A person’s name is their identity and individuality and calling out the name is one way we can get someone’s attention. In Africa where culture and tradition still thrive, names often have unique stories behind them. From the day a person is born, the circumstances surrounding their birth, and several other factors can influence what name an African parent chooses for their child.
In Ghana, for instance, ethnic groups like the Akan, Ga, Nzema, and Ewe name a child based on the day they were born. So, children from this area bear names that correspond with the days of the week, although these names may not necessarily appear on official documents. The names come in pairs for male and female children. As such, a male child born on Wednesday is named ‘Kwaku’ while the female is ‘Akua’.
- Monday – Kojo (male), Adjoa (female)
- Tuesday – Kwabena (male), Abena (female)
- Wednesday – Kwaku (male), Akua (female)
- Thursday – Yaw (male), Yaa (female)
- Friday – Kofi (male), Afua (female)
- Saturday – Kwame (male), Ama (female)
- Sunday – Kwesi (male), Akosua (female)
That being said, Ghanaians also bear other traditional names that have strong meanings attached to them. This article unveils 50 of these Ghanaian names for boys and girls, their origin, and meaning.
Unique Ghanaian Names and What They Mean
1. Adom
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Help from God
- Pronunciation: A- Dom
- Origin: Akan origin
- Most popular in: Akan
2. Gyasi
- Gender: Male/Female
- Meaning: Wonderful Child
- Pronunciation: Ji-Yasi
- Origin: Akan, Egyptian, and Ghanaian regions
- Most popular in: Ghana
3. Botwe
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: The eighth born son
- Pronunciation: Boo-twi
- Origin: Akan
- Most popular in: Akan ethnic group
4. Sika
- Gender: Male/Female
- Meaning: gold or money
- Pronunciation: sik- aa
- Origin: Ghana, Kenya, Bantu, and Tanzania
- Most popular in: Ghana
5. Mawusi
- Gender: Male/Female
- Meaning: In the hands of God
- Pronunciation: Mow-shi
- Origin: Ewe
- Most popular in: Ewe
6. Thema
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: Queen
- Pronunciation: The-ma
- Origin: Akan, and Ghanaian origins
- Most popular in: Akan
7. Deladem
- Gender: Unisex
- Meaning: Redeemed by a savior
- Pronunciation: Del-a-de-m
- Origin: Ghanaian:
- Most popular in: Ewe
8. Afryea
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: The born during good times
- Pronunciation: Afri-aa
- Origin: Ewe
- Most popular in: Ghana
9. Osei
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Noble or Honorable
- Pronunciation: O- Sei
- Origin: Akan, Ashanti
- Most popular in: Akan, Ghana
10. Ashuntae
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: Thank you
- Pronunciation: a-shun-tae, ash(u)-ntae
- Origin: Ashanti
- Most popular in: Ghana
- Fun Fact: Ashuntae is a variant of the Ghanaian name Ashanti
11. Kwassi
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: born on Sunday
- Pronunciation: k-wassi
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Akan
12. Kosi
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: born on Sunday
- Pronunciation: k(o)-si
- Origin: Akan, Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Akan region
13. Abina
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: born on Tuesday
- Pronunciation: A-bi-na
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Akan Ashanti
14. Caimile
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: A family is born
- Pronunciation: Kuh-Meel
- Origin: Akan, French
- Most popular in: Akan
15. Ozigbodi
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: Patience
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghanaian
Do
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: A leader
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
16. Dofi
- Gender: Male/Female
- Meaning: the second-born after twins
- Pronunciation: do-fi
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
17. Duku
- Gender: Male/Female
- Meaning: 11th born
- Pronunciation: Du-Kuu
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
- Funfact: Akan word duku also means “headscarf” or “handkerchief
18. Enyonyam
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: This is good for me
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ewe
19. Fifi
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: One who will add
- Pronunciation: FEE-FEE
- Origin: French
- Most popular in: Ghana
- Fun Fact: Fifi is derived from the name Josephine
20. Majid
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: magnificent
- Pronunciation: Ma- gid
- Origin: Islamic / Muslim
- Most popular in: Ghana
21. I’timad
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: dependence
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
22. Kakra
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: The second of twins
- Origin: Arabic
- Most popular in: Ghana
- Fun Fact: The name Kakra is the most overused Ghanaian name in most love songs
23. Fenuku
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: born after the term or born late
- Pronunciation: fi-nu-ku
- Origin: Egyptian, and Fante
- Most popular in: Egypt. Ghana
24. Likem
- Gender: Unisex
- Meaning: Establish me
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
25. Lumusi
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: Born face downward
- Pronunciation: Lu-Mu- zhi
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Akan
26. Nana
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: favor, grace, or mother earth
