In this list we celebrate beautiful Sesotho baby names for boys and girls. Also see our other SA language baby name lists:
A
Amohelang: Receive
Amose: Amos (Bible)
Arabang: Reply, respond
Ata: Multiply, increase
B
Baholo: Elders
Basetsana: Young girls
Bereng: Famous Basotho chief
Bohlokoa: Precious
Bokang: Praise, rejoice
Bongoe: Oneness
Bonolo: Ease
Bontle/Botle: Beauty
Buang: Speak, chat
D
Diboko: Praises
Dikeledi: Tears
Dikgang: Arguments
Dikotsi: Accidents
Dimakatso: Surprises, amazements
Dimo: Man eater in Basotho legends
Dimpho: Presents, gifts
Dineo: Gfits, talents, grants
Dintle: Beauty
Dipalesa: Flowers
Disebo: Whispers
Dithole: Dusty, waste
Ditsheho: Laughter
Ditswanelo: Suitable things
E
Esaia: Isaiah (Bible)
Estere: Esther (Bible)
Ezekiele: Ezekiel (Bible)
F
Felleng: Beyond the End, exposed
Filemone: Philemon (Bible)
Fumane: Found, discovered
H
Hlompho: Respect
I
Itumeleng: Be joyous, grateful
J
Jakobo: James (Bible)
Jeremia: Jeremiah (Bible)
Jeso: Jesus (Bible)
Jobo: Job (Bible)
Joele: Joel (Bible)
Johanne: John (Bible)
Jonase: Jonah (Bible)
Josefa: Joseph (Bible)
K
Kabelo: Inheritance, given
Kamohelo: Acceptance, a welcome
Kananelo: Approval, appreciation
Karabo: Answer
Katleho: Success
Kekeletso: Addition
Kelebohile: I am grateful
Keneiloe/Keneoue/Keneuwe: I have been given
Kerefese: From English name Griffiths
Keromang: One who was sent
Kgethang: Choose
Kgotso/Khotso: Peace, tranquility
Khabane: Valuable, precious, warrior
Khauhelo/Kgauhelo: Compassion, pity
Khethang: Choose
Khothatso: Encouragement
Khotsofalang: Be satisfied
Kotsi: Danger, accident
Kutloano/Kutlwano: Mutual understanding
Kutloisiso/Kutlwisiso: Understanding
L
Leabua: You speak (formal or plural)
Leauoa: from "ho lauoa?" (to be advised)
Leba la ka: My pigeon
Lebo: Short form of Lebohang
Lebohang: Be thankful
Lebona: The one who sees
Lefa: Inheritance
Lefu: Death, misfortune
Lehlohonolo: Luck
Lekhotla/Lekgotla: Court of law
Lemoha/Lemohang: Take cognisance
Lenka: Taker
Leoatle/Lewatle: Ocean
Lepolesa: Police officer
Lepoqo: Moshoeshoe's real name
Lerato: Love
Lereko: Abundance, merciful
Lesebo: Gift from the ancestors
Leseli/Lesedi: Light, illumination
Letlotlo: Treasure
Letšatši: Sun, day
Letsie: Basotho chief
Letsoalo/Letswalo: Fear, apprehension
Liboko: Praises
Liepollo: Revelations, exposures
Likeleli: Teardrops
Likengkeng: Tears
Likhang: Arguments
Likhapa: Tears
Likotsi: Accidents
Limakatso: Surprises, amazements
Limpho: Gifts, presents
Lineo: Talents, gifts, grants
Lintle: Beauty
Lipalesa: Flowers
Lisebo: Whispers
Litšeho: Laughter
Litšehoana: Little laughter
Lithole: Dusty waste
Litsoanelo: Suitable things
Luka: Luke (Bible)
M
Mafatle: probably adapted from "mafatla" which means a bald head showing old age and wisdom
Majobo: Mother of Job
Makalo: Perplexity, surprise, bewilderment
Makgotla: Courts of law
Makhokolotso: Refuse
Makhotla: Courts of law
Malefane: One who pays
Malefu: Mother of death or illness
Maleshoane: Ladybird
Malesotho: Mother of Lesotho
Maletšatši: From the day or sun
Mamello: Patience, perseverance
Mampe: Mother of ugliness
Mantso: The dark one
Mantsopa: One of the female leaders in the history of Basotho
Mareka: Mark (Bible)
Maria/Mariha: Mary
Masilo: Traditional name from legends
Masilonyane: Diminutive form of "Masilo" (both used often with twins)
Masoabi: Shame
Masopha: Basotho chief (son of Moshoeshoe)
Matšeliso: Consolation
Mathapelo/Mmathapelo: Mother of prayer (or mother of Thapelo)
Mathe: Saliva
Matjhatjhametse: The swift one
Matlakala: Refuse
Matshediso: Consolation
Mattheu: Matthew (Bible)
Mikea: Micah (Bible)
Mmalefu: Mother of death or illness
Mmalesotho: Mother of Lesotho
Mmampe: Mother of ugliness
Mmaseretse: Mother of mud
Modise: Short form of Modisana
