Somali Name Generator
Authentic Somali given names and patronymic full names
Generate real Somali names: male and female given names like Warsame, Hodan, Abdirahman and Ayaan, full names built the Somali way from a given name plus father's and grandfather's names, Somali-script spellings like Maxamed and Faadumo, and traditional nicknames.
About Somali names
Somalis do not use family surnames. A person carries three names: their own given name, their father's given name, and their grandfather's given name, so Ayaan Warsame Guled is Ayaan, daughter of Warsame, son of Guled; her brothers share the same second and third names. Women keep their names at marriage. In the diaspora the third name often serves as a surname on paperwork, which is why Somali families in Minneapolis, London and Toronto have last names like Farah, Hersi, Jama and Mohamud that are really a grandfather's first name.
Most given names are Arabic and Islamic: Mohamed, Ahmed, Abdullahi, Hassan, Hussein and the many Abdi- compounds (Abdirahman, Abdiqani, Abdikarim) for men; Fadumo, Maryan, Khadra, Halimo and Zeynab for women. Alongside them sit native Somali names that are just as common: Warsame, Guled, Samatar, Roble, Liban, Shire and Awale for men; Hodan, Ladan, Idil, Hibo, Filsan, Sagal, Ubah and Deeqa for women. Somali is written in a Latin alphabet where x is a throaty h, c is the Arabic ayn, and doubled vowels are long, so the same man is Maxamed Cabdullaahi in Somali and Mohamed Abdullahi in English.
The list covers single given names, two- and three-part full names, Somali-orthography spellings, and the nicknames (naanays) such as Dheere, Yare and Caddey that Somalis attach to very common first names.
How to choose Somali names
- Build a full name as given name + father's given name + grandfather's given name, for example Hodan Ali Samatar; siblings share the last two names, spouses do not.
- Address a Somali character by the first name: Dr. Abdirahman Hussein Jama is Dr. Abdirahman, never Dr. Jama, though in the diaspora the third name may be used as a legal surname.
- Pick one spelling system and stick to it: Mohamed/Abdullahi/Fadumo for an English-language setting, Maxamed/Cabdullaahi/Faadumo if you want Somali-script authenticity.
- Mix native Somali names (Warsame, Guled, Ladan, Idil) with Islamic ones to sound like a real family; an all-Arabic set reads as generic Muslim rather than Somali.
- Because Mohamed, Ahmed and Ali are everywhere, Somalis use nicknames to tell people apart; give a common-named character a naanays like Cali Dheere (tall Ali) or Maxamed Yare (little Mohamed).
Frequently asked questions
Do Somalis have last names?
Not inherited ones. The second name is the father's first name and the third is the grandfather's, so names change each generation. In Western countries the grandfather's name is usually recorded as the surname, which is why names like Farah, Hersi, Warsame and Mohamud appear as Somali last names.
What are common Somali girl names?
Native Somali names include Hodan, Ladan, Idil, Hibo, Filsan, Sagal, Ubah, Deeqa, Nasteho and Ayaan. Islamic names that are very common among Somali women include Fadumo (Fatima), Maryan, Khadra, Halimo, Sahra, Amina and Zeynab.
What are common Somali boy names?
Mohamed, Ahmed, Abdi, Ali, Hassan, Hussein and Abdullahi lead by a wide margin, followed by the Abdi- compounds (Abdirahman, Abdirashid, Abdiqani). Native Somali names include Warsame, Guled, Samatar, Liban, Roble, Shire, Dirie, Awale, Hersi and Jama.
Why are Somali names spelled with x and c?
The Somali Latin alphabet, adopted in 1972, uses c for the Arabic letter ayn and x for the pharyngeal h, and doubles vowels to mark length. So Maxamed is Mohamed, Cali is Ali, Xasan is Hassan, Cabdi is Abdi and Faadumo is Fadumo. Both spellings are correct; English-language documents usually use the simpler one.
