Below are some fairly common names one may find in The Gambia:
Boys
|
Girls
|
Here is a more comprehensive list of names. This list of names was derived
from the Mandinka dictionary, but many of these
names are common among the other major ethnic groups in The Gambia as well,
such as the Fula, Wolof, and Jola.
| Name | Pronounced | Sex | Meaning, or comments |
| Addo | Aadoo | m | nickname for "Adama" |
| Amadou | Aamadu | m | one of Muhammad's names |
| Arn | Aan | a first name and a surname | |
| Aba | Aba | f | |
| Abbas | Abaas | m | |
| Abdou | Abdu | m | short form for Abdoulie |
| Abi | Abi | f | short form for Abibatu, Abisatou, Abiyatou |
| Abdoulie | Ablaay | m | short form for Abdoulie |
| Abdou | Abudu | m | short form for Abdoulie |
| Abu | Abuu | m | short form for Abuubakar |
| Adama | Adama | m or f | stands for "Adam" |
| Adel | Adel | f | |
| Aja | Aja | f | title for female pilgrim, short form for "Ajaratu" |
| Ajamboon | Ajamboon | f | |
| Alabatou | Alabatu | means ‘to worship’, but is sometimes used as a name for people | |
| Alabatulaa | Alabatulaa | worshipper | |
| Alamouta | Alamuta | to rely on God, this word is sometimes used as name for people | |
| Alansana | Alansana | m | Alaasana, Lansana, and Sana are variants for Alansana |
| Alanso | Alanso | f | means "God bless me" |
| Alifa | Alifa | m | |
| Alimatou | Alimatu | f | |
| Alieu | Aliw | m | |
| Amadou | Amadou | m | |
| Amara | Amara | m | |
| Anti | Antii | f | |
| Attha | Attha | f | |
| Antu | Antu | m | |
| Antouman | Antumaan | m | |
| Aramata | Araamata | f | |
| Awa | Awa | f | translation of ‘Eve’ |
| Aisa | Ayisa | f | |
| Isatou | Ayisatu | f | long form for Ayisa (Isa) |
| Bah | Ba | a surname | |
| Babou | Baabu | m | Baabu and Buubakar stand for Abuubakar |
| Badara | Badara | m | |
| Balajo | Balajo | a surname | |
| Baldeh | Balde | a surname | |
| Baluta | Baluuta | m | survived |
| Bamba | Bamba | m | |
| Bakary | Bakary | m | |
| Banda | Bandaa | a surname | |
| Bandeh | Bande | a surname | |
| Banja | Banja | a surname | |
| Banora | Banoora | a surname | |
| Bango | Bango | m | |
| Barrow | Baroo | surname | |
| Bassin | Bassin | f | |
| Bassirou | Basiiru | m | |
| Baturou | Batuuru | m | |
| Bailo | Bayilo | m | |
| Binta | Binta | f | |
| Bintou/Bintu | Bintu | f | |
| Biran | Biran | m | |
| Birom | Birom | m | |
| Bolong | Bolong | m | |
| Bora | Booraa | m | also means beard |
| Boto | Booto | m | |
| Boy | Booy | m | also a surname |
| Bunama | Bunaama | m | |
| Banja | Bunjaa | m | |
| Buba | Buba | m | |
| Burama | Buraama | m | |
| Buwa | Buwaa | m | also means witch |
| Daba | Daba | m/f | |
| Damba | Damba | a surname | |
| Demba | Demba | m | |
| Dembo | Demboo | m | |
| Dodou | Duudu | m | |
| Duta | Duuta | m | |
| Duwa | Duwa | m | |
| Ebrima | Ebrima | m | translation of Abraham |
| Essa | Eesaa | m | translation of Jesus |
| Ensa | Ensaa | m | translation of Jesus |
| Fabba | Faabaa | m | |
| Fafa | Faafa | m | form of address |
| Fakebba | Faakeebaa | m | also a father's elder brother |
| Fanding | Fanding | m | |
| Fanta | Fanta | f | |
| Fara | Fara | m | |
| Faraba | Faraba | m | |
| Fatoumatta (Fatou) | Fatoumatta | f | |
| Filije | Filijee | m or f | literally means ‘leave it there’. Parents may name a child Filijee so the bad spirits will 'leave it there', especially after one or more previous children have died. |
| Foday | Foodee | m | eloquent Quranic scholar |
| Hasimou | Haasimu | m | |
| Habib | Habiibu | m | |
| Hadang | Hadang | f | |
| Haddy | Hadi | f | |
| Hassan | Hasan | m | |
| Hawa | Hawaa | f | Eve |
