Many people in the United States may not realize how many celebrities there are who are from South Africa. To name a few: musician Dave Matthews; actors Charlize Theron, Sasha Pieterse and Arnold Vosloo; The Daily Show host Trevor Noah; businessman Elon Musk; and Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien.
Below, find lists of the most popular baby names from South Africa, as of 2017 — boys and girls, first and middle names. The most interesting thing of all is that the #1 first name is the same for both boys and girls: Enzokuhle, which means “to do good.”
Along with the lists, Statistics South Africa notes that baby names in South Africa typically reflect the following: unique identity, ethnicity, pride, thankfulness, joy, modernization, the unisex trend, religious beliefs, social history and political history.
Most popular first names for baby girls in South Africa
| Rank | Name | Number of letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enzokuhle | 9 letters |
| 2 | Melokuhle | 9 letters |
| 3 | Amahle | 6 letters |
| 4 | Lethabo | 7 letters |
| 5 | Amogelang | 9 letters |
| 6 | Omphile | 7 letters |
| 7 | Lesedi | 6 letters |
| 8 | Rethabile | 9 letters |
| 9 | Luthando | 8 letters |
| 10 | Thandolwethu | 12 letters |
Most popular first names for baby boys in South Africa
| Rank | Name | Number of letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enzokuhle | 9 letters |
| 2 | Lethabo | 7 letters |
| 3 | Melokuhle | 9 letters |
| 4 | Lubanzi | 7 letters |
| 5 | Amogelang | 9 letters |
| 6 | Siyabonga | 9 letters |
| 7 | Bandile | 7 letters |
| 8 | Junior | 6 letters |
| 9 | Bokamoso | 8 letters |
| 10 | Mpho | 4 letters |
Most popular middle names for baby girls in South Africa
| Rank | Name | Number of letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Precious | 8 letters |
| 2 | Princess | 8 letters |
| 3 | Angel | 5 letters |
| 4 | Blessing | 8 letters |
| 5 | Faith | 5 letters |
| 6 | Hope | 4 letters |
| 7 | Grace | 5 letters |
| 8 | Pretty | 6 letters |
| 9 | Amahle | 6 letters |
| 10 | Luthando | 8 letters |
Most popular middle names for baby boys in South Africa
| Rank | Name | Number of letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Junior | 6 letters |
| 2 | Blessing | 8 letters |
| 3 | Gift | 4 letters |
| 4 | Prince | 6 letters |
| 5 | Innocent | 8 letters |
| 6 | Lubanzi | 7 letters |
| 7 | Bandile | 7 letters |
| 8 | Enzokuhle | 9 letters |
| 9 | Melokuhle | 9 letters |
| 10 | Siyabonga | 9 letters |