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All 500 Somali names
A: 72 names
- Abdi
- Abdiaziz
- Abdiaziz Mohamed Bile
- Abdifatah
- Abdifatah Hussein Gedi
- Abdikarim
- Abdikarim Mohamud Awale
- Abdimalik
- Abdimalik Ibrahim Ige
- Abdinasir
- Abdinasir Yusuf Osman
- Abdiqani
- Abdiqani Ahmed Barre
- Abdiqani Yonis
- Abdirahman
- Abdirahman Hussein Jama
- Abdirashid
- Abdirashid Hassan Shire
- Abdirizak
- Abdirizak Ahmed Yonis
- Abdisalan
- Abdisalan Abdullahi Warfa
- Abdiwahab
- Abdiweli
- Abdiweli Rage
- Abdulkadir
- Abdulkadir Omar Hashi
- Abdullahi
- Abdullahi Mohamud Farah
- Abdullahi Roble
- Abokor
- Abokor Roble
- Abshir
- Abtidon
- Abukar
- Adan
A, continued
- Adan Said Mowlid
- Ahmed
- Ahmed Ali Warsame
- Ali
- Ali Dirie
- Amal
- Amal Omar Mustafe
- Amina
- Amina Mohamed Abdi
- Amina Warsame
- Amran
- Amran Abdi Ali
- Anab
- Anisa
- Asha
- Asli
- Asli Abshir
- Asli Ibrahim Adan
- Awale
- Awale Hussein Tahliil
- Aweys
- Aweys Hassan Qasim
- Awil
- Awil Abshir
- Awo
- Awo Roble
- Awo Yusuf Dahir
- Axmed Cabdi Jibriil
- Axmed Caddey
- Axmed Cali Faarax
- Ayaan
- Ayaan Ali Warsame
- Ayaan Cabdi Xuseen
- Ayanle
- Ayub
- Ayub Mohamed Weheliye
B: 20 names
- Barlin
- Barlin Dirie
- Barre
- Barre Abdi Mustafe
- Bashe
- Bashir
- Bashir Abtidon
- Bashir Omar Heybe
- Batula
- Bihi
- Bihi Omar Saleban
- Bilan
- Bilan Ibrahim
- Bile
- Bisharo
- Bisharo Abdullahi Jama
- Botan
- Burhan
- Burhan Mohamed Adan
- Burhan Mukhtar
C: 17 names
- Caasha Axmed Xasan
- Cabdi Madoobe
- Cabdi Xuseen Jaamac
- Cabdikariim Cabdi Yoonis
- Cabdinaasir Maxamed Salaad
- Cabdiqaadir Cali Geedi
- Cabdirashiid Xuseen Bille
- Cabdiraxmaan Siciid Rooble
- Cabdiwali Ibraahim Weheliye
- Cabdullaahi Yuusuf Daahir
- Cali Dheere
- Cali Maxamuud Guuleed
- Canab Xasan Geedi
- Cawo Maxamuud Guray
- Cumar Dhuxul
- Cumar Xasan Cawaale
- Cusmaan Maxamuud Siyaad
D: 16 names
- Dahabo
- Dahir
- Dahir Abdi Jibril
- Dalmar
- Dalmar Ibrahim Hanad
- Deeq
- Deeq Mohamed Kaahin
- Deeqa
- Deeqa Maxamuud Sharmaarke
- Deeqa Said Nur
- Dhaqane
- Dirie
- Dirie Ahmed Aweys
- Duale
- Duale Ali Ayub
- Duale Jama
E: 1 name
- Elmi
F: 28 names
- Faadumo Maxamed Cali
- Faarax Cumar Raage
- Fadumo
- Fadumo Sharmarke
- Faiza
- Faiza Mohamed Aweys
- Farah
- Farah Hassan Dalmar
- Fardowsa
- Fardowsa Roble
- Farhan
- Farhiya
- Farhiya Mohamud Osman
- Farida
- Fartun
- Fathi
- Fathi Mohamed Warsame
- Faysal
- Faysal Ali Sugule
- Faysal Bihi
- Filsan
- Filsan Mohamed Roble