| Ebrima | Iburaahiima | m | Abraham |
| Ebrahima | Iburaayima | m | Abraham |
| Idi | Idi | m | short form for Idirissa |
| Idirissa | Idiriisa | m | name of a prophet |
| Ilman | Ilimaan | m | |
| Isaka | Isiyaaka | m | Isaac |
| Ismaela | Ismaayila | m | Ismael |
| Jamang | Jaamang | m | |
| Jabou | Jabu | f | |
| Jahou | Jahou | f | |
| Jalang | Jalang | m | |
| Jankeh | Jankee | f | |
| Janko | Janko | m | |
| Jato | Jatoo | m | also means lion |
| Jatou | Jatu | f | |
| Jebel | Jebel | m | |
| Jainaba | Jeeneba | f | |
| Jibrin | Jibiriin | m | Gibriel |
| Jibril | Jibril | m | Gabriel |
| Jibou | Jibu | m | |
| Jombo | Jombo | m | |
| Joma | Jommaa | f | |
| Jonkong | Jonkong | m | |
| Jojo | Joojo | f | |
| Joñi | Jooñi | f | |
| Juka | Juuka | f | |
| Juma | Juma | m | |
| Jumu | Jumu | m | |
| Junkung | Junkung | m | |
| Jung | Jung | m | |
| Kabir | Kabir | m/f | |
| Kabiru | Kabirou | m | |
| Karafa | Karafa | m | |
| Karamba | Karambaa | m | great teacher |
| Karamo | Karamoo | m | also teacher, trainer, tutor |
| Kasi | Kaasi | ||
| Kati | Kati | f | |
| Kausu | Kawusu | m | |
| Kebba | Keebaa | m | old man, adult, old person |
| Kekoto | Keekotoo | m | second lunar month |
| Kekuta | Keekuta | m | |
| Kemo | Keemoo | m | |
| Kinti | Kinti | f | |
| Koba/Kobba | Koobaa | f | also means kitchen |
| Kumba | Kumba | f | |
| Kunda | kundaa | f | place, area |
| Kunta | Kunta | m | Surname and first name |
| Kurukemeh | Kurukemeh | f | A hundred kola nuts |
| Kuta | Kuta | f | lady's name |
| Kutubo | Kutuboo | m | sermon |
| Kutu | Kutou | f | |
| Lalo/Lallo | Laaloo | m | |
| Lafi | Lafi | m | |
| Laity | Laity | m | |
| Lama | Lama | m | |
| Lamin | Lamin | m | very common |
| Landing | Landing | m | |
| Longcan | Longcan | m | |
| Mamadi | Mamadi | m | |
| Madi | Maadi | m | |
| Makuto | Maakutu | f | |
| Malamin | Maalaamin | m | |
| Malick | Maalik | m | |
| Mama | Maamaa | f | granny |
| Mamanding | Maamanding | f | little mama |
| Manlafi | Manlafi | m | don't want |
| Makang | Makang | m | |
| Maram | Maram | f | |
| Mariama | Mariama | f | translation of Mary |
| Marang | Marang | f | |
| Mbasi | Mbaassi | f | |
| Mboose | Mboose | f | |
| Mita | Meeta | ||
| Mohammed | Mohammed | m | |
| Momodou (Modou) | Momodou | m | Muhammad |
| Muña | m | ||
| Musa | Musaa | m | translation of Moses |
| Musu | Musu | f | wife, female |
| Musukebba | Musukeebaa | f | senior wife, elderly woman |
| Musukuta | Musukuta | f | new woman, new wife, new female |
| Nfansu | Nfansu | m | |
| Nyima | Nyima | f | |
| Nyonkoling | Ñonkoling | f | person's name |
| Ousman | Ousman | m | |
|
Sajo |
Sarjo | m/f | |
| Sara | Saara | f | |
| Saikou | Saikou | m | |
| Samba | Samba | m | a surname and first name (m) |
| Sama | Sama | m | elefant |
| Sanji | Sanji | f | rain |
| Satong | Satong | ||
| Sherif | Sherif | m | |
| Sibo | Siboo | f | rhun palm tree, nick name for Mary |
| Sisawo | Siisaawo | m | also a surname |
| Sosseh | Soose | Wolof word for Mandinka, a surname | |
| Sulayman | Sulayman | m | |
| Sunkarr | Sunkari | f | |
| Suntu | Suntu | ||
| Suntukung | Suntukung | m/f | rubbish dump |
| Tamba | Tambaa | m | grey plum, grey bread tree |
| Tombong | Tombong | m | pick up |
| Toma | Toomaa | person's name, name sake, remainder | |
| Tomaring | Toomaaring | f | little name sake |
| Wandi/Wandy | Wandi | m | |
| Wasa/Wassa | Wasa | m | |
| Yama/Yamma | Yaama | f | a short form of Mariama |
| Yaya | Yahya | m | |
| Yoro | Yorro | m |
Link: A website with an audio guide of how to pronounce names. www.howtosaythatname.com http://www.howtosaythatname.com