Namibian Name Generator

Owambo, Herero, Nama, Damara and Kavango names

Real-World Names & CulturesPart of: real-world name generators500 names

0 of 500 seen

This or that?

7 picks, 1 winner

Tap the name you like more.

Tap a name to copy it. The arrows swap one name.

Or browse all 500 names, A to Z

Generate Namibian names from across the country: Oshiwambo names such as Ndapewa Shiyagaya and Toivo Shilongo, Otjiherero names such as Kuzeeko Katjavivi, Nama and Damara names such as Justus Gurirab and Ida Guriras, plus Kavango, Zambezi, Afrikaans and German-Namibian names.

About Namibian names

Namibia has about a dozen language communities, and a name usually tells you which one a person belongs to. Roughly half the population is Aawambo, so Oshiwambo names lead the list. Many given names mark the hour of birth: Nangula and Angula for a girl and a boy born in the morning, Namutenya and Amutenya for the heat of the day, Nuusiku and Uusiku for the night. Others give thanks, such as Ndapewa, Ndapandula and Tangeni. Surnames such as Shikongo, Nangolo, Iyambo, Shilongo and Hamutenya began as the given names of fathers and grandfathers.

Most Namibians are Christian, and a church name stands beside the home name. In the north that often means a Finnish one. The Finnish mission began its work in Owambo in 1870, and Toivo, Martti, Helvi, Selma, Aino and Tuulikki have been ordinary names there ever since.

Otjiherero surnames often start with Ka- or Tji-, as in Katjavivi, Kazenambo and Tjiriange. Nama and Damara surnames change with gender: a man's ends in -b and a woman's in -s, so Gurirab and Guriras are one family name. Kavango names such as Mutorwa and Haingura, Zambezi names such as Simataa and Mabuku, and a small share of Afrikaans and German-Namibian surnames complete the list. Entries are full names, hyphenated married surnames and single names.

How to choose Namibian names

  • Decide where the character comes from first. Shikongo or Amukwaya points to the north-central regions, Katjavivi or Kavari to the Herero heartland of central and eastern Namibia, Witbooi or Swartbooi to the Nama south, Kudumo to Kavango, and Simataa to the Zambezi Region.
  • Get the ending right on Nama and Damara surnames. Brothers and sisters differ by one letter, as with Daniel Goagoseb and Martha Goagoses or Josef Hoebeb and Johanna Hoebes.
  • Give an Owambo character two names, a home name and a church name. Someone can be Nangula to her family and Selma on her school certificate.
  • A married woman often joins her own surname to her husband's with a hyphen. Klaudia Hamutenya-Shivute and Lea Ithete-Shuuya show the pattern.
  • Given names and surnames are paired at random, so search the full name before you use it for a published character.

Frequently asked questions

Why do so many Namibians have Finnish names?

Finnish Lutheran missionaries began working in Owambo in 1870, and for generations people baptized there took a Finnish name next to their Oshiwambo one. Names such as Toivo, Martti, Helvi, Aino and Tuulikki became family traditions and are still given today. That is why the list has combinations like Helvi Ekandjo, Martti Kanime and Tuulikki Nekundi.

What do Oshiwambo names mean?

Many record the time of birth. Nangula is a girl born in the morning and Angula a boy, Namutenya and Amutenya were born in the heat of the day, and Nuusiku and Uusiku at night. Another large group gives thanks: Ndapewa means I have been given, Ndapandula means I give thanks, and Magano means gifts.

Why do some surnames end in -b and others in -s?

In Khoekhoegowab, the language of the Nama and Damara, nouns carry a gender ending, and surnames follow the same rule. A man is Gurirab, Goagoseb or Hoebeb, and his sister or daughter is Guriras, Goagoses or Hoebes. The list pairs men's and women's given names with the matching form.

Does the list include Afrikaans and German names?