- Filsan Shire
- Filsan Yuusuf Salaad
- Fowsiyo
- Fowsiyo Mukhtar
- Fuad
- Fuad Weheliye
G: 10 names
- Gacal
- Garad
- Gedi
- Gedi Hussein Abshir
- Geele
- Guled
- Guled Ibrahim Ayanle
- Gurey
- Gurey Mohamed Faysal
- Gurey Yasin
H: 39 names
- Habiba
- Habiba Ali Kadar
- Hafsa
- Haji
- Halimo
- Hamdi
- Hamdi Ali Sharmarke
- Hamza
- Hamza Ali Sahal
- Hamza Kaahin
- Hanad
- Hanad Abdirahman Samakab
- Hani
- Hani Hashi
- Hanif
- Hashi
- Hashi Dhaqane
- Hassan
- Hassan Ibrahim Nur
- Hawa
- Hawa Hassan Awale
- Haweya
- Haweya Abdi Faysal
- Haweya Jama
- Hersi
- Heybe
- Hibaq
- Hibo
- Hibo Xuseen Tahliil
- Hinda
- Hinda Omar Barre
- Hinda Yonis
- Hodan
- Hodan Xasan Faarax
- Huda
- Huda Ali Samatar
- Huda Weheliye
- Hussein
- Hussein Omar Elmi
I: 35 names
- Ibar
- Ibraahim Maxamed Shire
- Ibraahim Weyne
- Ibrahim
- Ibrahim Said Duale
- Idil
- Idil Cumar Yoonis
- Idil Ibrahim Hashi
- Idman
- Idman Hassan
- Idman Mohamed Abdirahman
- Idris
- Ifraax Maxamed Cawaale
- Ifrah
- Ifrah Rage
- Ige
- Ikhlas
- Ikraan Siciid Raage
- Ikran
- Ikran Abdirahman Bile
- Ilhan
- Ilwad
- Ilyas
- Iman
- Iman Ahmed Salad
- Iman Siad
- Irro
- Ismaaciil Axmed Ducaale
- Ismahan
- Ismail
- Ismail Ahmed Guled
- Isse
- Isse Farah
- Istahil
- Istahil Omar Mukhtar
J: 9 names
- Jaamac Yuusuf Guray
- Jama
- Jama Said Nuradin
- Jamal
- Jamal Duale
- Jamila
- Jawahir
- Jawahir Yasin
- Jibril
K: 26 names
- Kaafiya
- Kaahin
- Kadar
- Kadar Yusuf Rage
- Kaltun
- Kaltun Hassan Rage
- Kamal
- Kawsar
- Kawsar Ahmed
- Kawsar Omar Hussein
- Keyse
- Keyse Abdullahi Gurey
- Keyse Ayanle
- Khadija
- Khadija Ibrahim Abdi
- Khadra
- Khadra Cumar Guuleed
- Khadra Kaahin
- Khalid
- Khalif
- Khalisa
- Khalisa Abdi Roble
- Kinsi
- Kinsi Ibrahim Keyse
- Koshin
- Kulmiye
L: 9 names
- Ladan
- Ladan Cabdullaahi Bille
- Ladan Yusuf Tahliil
- Leyla
- Liban
- Liibaan Axmed Muuse
- Lul
- Lul Abdullahi Heybe
- Lul Ayanle
M: 40 names
- Madar
- Madar Abdi
- Magol
- Mahad
- Mahad Abdullahi Hersi
- Mahad Shire
- Mahdi
- Mahdi Yusuf Abtidon
- Maka
- Maka Duale
- Marwo
- Marwo Farah
- Marwo Mohamed Ismail
- Maryan
- Maryan Cabdullaahi Jaamac
- Maxamed Cabdullaahi Xasan
- Maxamed Ciise Heybe
- Maxamed Gaab
- Maxamuud Cabdi Sharmaarke
- Mire
- Mohamed
- Mohamed Abdi Hassan
- Mohamed Warsame
- Mohamud
- Mohamud Abdi Salad
- Mohamud Siad
- Mowlid
- Mowlid Nur
- Muhubo
- Muhumed
- Mukhtar
- Mukhtar Mohamed Dirie
- Mulki
- Mulki Omar Elmi
- Muna
- Muna Said Kaahin
- Muse