- Pronunciation: NUN-Nah
- Origin: Ghana
- Most popular in: Ghana, Hebrew, Japanese, Kenyan, Spanish, Swahili
27. Nanyamka
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: God’s gift
- Pronunciation: Nan-Yam Kah
- Origin: Ewe
- Most popular in: Ewe
28. Ye
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: The elder of twins
- Pronunciation: Ye
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
29. Serwa
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: noblewoman, rich, jewel, and wealthy
- Pronunciation: Sere waa
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
30. Agyei
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Messenger from God
- Pronunciation: Ad-Jay
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
31. Tawiah
- Gender: Male/Female
- Meaning: First-child after twins
- Pronunciation: Taa-WIY-aa
- Origin: Ghana
- Most popular in: Ashanti
32. Tsoenamawu
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: To leave it to God
- Origin: Ghana
- Most popular in: Ghana
33. Wafaa
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: faithfulness
- Pronunciation: Wa-fa-a
- Origin: Ghana and Arabic
- Most popular in: Ghana
34. Xoese
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: Hope
- Origin: Ewe
- Most popular in: Ewe
35. Yaayaa
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: Born on Thursday
- Pronunciation: Yaa-Yaa
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
36. Ozigbodi
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: patience
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghanaian
37. Yihana
- Gender: Male/Female
- Meaning: Congratulations
- Pronunciation: Yi-ha-na
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
38. Zuhrah
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: Lustre and brightness
- Pronunciation: Zuh-ra
- Origin: Arabic and Ghana
- Most popular in: Ghana
39. Yao
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Thursday born
- Pronunciation: Ya-O
- Origin: Ewe
- Most popular in: Ghana
40. Tse
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: younger twin
- Pronunciation: Se
- Origin: Ghana
- Most popular in: Ghana
41. Sabir
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Persevering and patient
- Pronunciation: Arabian
- Origin: Arab
- Most popular in: Ghana
42. Haniah
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Happiness and bliss
- Pronunciation: Ha- ni-a
- Origin: Arabic and Ghana
- Most popular in: Ghana
43. Kplorm
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Guide me
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
44. Kaatachi
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Supreme chief or a Leader
- Pronunciation: Kaa-ta-shi
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
45. Ashanti
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Undefeated, Divine, Peace
- Pronounced as: uh-sh-AH-n-t-ee
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
46. Kunto
- Gender: Female
- Meaning: The third child or the third-born
- Pronunciation: KOON-taw
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Akan
47. Dodzi
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Perseverance
- Origin: Ewe. Ghana
- Most popular in: Ewe
48. Ampah
- Gender: Unisex
- Meaning: Trust and faith
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Akan
49. Addae
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Dawn or the morning sun
- Pronounced as: A-d
- Origin: Ghana
- Most popular in: Ghana
50. Ababio
- Gender: Male
- Meaning: Kid that keeps coming
- Pronunciation: Aba-bi-o
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Most popular in: Ghana
Ghanaian Names For Twin Boys and Their Origin
Panyin and Kakra – Akan
Atsu and Atsutse – Ewe
Ata and Atakuma- Ewe
Oko and Akwete – Ga
Ghanaian Names For Twin Girls and Their Origin
Ataa Panyin and Kakra – Akan
Atawo and Atawakuma – Ewe
Akwele and Akuoko – Ga
Ghanaian Names For Twin Boys and Girls and Their Origin
Ataa (Girl) and Atta (boy) – Akan
Atsu (girl) and Atsufi (Boy) – Ewe
Ata (Girl) and Atasi (Boy) – Ewe
Akwele (Girl) and Oko (Boy) – Ga
Most Common Names In Ghana and Their Meanings
- Blewu — Patient/Slow
- Bubune — Honor unto Him (God)
- Butsorme — Think of tomorrow
- Bubutor – Owner Of Honor
- Dela — Saviour/Redeemer
- Deladem — The Saviour has redeemed me
- Delali — The Saviour lives
- Delanya — The Saviour knows
- Delanyo – The Saviour is good
- Delasi — In the Saviour’s hands/the Saviour has heard
- Desiadenyo — All is good
- Dodzi — Fortitude
- Dogbeda — Pray
- Domenyo — Kindness
- Dzidedi — Comfort
- Dzidudu — Dzidula
- Afa — Peace/Calmness
- Fafali — There is peace/calmness
- Fiavi — Prince/Princess
- Fiagbor – The King has come
- Foli — First son
- Gameli — There is time
- Ganyo — Money is good
- Galevo — Money is different
- Dzidula — Conqueror
- Dzidzeme — Peaceful heart
- Dzidzor — Joy/Happiness
- Dzidzorm — Dzidzorm
- Dziedzorm — Glad I am
- Edotomi — He (God) has heard us
- Edemi — He (God) has saved/delivered us
- Edrorlali — The judge lives
- Edinam — Am lucky
- Edinami — We are lucky
- Dzifa — Comfort/Peace at heart
- Dzigbordi — Patience
- Dzordzoe — Righteous/Just
- Dzorgbenyui — Good luck
- Dzidzoli – Happiness is here
- Edem — He (God) has saved/delivered me
- Edemi — He (God) has saved/delivered us
- Edudzi — He (God) has vanquished
- Edotom — He (God) has heeded me
- Edzordzi — It makes happinness
- Edzordzinam — It made me happy
- Edzordzinami — It made us happy
- Edzordzinawo — It made them happy