A few. Afrikaans is widely spoken in Namibia and is the home language of communities such as the Rehoboth Basters, and a small German-speaking community remains, so the list has names like Magdalena Diergaardt and Sigrid Voigts. They are kept to under a tenth of the list because the Afrikaans and German generators cover those names in depth.

Related generators

More like this

Browse category

All 500 Namibian names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 44 names

  • Abraham Afrikaner
  • Abraham Eiseb
  • Abraham Nakwafila
  • Absalom Amadhila
  • Agnes Kazenambo
  • Agnes Limbo
  • Aili Ndeitunga
  • Aili Taapopi-Shiimi
  • Aina Endjala
  • Aino
  • Aino Nghipondoka
  • Albert Amweelo
  • Albertina Kaiyamo
  • Albertine Kangueehi
  • Aletta Auala
  • Alfons Kavara
  • Alfons Tjirimuje
  • Alfred Kangueehi
  • Alina Tuhadeleni
  • Alpheus Uirab
  • Amalia Nashandi
  • Ambrosius Karupu
  • Amukwaya
  • Amutenya
  • Amutenya Ndume
  • Amutenya Uugwanga
  • Andreas Negumbo
  • Andries Cloete
  • Angelika Kutako
  • Angelika Munika
  • Angelika Musutua
  • Angula
  • Angula Haipinge
  • Angula Shangheta
  • Anke Staby
  • Anna Kamanya
  • Anna Kaputu
  • Anneli Shigwedha
  • Annelie Burger
  • Antje Schlettwein
  • Armas Nekongo
  • Armas Shoombe
  • Arnold Hengari
  • Asser Mungunda

B: 10 names

  • Barnabas Muinjangue
  • Beatrice Mboma
  • Benjamin Itula
  • Bernadette Likuwa
  • Bernadus Biwa
  • Bernadus Gowaseb
  • Bernhard Uupindi
  • Beukes
  • Birgit Hahn
  • Bonifatius Mpasi

C: 9 names

  • Charles Ntelamo
  • Charlotte Maamberua
  • Christian Gaomab
  • Christian Goliath
  • Christina Garises
  • Christine Kavari
  • Christine Wakudumo
  • Christo Botha
  • Clemens Katjiuongua

D: 11 names

  • Danie Coetzee
  • Danie Izaaks
  • Daniel Goagoseb
  • Daniel Shipanga
  • Daniel Stephanus
  • David Shanghala
  • Dawid Basson
  • Dawid Hoebeb
  • Diergaardt
  • Dieter Sander
  • Dorothea Swartbooi

E: 30 names

  • Eberhard Olthaver
  • Efraim Kaapanda
  • Eino Hamukwaya
  • Elfriede Ngavirue
  • Elia Hishongwa
  • Elias Basson
  • Elias Uirab
  • Eliaser Shaanika
  • Elifas Shigwedha
  • Elina Shilongo
  • Elizabeth Kido
  • Elizabeth Mweshihange
  • Elizabeth Namises
  • Elizabeth Shilunga-Amukwaya
  • Elmarie Dentlinger
  • Elsa Erasmus
  • Emma Eises
  • Emma Indongo
  • Emma Muinjangue
  • Emma Witbooi
  • Engelbert Kudumo
  • Erastus Emvula
  • Erika Metzger
  • Erika Tjihuiko
  • Erkki Iilonga
  • Erwin Murangi
  • Erwin Tjingaete
  • Ester Shigwedha
  • Esther Kandetu
  • Eunice Iipinge

F: 11 names

  • Fanuel Hoveka
  • Felicitas Haingura
  • Felix Muremi
  • Fenni Nakale
  • Festus Shiimi
  • Festus Tjitemisa
  • Fiina Kasingo
  • Filemon Weyulu
  • Frans Shiweda
  • Frieda Shaanika
  • Friedrich Kaujeua

G: 11 names

  • Gabriel Nashandi
  • Geoffrey Kamwi
  • George Mabuku
  • Gerhard Mbambo
  • Gerson Kapuuo
  • Gert Britz
  • Gideon Ndume
  • Goagoseb
  • Grace Sioka
  • Gudrun Rust
  • Gurirab

