122 Nigerian Last Names (and their meaning)

With a population of around 200 million people, Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups and over 500 languages which make up its diverse cultures. Nigerian last names are often a reflection of the region, tribe or culture that an individual belongs to. This article discusses some of the most common Nigerian surnames and their meaning:

1. Bolaji – The name ‘Enugu’ means ‘wake up rich’ in the Yoruba language.

2. Chukwu – a name of Igbo origin, meaning “God,” “spiritual being,” and “magnificent.”

3. Egbeku – a surname that was formed from the Yoruba term “egbe” meaning “kite.”

4. Eke – a surname of Igbo Origin means ‘Born on the market day’.

5. Chinedum – it means “God guides me”.

6. Igbokwe – a name that means ‘a thunderbolt coming down from the sky’.

7. Jideonwo – a Nigerian name that means ‘crown coming from heaven’.

8. Kannayya – it means ‘a gift from the god Shiva’.

9. Kolawole – means ‘to bring in wealth’.

10. Mbonu – a Nigerian name that means ‘a guest coming from a journey’.

11. Misi – a Yoruba name meaning ‘beautiful, good looking and lovely’.

12. Mojeed – a name of Hausa origin that means ‘well-pleased or satisfied’.

13. Morakinyo – a Yoruba name meaning ‘God is victorious’.

14. Muhammad – a masculine given name and surname (also transliterated as Mahamuud, Mohamed, Mohammad, Muhamad, Muhamed, Mouhamed) of Arabic origin.

15. Muraina – a Nigerian name that means ‘the bearer of good news’.

16. Musa – a masculine given name and surname (also transliterated as Mousa, Moosa) of Arabic origin meaning ‘the bearer of the message’.

17. Oba – a Yoruba name that means ‘The Lord has risen’.

18. Okechukwu – a Nigerian name that means ‘God has conquered’.

19. Olufemi – a Nigerian name that means ‘God has answered my prayer’.

20. Olumide – a Nigerian name that means ‘the lord of the ocean’ and also ‘my destiny is sublime’.

21. Rabiu – a Yoruba name meaning ‘enter with wealth’ or ‘wealth has come in’.

22. Sadiku – a controversial Nigerian name that means ‘one who is strong yet accessible’.

23. Salisu – a Hausa name meaning ‘Gift of Allah’.

24. Suleiman/Solomon – two names of different origins, but both sharing the same name meaning ‘peace’.

25. Taiwo – a Yoruba name that means ‘my wealth is two’.

26. Uchechukwu – a Nigerian name that means ‘God has done good’.

27. Yakubu – it means ‘the Lord is victorious’.

28. Yelwa – a Yoruba name that means ‘peace and satisfaction’.

29. Yusuf – a masculine given name and surname (also transliterated as Youssouf, Yussuf, Yousef) of Arabic origin meaning ‘God’s blessing’.

