanaian word Kwadwo. It means “born on monday.”

Kaleb

Another form of Caleb, this name is unique because of the small spelling twist. This Ethiopian name means “Brave, faithful”.

Kofi

Another unique name for your little one, this Ethiopian name means “born on Friday”. There are a few successful people with this name.

Leuel

This is a name with an Ethiopian origin and the meaning of this wonderful name is “Prince Amharic”.

Meleak

A wonderful name with a very nice meaning, this Ethiopian name means “The Angel”. Another Ethiopian variant of the name is “Melaku”.

Moges

Name your little prince the perfect Ethiopian name. The name “Moges” has a meaning of “grace”, “majesty”, or “dignified aspect”.

Nahome

A very handsome name for your little bundle of joy, this Ethiopian name means “compassionate”. This would be a unique option for your little one.

Neberu

Many parents want their sons to have a strong and powerful name. This is one such Ethiopian name and is perfect for your baby boy. The meaning of the name is “The leopard” or “the Tiger”.

Negasi

If you are looking for a unique name that is not heard in many parts of the world, this is the one. The meaning of this name is “he will wear the crown”.

Nesanet

This name has an Amharic origin and is widely used to name baby boys by parents in Ethiopia. The meaning of the name is “freedom”.

Negus

Negus is a popular name derived from the Ethiopian Semitic word meaning “to reign”.

Omari

Omari is a popular Ethiopian male name rooted in the Hebrew language that means “chief speaker”.

Panya

Panya is a gender-neutral name of Swahili, African and Russian origin that means “mouse”.

Salim

Salim is a boy’s name of Arabic origin which means “peaceful”.

Shango

Shango is a unique boy’s name of African origin which means “thunder and lightning”.

Salana

An Ethiopian version of another popular name “Solana”, this is a very nice option for your baby boy. The name holds the meaning “sunshine”, “warm”, or “extremely bright”.

Selassie

A very different Ethiopian name for your little boy, the meaning of the name is “trinity”. It is commonly used as a middle name or the last name.

Semere

Parents love naming their children with very positive and motivating meanings. This Ethiopian name is one such option. The meaning of the name is “He became successful”.

Tamru

This is also a very popular name with an Ethiopian origin. The meaning of the name is “miraculous one” or “you are miraculous”, the perfect name for your little miracle.

Taye

With a meaning “he has seen”, this Ethiopian name is a very unique option. It is a great alternative for the name Taylor.

Tebeb

This is a very beautiful option for your little baby boy. This unique name with an Ethiopian origin has a meaning “Wisdom” or “ability”.

Yelekal

This is a very popular name with an Ethiopian root. The meaning of this unique name is “he excels”.

Yonas

This is the Arabic version of Jonah, a Hebrew name. The name belongs to a prophet in the Old Testament. This name is perfect if you are looking for a less common form of Jacob or Joshua.

Zenabu

A very nice name with an Ethiopian origin, the meaning of the name is “the Rain”. This is a very different option for your little one.

Zenebe

Zenebe is an Ethiopian boy’s name of African and Amharic origin that means “raining”.

Zesiro

Zesiro is another popular boy’s name of Luganda origin, very common in Ethiopian. It means “older of twins”.

This collection of adorable names for your handsome little baby is some of the best with deep traditional roots. The names will surely suit your little baby boy.

Also Read: How To Choose A Name That’s Perfect For Your Baby?

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Aarohi Achwal holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and a master’s degree in English Literature. While working as an intern for an English daily, she realised that she likes writing above anything else. The idea of being heard without having to speak appeals to her. She likes to write research-based articles that are informative and relevant. She has written articles on pregnancy, parenting, and relationships. And she would like to continue creating content on health and lifestyle.