H: 36 names

  • Hafeni Mushelenga
  • Hafeni Nghiwete
  • Haingura
  • Hamutenya
  • Hannelie Beukes
  • Hans von Wietersheim
  • Harald Vedder
  • Haufiku
  • Heidi Redecker
  • Heinrich Mutorwa
  • Helena Nambahu
  • Helmi Negumbo
  • Helmut Brock
  • Helvi
  • Helvi Ekandjo
  • Helvi Ndadi-Hakaye
  • Hendrik Gaseb
  • Hendrik Izaaks
  • Hendrina Goreses
  • Hendrina Isaak
  • Hermine Venaani
  • Hester Lombard
  • Hidipo Auala
  • Hidipo Namwandi
  • Hifikepunye Amupanda
  • Hifikepunye Hauwanga
  • Hilde Tjitemisa
  • Hileni Mushelenga-Hamaambo
  • Hileni Shipanga
  • Hilja Kaulinge
  • Hilkka Nekwaya
  • Hilma Hishongwa
  • Hoebeb
  • Hosea Tjizu
  • Hubertus Nekaro
  • Hulda Riruako

I: 18 names

  • Ida Goliath
  • Ida Guriras
  • Ida Hoveka
  • Ida Kaapama
  • Iipinge
  • Iipumbu Kaapanda
  • Iipumbu Namoloh
  • Imke Hälbich
  • Immanuel Iivula
  • Inonge Mwilima
  • Isaak
  • Isak Goreseb
  • Isak Ndaitwah
  • Ismael Tjombe
  • Iyaloo
  • Iyaloo Kashuupulwa
  • Iyaloo Shipanga
  • Iyambo

J: 21 names

  • Jacobus du Preez
  • Jakob Gowaseb
  • Jakob Katali
  • Jan Gaseb
  • Jason Shaningwa
  • Jeremia Nghimtina
  • Jerry Kaukungua
  • Johan McNab
  • Johanna Haindongo
  • Johanna Hoebes
  • Johannes Garoeb
  • Johannes Uutoni
  • Josef Hoebeb
  • Josef Ithana
  • Josef Stephanus
  • Josefina Dumeni
  • Josua Kapere
  • Julia Kapofi
  • Justina Shiyagaya
  • Justus Gurirab
  • Justus Kooper

K: 28 names

  • Kaarina Taapopi
  • Kaire Muundjua
  • Kamati
  • Kandali Haitembu
  • Kandali Haufiku
  • Katjavivi
  • Katrina Apollus
  • Katrina Gawanas
  • Katuutire Maamberua
  • Kauna Angula
  • Kauna Shilunga
  • Kavari
  • Kazenambo
  • Kenneth Muyongo
  • Kerstin Wecke
  • Kerttu Nashandi
  • Klaudia Hamutenya-Shivute
  • Klaus Kleinschmidt
  • Kleopas Elago
  • Kletus Karupu
  • Kobus Olivier
  • Kovambo Mushelenga
  • Kovambo Nashandi
  • Kristofina Kasingo-Ekandjo
  • Kuaima
  • Kuaima Kandetu
  • Kudumo
  • Kuzeeko Katjavivi

L: 22 names

  • Lahja Nafidi
  • Laimi Nangolo
  • Lawrence Limbo
  • Lazarus Shilongo
  • Lea Hipondoka
  • Lea Ithete-Shuuya
  • Leena Kalangula
  • Lempy Sheehama
  • Leonard Ekandjo
  • Libertina Nakwafila
  • Liina Mwatotele
  • Likando Kamwi
  • Linea Haipinge
  • Liseli Liswani
  • Loide Shalli
  • Loini Iipumbu
  • Lovisa Amakali
  • Lubinda Mwilima
  • Lucia Christiaan
  • Lucia Ndadi
  • Ludwig Ausiku
  • Lukas Shikwambi