30. Zubairu – a Hausa name that means ‘Gift of Allah’.

31. Zuma – a tribal name/nickname turned surname which means ‘born in the month of December’.

32. Nkemdiche – a name that means ‘God has remembered me’.

33. Nwachukwu – it means ‘God has shown me a favor’.

34. Nwokocha – the meaning is ‘the Lord is the owner of wealth’.

35. Onochie – the Ibo tribe’s meaning is ‘to replace’.

36. Omenka – Ibo’s meaning is ‘craftsman or technologist”’.

37. Ufot – a name that means ‘third-born son’.

38. Ifeanyi – a Nigerian name meaning ‘nothing is impossible with God’.

39. Odewale – a Yoruba name that means ‘one who is rich’.

40. Adebayo/Ade/Adesoji – a Yoruba name that means ‘he came in a joyful time’.

41. Adebowale/Dele – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has brought me joy’.

42. Akande – this is a surname of Yoruba origin meaning ‘the third child of my father’.

43. Ekundayo – an Igbo name that means ‘God has brought joy’.

44. Ibukun – an Igbo name that means ‘happiness upon happiness’.

45. Mojeeb – a Nigerian name that means ‘He who is pleased with what He has created’.

46. Nasiru – a Nigerian name that means ‘the Lord has brought me goodness’.

47. Olaitan – a Yoruba name that means ‘Goodness has already been full filled’.

48. Aiyeni – a Yoruba name that means ‘goodness is from God’.

49. Balogun – a Yoruba name that means ‘my joy has come through valor’.

50. Bamidele/Damilare – a name that means ‘the good Lord has crowned me’.

51. Kasali – an Ijaw name meaning ‘happiness has come to me’.

52. Oluwatobi – a Yoruba name that means ‘the good Lord has made me blessed’.

53. Adedamola/Aderin/Adesola – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has favored me with wealth’.

54. Fajoluwafemi – an Ibo name that means ‘God has brought me wealth’.

55. Ibrahim – a name of Arabic origin meaning ‘Abraham’.

56. Yahaya – it means ‘the Lord has answered my prayers’, a prophet’s name in the Quran.

57. Adebisi – a Yoruba name that means ‘happiness has come to me through wealth’.

58. Akinlabi – an Ibo name that means ‘God has used my success to bless others’.

59. Tbade – a Yoruba name that means ‘my father has come home’.

60. David – a Hebrew name meaning ‘beloved’ or ‘darling’.

61. Dokun/Ade/Olukayode – a Yoruba name that means ‘the Lord has applied wealth on me’.

62. Ekundayo – a Yoruba name that means ‘the Lord has brought me joy’.

63. Ita/Ifeoluwa – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has turned my sorrow into joy’.

64. Kareem – an Arabic name meaning ‘generous’ or ‘noble’.

65. Morenikeji/Adenike – a Yoruba name that means ‘blessed with a child’.

66. Moshood – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has given me wealth’.

67. Mubarak – an Arabic name meaning ‘blessed’ and is also another word for ‘coronation’.

68. Muhammad/Mohammed – an Arabic name that means ‘the praiseworthy’.

69. Olorun – a Yoruba name that means ‘God is supreme’.

70. Oduduwa – the mythological ancestor of the Yoruba people.

71. Ogun – the name of the god of iron in Yoruba mythology.

72. Sadiq – an Arabic or Persian word meaning ‘truthful’, ‘honest’, ‘trustworthy’.

73. Sule/Sulaimon – a Yoruba name that means ‘the Lord has rewarded me’.

74. Taiwo – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has saved us’.

75. Tunde/Babatunde – a Yoruba name that means ‘my father is blessed’.

76. Wale/Oluwale – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has rewarded me’.

77. Iwanu – an Igbo name that means ‘He is with us’.

78. Kasali – a Yoruba name that means ‘happiness has come to me’.

79. Oluyemi/Yemi – a Yoruba name that means ‘I have been blessed by God’.

80. Ifeanyi – a Nigerian name meaning ‘nothing is impossible with God’.

81. Ibukun – a Yoruba name that means ‘happiness upon happiness’.

82. Jesu – it is the anglicized form of the Latin ‘Iesus’, which corresponds to the Greek Isous, from the Hebrew Yehoshua, meaning “Yahweh is salvation”.

83. Kelechi – a Nigerian name meaning ‘God is supreme’.

84. Oyenusi – a Nigerian name meaning ‘the Lord has answered my prayer’.

85. Samson – an English name that means ‘sun’ and is related to the biblical figure Samson.

86. Tariku – a name of African origin that probably means ‘happiness’ or ‘joyful’ in Amharic, Ethiopic, Tigrinya, and Gurage languages.

87. Toyosi – a Nigerian name meaning ‘God has granted me wealth’.

88. Temitope – a Nigerian name meaning ‘honor is good’.

89. Tope – a Nigerian name meaning ‘nothing is impossible with God’.

90. Ifeoluwa/Iyabo – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has turned my sorrow into joy’; another name for the Yoruba goddess Oya.

91. Aanuoluwapo – a Yoruba name that means ‘the goodness of God is upon me’.

92. Kazeem – an African name meaning ‘blessing from Allah’, as in the single Arabic word “Bis’millah”.

93. Molade – an Ibo name meaning ‘God’s blessings are upon me’.

94. Chinwendu – a Nigerian name meaning “God has done well” or simply “a gift from God”.

95. Abiodun – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has made me wealthy’.

96. Abiola – a Yoruba name that means ‘wealth has been blessed to me by God’.

97. Adewale – an African name meaning ‘servant of the Supreme Being’.

98. Adebowale – a Yoruba name that means ‘blessed is he that comes in the name of God’ or simply ‘may God protect you’.

99. Ibrahim – an Arabic word, which means “father of many” 100.Imoh/Imola – a Nigerian name meaning ‘God is the only one’.

101. Olowolase/Ayo – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has answered my prayers’.

102. Alade – a Yoruba name that means ‘God is supremely exalted’ or “may God give him victory”.

103. Biyi – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has met my needs’ or “may God give him success”.

104. Isioma – it is a Nigerian name meaning ‘may God defend me from my enemies’.

105. Opeyemi/Kunle – a Nigerian name that means ‘God has done well for me’.

106. Akinwale/Akinkunmi – a Yoruba name that means ‘may God give him long life’; other variations include Akinkoye and Akintunde.

107. Oluwatobi – this is one of the many Nigerian names which mean ‘God has done well’.

108. Jide – a Yoruba name that means ‘God is supreme’ or ‘may God give him victory’.

109. Kasimu – a Nigerian name meaning ‘This is from God’.

110. Muhaimin – a name of African origin that means ‘one who curbs his desires and is always mindful of God’. The Arabic form of this name is Muhsin.

111. Nurudeen – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has lit up my way’ or “may God give him victory”.

112. Olumide – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has rewarded me’ or ‘my heart is at peace because of God’.

113. Taye – a Nigerian name meaning ‘God used his right hand to save me’ or simply ‘a gift from God’.

114. Ibrahim – an Arabic name that means ‘father of many’, related to the Hebrew Abraham; it is also the name of a Quranic prophet.

115. Jalaluddeen – this is one of the many Nigerian names which mean ‘God has done well for me’.

116. Abisola – a Yoruba name that means ‘many are God’s blessings upon me’ or ‘God has smiled on me’.

117. Ejike/Ejimadu – a Nigerian name meaning ‘I thank God for his goodness and mercy’.

118. Fatai – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has saved me’ or ‘a gift from God’.

119. Ibrahima – an African name, derived from the Arabic Ibrahim, which means ‘father of many’; it is also the name of a Quranic prophet.

120. Kehinde – a Yoruba name that means ‘God has come to my rescue’.

121. Mubeen – an African name derived from the Arabic word “Al-Mubīn”, which means ‘clear’ or ‘manifest’; it is also the name of a Quranic prophet.

122. Oluwakayode – a Yoruba name that means ‘a gift from God’ or ‘may God increase his bounty upon me’; related names include Oluwafemi and Oyekayode.