Somali is a very interesting place and so are the names of the people in it. Generally, there are names used to refer to people apart from their real names in Somalia. These names are given based on the age or role of the person; he or she might be older or younger and might also be a very significant person in society. Some of these general names are Adeer for an older senior, Sheekh for a religious figure and Mudane for a highly respected individual. Somali boy names are most often predictable, especially if he is the first born.
Some of the very common Somali boy names are Muhammad, especially if he is the first born son and other names include Assad, Barre, Cawil, Diric, Fahmo, Geedi, Isaaq, Jama, Liban, Tadalesh and many others.
Somali names are given in a patronymic format, where no one has a surname. The people of Somalia bear their personal first name, their father’s name as their middle name and lastly, their grandfather’s name as their last name or surname. This means that in extended families with grandparents, uncles and aunties, everyone bears a different name. Do you find that confusing? That’s how different Somalia is.
Somali Boy Names, Their Origin And meanings
Somali boy names have two basic origins: one is basically Islam, i.e., Arabic. While the other origin of Somali names are Cushitic. Let us look at the names individually.
1. Aadam
Aadam is translated as “Adam” which is of biblical origin.
2. Abtidoon
The name Abtidoon is a Somali name that has many meanings; that is how great a name it is. Abtidoon means “success, endurance and a person so full of love”.
3. Abdiraxman
Abdiraxman is the Somali version of Abdul Rahman, which is actually Arabic and means “the servant of the divine grace”. Abdul Rahman is actually one of the 99 names of Allah.
4. Abdirahim
This name also has an Arabic origin and it means servant of the merciful. As you know already, Somali names are also derived from Arabic, so most of their Somali boy names tend to sound Arabic.
5. Abdullahi
Adullahi is the Somali version of Abdullah and it means servant of God. This name also has other variations, like Abdul, which is a very common name in muslim countries.
6. Abadir
Abadir is a somali name that is translated as “mighty father”.
7. Abshir
Another beautiful Somali boy name is Abshir. This name can be used effortlessly in the U.S. because it is so easy to pronounce and won’t fall victim to those who often tend to mispronounce foreign names. Abshir means “congratulations” when translated to English.
8. Aleeki
This name is quite powerful, as it means “brave lion”. This is a wonderful name to give your boy child as it sounds majestic.
9. Aragsan
This is a very interesting Somali boy name and it means “see”.
10. Abdirizak
Abdirizak is also one of the Somali boy names with an Arabic origin. It is the Somali version of the name “Abd al-Razzaq and it means “servant of the all-provider”. What a great name! This literally means your child will live in abundance if given such a name.
11. Absame
Absame is a name that is common amongst the Somali Darod clan in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. It means “the great one”.
12. Asad
Asad alao spelt Assad is one of the Somali boy names with an Arabic origin. It means “Lion”. It is often used as a pet name for some muslim names.
13. Axmed
Axmed is the Somali version of Ahmed, an Arabic name. They may already sound alike but Axmed sounds way better and even has a modern tone to it.
14. Barre
This is the original Somali name out of all the Somali boy names stated earlier. It is derived from the Somali word “bare” which means “teacher”. This name became popular because of the emergence of a Somali ruler by name, Mohamed Siad Barre who ruled as a military ruler of Somali for 22 years i.e 1969 to 1991.
15. Barkhad
This name is also part of the Somali boy names with Arabic origin. Barkhad comes from the word Baraka, which literally means “Blessings” in English. Barkhad is actually a gender neutral name which you can use to name both your male and female child.
16. Baxsan
This name is out of the ordinary and it has a very uncommon meaning. Baxsan is one of the many Somali boy names and it means “escape”.
17. Burhaan
Burhaan is one the Somali boy names with dual origin. It comes from both a Somali word and an Arabic word. Burhaan is a Somali word that means “charisma” when translated to English and in Arabic, Burhaan means “proof”.
18. Bashiir
Bashiir is another Somali boy name with an Arabic origin. The Arabic form of Bashiir is Bashir, they are not very different from each other. The name Bashiir means “the bringer of good news” and it is used by christians and muslims.
19. Cabdulmajiid
Cabdulmajiid is also one of the Somali boy names with an Arabic origin. It is gotten from two Arabic elements, “cabd” and “majid”. Cabd means servant, while majid means exalted or glorious. When combined, they both mean “the servant of the glorious”.
20. Caweys
Cawey is an interesting name, as it means “night”. It does not have an Arabic origin, as it is one of the modern Somali boy names.
21. Canab
Canab is one of the Somali boy names that is named after fruits. This name is a Somali word that is translated to mean “grape” in English.
22. Cawo
Cawo is one of the original Somali boy names. It is actually a Somali word that means “luck”. It is a very simple name and it is easy to pronounce.
23. Cawil
This sounds nice but has a bittersweet undertone. Cawil is often given to a child who was born after the death of his father or an older sibling. It is a Somali word that means “replacement”.
24. Cumar
Cumar is another Somali boy name derived from an Arabic word. It is popularly known as Omar in Arabic and it means “eloquent or speaker”. It has different variations in other languages, like hebrew. It can be modified to Umar, which is popularly used in the U.S
25. Dalmar
Dalmar is a very unique name out of all the Somali boy names. It means “adaptable, versatile or all-rounded”. This is a very strong masculine name and it’s a wonderful name to bear.
26. Daa’uud
Daa’uud is the Somali version of David, a Hebrew name. David is a historical figure in the Bible, and He was a man who was well spoken of.
27. Diric
Diric is another strong name to bear as a male child. It has pure Somalia origins and means “fearless, bold and daring”. Those who bear this name tend to be very courageous.
28. Erasto
This is one of the Somali boy names with a subtle feeling. This name is a word in Somalia that means “man of peace”. Boys with this name often are very gentle and wise.
29. Fahmo
Fahmo is a very simple name and it sounds very good to the ears. It is one of the Somali boy names with an Arabic origin. It means “understanding”.
30. Galayax
This is one of the Somali boy names with a very prestigious meaning. It means “Lighthouse” when translated to English.
31. Geesi
This name might sound feminine but its every inch a masculine name. It is a Somali word for “courage,brave and hero”. It is a name you would want for your male child.
32. Gurey
Gurey is a Somali word for left-handed individuals. Some Somali boys are given this name.
33. Galbeyte
This is a geographical type of Somali boy name, as it literally means “in the west”.
34. Guled
Guled is a Somali boy name that means “victory” This victory means one that was gotten after enduring hardships or struggling for a long time.
35. Guuleed
This Is one of the Somali boy names given to males born into the royal family. It depicts royalty so much in it’s interpretation, which is “victor”.
36. Ibraahin
This is a name that has different variations in christianity and islam. It is the Somali version of Abraham, a very important personality in the christian bible.
37. Isaaq
This Somali name is also gotten from hebrew. Isaaq was also a very great personality in the christian bible and he was also the long awaited son of Abraham. Isaac actually means “laughter”.
38. Ismaaciil
Ismaaciil is the Somali version of the word Ishmeal who was also one of the sons of the biblical Abraham. Ishmeal means “God will hear”.
39. Mahad
Mahad is one the Somali boy names that is given to a first born male. Mahad is a Somali word for “thanks”.
40. Muse
This name has a very unique meaning. It is not just a Somali word but also an English word. It is translated as Moses, who was a great leader in the Christian bible.
Conclusion
Somali is one of the amazing places in Africa that bears very unique names. Although some names might have deep roots in Arabic and other cultures, they still retain very beautiful features of Somalia.