M: 43 names

  • Mabuku
  • Magano
  • Magano Haipinge
  • Magano Nampala
  • Magdalena Diergaardt
  • Magdalena Gowases
  • Magdalena Tjiriange
  • Maharero
  • Mandume Hamutenya
  • Mandume Iipinge
  • Margaret Nchindo
  • Maria Amunyela
  • Maria Guriras
  • Maria Mujoro
  • Marietjie Mouton
  • Marius Muremi
  • Markus Amunyela
  • Markus Gurirab
  • Martha Goagoses
  • Martha Hamukwaya
  • Martha Zeraua
  • Martta Mbumba
  • Martti
  • Martti Iita
  • Martti Kanime
  • Matheus Hangula
  • Maurus Ausiku
  • Mbuende
  • Mburumba Nguvauva
  • Meameno Hakaye
  • Meameno Weyulu
  • Mirjam Mweshihange-Haitembu
  • Mirjam Shiweda
  • Monika Shifeta
  • Moses Kozonguizi
  • Moses Mushelenga
  • Mulife Mamili
  • Mutjinde Tjikuzu
  • Mutorwa
  • Muyunda Sampofu
  • Mwangala Mubita
  • Mweneni Ndeitunga
  • Mweneni Tuhadeleni

N: 56 names

  • Naemi Nghipondoka
  • Nahas Kalenga
  • Nahas Shikololo
  • Namasiku Simataa
  • Namutenya
  • Namutenya Iipinge
  • Namutenya Namoloh
  • Nangolo
  • Nangolo Haufiku
  • Nangolo Nghipondoka
  • Nangula
  • Nangula Nghiwete
  • Nangula Shikongo
  • Natalia Shivolo
  • Natangwe
  • Natangwe Kamati
  • Natangwe Kaulinge
  • Nathaniel Tjitendero
  • Ndahafa Amathila
  • Ndahafa Kalenga-Kamanya
  • Ndahafa Nghimtina
  • Ndapanda Hamaambo
  • Ndapanda Uutoni
  • Ndapandula
  • Ndapandula Iita
  • Ndapandula Shuuya
  • Ndapewa
  • Ndapewa Mbumba
  • Ndapewa Shiyagaya
  • Ndeshipanda
  • Ndeshipanda Iipumbu
  • Ndeshipanda Uugwanga
  • Ndeutala Iivula
  • Ndeutala Kuugongelwa
  • Ndilimeke Haipinge-Auala
  • Ndilimeke Nghidinwa
  • Ndilimeke Shikwambi
  • Ndinelago
  • Ndinelago Dumeni
  • Ndinelago Ndaitwah
  • Ndinelago Shivute-Nakale
  • Negumbo
  • Nehale Nakwafila
  • Nehale Shigwedha
  • Nekongo
  • Nelago Negumbo
  • Nelago Nghipondoka
  • Nelao Hangula
  • Nelao Hipondoka
  • Nelao Iivula-Nangombe
  • Netumbo Nakwafila
  • Netumbo Ndjoba
  • Nuusiku
  • Nuusiku Namwandi
  • Nuusiku Shaningwa
  • Nuusiku Shuuya-Negonga

O: 5 names

  • Oiva Nanyemba
  • Oiva Shivolo
  • Onni Hainyeko
  • Onni Indongo
  • Otilie Nghiwete

P: 23 names

  • Panduleni
  • Panduleni Nangolo
  • Panduleni Nashandi
  • Patricia Kabajani
  • Paul Eiseb
  • Paul Swartbooi
  • Paulus Nafidi
  • Penda Indongo
  • Pendapala
  • Pendapala Nauyoma
  • Pendapala Shaanika
  • Pendukeni Iilonga
  • Pendukeni Nafidi
  • Penehupifo Ekandjo
  • Penehupifo Nekongo
  • Peter Amukwaya
  • Petrina Kandjimi
  • Petronella Louw
  • Petrus Gaomab
  • Petrus Shilunga
  • Peya Nakale
  • Peya Shanghala
  • Pieter van Wyk