- Muse Botan
- Muse Hussein Koshin
- Mustafe
N: 29 names
- Naciima Cabdi Barre
- Nadifo
- Nadifo Abtidon
- Nadir
- Nafisa
- Naima
- Najah
- Najah Ibrahim Barre
- Najah Nur
- Najma
- Najma Ahmed Dalmar
- Nasir
- Nasir Ahmed Awil
- Nasra
- Nasteexo Ibraahim Weheliye
- Nasteho
- Nasteho Bihi
- Nasteho Hassan Mire
- Nimco Ibraahim Cilmi
- Nimo
- Nuh
- Nuh Mohamed Bihi
- Nur
- Nuradin
- Nurto
- Nurto Ali Yasin
- Nuur Cabdiraxmaan Tahliil
- Nuura
- Nuura Ali Mohamed
O: 6 names
- Omar
- Omar Hassan Roble
- Omar Sharmarke
- Osman
- Osman Abdullahi Madar
- Osman Ugaas
Q: 4 names
- Qali
- Qali Abdi Abtidon
- Qamar
- Qasim
R: 13 names
- Rage
- Rahma
- Rahma Dhaqane
- Rashid
- Rashid Rage
- Roble
- Roble Abdi Dhaqane
- Ruqiyo
- Ruqiyo Omar Awil
- Ruun
- Ruun Mohamed Duale
- Ruweyda
- Ruweyda Ibrahim Yusuf
S: 73 names
- Saafi
- Sabrin
- Sabrin Rage
- Sadia
- Sadia Ali Awale
- Sadiq
- Sado
- Sado Botan
- Sado Ibrahim Madar
- Safiya
- Safiya Hussein
- Sagal
- Sahal
- Sahal Khalif
- Sahal Omar Geele
- Sahan
- Sahan Mohamed Said
- Sahra
- Sahra Ahmed Dhaqane
- Sahra Yuusuf Daahir
- Said
- Said Ali Sharmarke
- Said Hashi
- Saida
- Salaado
- Salad
- Salad Hassan Gacal
- Saleban
- Saleh
- Salma
- Salma Ugaas
- Samakab
- Samatar
- Samatar Ibrahim Botan
- Samira
- Samira Hassan Gacal
S, continued
- Saynab Axmed Shire
- Shakir
- Shakir Mohamud
- Shamis
- Shamis Abdi Sharmarke
- Shamis Mohamud
- Shamso
- Shamso Abdi
- Sharif
- Sharmarke
- Sharmarke Ahmed Isse
- Shire
- Shire Qasim
- Shire Yusuf Irro
- Shuayb
- Shukri
- Siad
- Siciid Cabdullaahi Barre
- Siham
- Siham Ali Abdullahi
- Siham Ibrahim
- Sirad
- Sofia
- Sofia Omar Rage
- Suad
- Suad Khalif
- Suad Yusuf Irro
- Suban
- Sucaad Cali Muuse
- Sucdi
- Sucdi Mohamed
- Sugule
- Suhur
- Sumaya
- Sumaya Abdi Osman
- Sundus
- Sundus Ibrahim Hussein
T: 3 names
- Tahir
- Tahliil
- Timiro
U: 8 names
- Ubah
- Ubah Abdullahi Ugaas
- Ubax
- Ubax Abdi Mohamed
- Ubax Xuseen Xirsi
- Ugaas
- Ugbad
- Ugbad Qasim
W: 10 names
- Warfa
- Waris
- Waris Mohamed Bashe
- Warsame
- Warsan
- Warsan Omar Hashi
- Warsan Yonis
- Weheliye
- Weheliye Hussein Burhan
- Weheliye Saleban
X: 5 names
- Xaawo Cali Warsame
- Xaliimo Siciid Rooble
- Xasan Ibraahim Warsame
- Xasan Yare
- Xuseen Cumar Cilmi
Y: 15 names
- Yahya
- Yahya Mohamed
- Yaqub
- Yasin
- Yasin Mohamed Bashe
- Yasir
- Yasmin
- Yonis
- Yonis Ali Khalif
- Yurub
- Yurub Ali Garad
- Yurub Saleban
- Yusuf
- Yusuf Abdirashid Samatar
- Yuusuf Cali Xirsi