R: 20 names

  • Raili Hakaye
  • Rakel Haitembu
  • Raphael Hausiku
  • Rauha Amathila
  • Rebekka Gawanas
  • Rebekka Haitembu-Emvula
  • Rebekka Hanse
  • Regina Mpasi
  • Reinhold Wakudumo
  • Reino Nghipondoka
  • Riana Snyman
  • Riana Steenkamp
  • Rihupisa Tjivikua
  • Romanus Mbambo
  • Rosa Karuaihe
  • Rosalia Weyulu
  • Rosina Uugwanga
  • Rudolf Ueitele
  • Ruusa Kamati-Nghaamwa
  • Ruusa Shaanika

S: 43 names

  • Saara Amweelo
  • Sacky Hamaambo
  • Sacky Kashuupulwa
  • Saimi Nghiwete
  • Sakaria Mwatotele
  • Salmi Iilonga
  • Salome Kaulinge
  • Samuel Awaseb
  • Samuel Fredericks
  • Samuel Namoloh
  • Sara Gases
  • Sebastiaan Likuwa
  • Secilia Ithete
  • Selma Ueitele
  • Selma Uugwanga
  • Sem Ekandjo
  • Sem Shiimi
  • Senia Haikali
  • Sepiso Sibalatani
  • Serafina Hishongwa
  • Shaanika
  • Shikongo
  • Shikongo Amunyela
  • Shikongo Ulenga
  • Shilongo
  • Sigrid Voigts
  • Simasiku Matongo
  • Simataa
  • Simon Boois
  • Simon Ganeb
  • Simon Nelumbu
  • Sirkka Uushona
  • Sophia Goagoses
  • Sophia Mbuende
  • Sophia Rooi
  • Stanley Matengu
  • Suama Haimbodi
  • Suoma Mushelenga
  • Susanna Awases
  • Susanna Maasdorp
  • Sven Woermann
  • Swartbooi
  • Sylvia Shikongo

T: 32 names

  • Taimi Ndjoba
  • Tangeni
  • Tangeni Amakali
  • Tangeni Hishongwa
  • Tangi Ashipala
  • Tangi Shilongo
  • Tauno Hangula
  • Tauno Uugwanga
  • Theresia Nekaro
  • Thomas Hamukwaya
  • Timoteus Nampala
  • Titus Tuhadeleni
  • Tjama Kavari
  • Tjeripo Katjimune
  • Tjiriange
  • Tjombe
  • Tobias Haufiku
  • Toini Uutoni
  • Toivo
  • Toivo Shilongo
  • Tomas Kaiyamo
  • Traugott Ngavirue
  • Tresia Shivute
  • Tuhafeni
  • Tuhafeni Kuugongelwa
  • Tuhafeni Nafidi
  • Tuulikki
  • Tuulikki Nekundi
  • Tuwilika Emvula
  • Tuwilika Indongo
  • Tuyeni Ithana
  • Tuyeni Nghidinwa

U: 9 names

  • Uahekua Kandando
  • Uazuva Tjongarero
  • Usko Nekundi
  • Usko Shalli
  • Utjiua Hengari
  • Utoni Iita
  • Utoni Shalulile
  • Uusiku Elago
  • Uusiku Uutoni

V: 9 names

  • Veikko Kapofi
  • Veikko Katali
  • Vekuii Herunga
  • Vekuii Musutua
  • Veronika Kandjimi
  • Victoria Shaningwa
  • Vilho Kasingo
  • Voigts
  • Volker Rumpf

W: 8 names

  • Wilhelm Kaapama
  • Wilhelmina Awases
  • Wilhelmina Shiimi
  • Wilhelmine Katjiuongua
  • Willem Naruseb
  • Willem Smit
  • Witbooi
  • Wolfgang Dierks

Z: 1 name

  • Zedekia Kaumbi