Moeketsi: The multiplier, proliferator
Moeletsi: Advisor
Mohapi: Victor
Mohato: Step
Mohau: Pity, mercy
Mohlomi: One of the wisest leaders, the "founder" or "planter"
Moipone: Self-admirer
Mojalefa: Heir
Mokhethi/Mokgethi: The one who will choose
Mokhachane: Moshoeshoe's father (historic)
Mokhasi: The one who crawls
Molahlehi: The lost one
Molapo: Name of a Basotho chief, meaning stream, river
Molise: A short form of Molisana
Moluleloa: We have long awaited your arrival
Monaheng: One of the ancestral chiefs (historic)
Mookho: Tear, lacrimation
Moratuoa/Moratuwa: Darling
Mosa: Grace
Mosela: Tail, the last one
Moselantja: The dog's tail
Mosemodi/Mosimodi/Mosimoli: Traditional boy's name from legends, fables
Mosemotsane: Diminutive form of "Mosemodi" (both used often with twins)
Moshanyana: Boy
Moshe: Moses (Bible)
Moshoeshoe: Father of the Basotho nation (first king)
Mosimotsana: Traditional name from legends, fables
Mosiuoa: The abandoned one
Motlalepule: The rain bringer
Motle: Beautiful
Motsamai: Traveller
Motsumi: The seeker
Mphafane: Praiser
Mpho: Gift, present
Mponeng: Behold me, admire me
Mutloanyana: Little rabbit
N
Naledi: Star
Nana: Baby, infant
Neo: Gift, talent, grant
Ngoana: Child, also used to refer to girls
Nkhetheleng: Choose for me
Nkoe/Nkwe: Tiger
Nkoeneane/Nkoenyane/Nkwenyane: Little tiger
Nku: Sheep
Nthabi: Short form of Nthabiseng (make me happy)
Nthabiseng: Make me happy
Nthati: One to love me
Nthatisi: Historical female name
Nthofeela: Thing
Ntja: Dog
Ntsebo: Adapted from the word for whispers
Ntsoaki/Ntswaki: The girls among boys, usually given to a girl who is the only daughter among male siblings
Ntsu: Eagle
Nyakallo: Joy
O
Oagile/Oatile: The household has been firmly built
Oarona: Ours
Oupanyana: Small grandfather (from Afrikaans: oupa)
P
Paballo: Protection
Palesa: Flower
Paolosi: Paul (Bible)
Paseka: Easter
Peterose: Peter (Bible)
Phahamo: Eminence
Pheello: Perseverance, insistence
Pheko: Remedy, cure
Phethisi: Completion, execution
Phetoho: Change
Phutheho: Congregation, collection
Piti: Derived from Afrikaans name Piet
Polo: Alligator, Polomashwashe
Poloko: Safety
Pontso: Show, exhibition, revelation
Pula: Rain
Pulane: Rainy
Pule/Puleng: Rainy, in the rain, during the rain
Q
Qenehelo: Pity
Qhonqholotsane: Traditional name
R
Ramatjato: From tjato, agility
Ramatla: From matla, strength
Ramona: From mona, selfishness
Ratsebo: From tsebo, knowledge
Ratu: Love of mine
Reabetsoe/Reabetswe: We have been provided for
Reabiloe/Reabilwe: We have been blessed Reaboka: We are full of praise
Realeboha: We are thankful
Reaotlotla: We praise His name, glory to God
Refiloe/Refilwe: We have been given, awarded
Relebohile: We have thanked / We are grateful
Remaketse: We're surprised
Rethabile: We are happy
Ruthe: Ruth (Bible)
S
Sakaria: Zechariah (Bible)
Samuele: Samuel (Bible)
Sechaba/Setjhaba: Nation
Seeiso: Basotho chief (may be related to verb ending '-isa', to take to/to lead to)
Seeng: Gone, astray
Seeta: Seth (Bible)
Sehloho: Cruelty, disaster
Sekgolokgotjhane: Wanderer
Sello: Wailing
Senate: Mother of King Moshoeshoe II
Senkatana: Boy hero in many Basotho legends
Seretse: Mud
Setene: Derived from Afrikaans surname Steyn
Shoeshoe: Flower from the tsikitlane plant Hypoxis argentea
Sofonia: Zephaniah (Bible)
T
Tšeliso: Consolation
Tšepiso: Promise
Tšepo: Hope
Tšoeu: White one
Tšehla: Yellow Man, lion's cub
Tau: Lion
Tebatso: Distraction, makes one forget
Tebello: Expectation
Tebelo: Vigil, wake Teboho: Gratitude
Tefo: Payment, reward
Thaba: Mountain
Thabang: Be happy
Thabiso: Joy bringer
Thabo: Happiness
Thapeli: Appeal
Thapelo: Prayer, plea
Thato: Love
Thebe: Shield
Thoriso: Praise
Thuso: Help
Thuto: Lesson
Tiisetso: Perseverance
Timotia: Timothy (Bible)
Tlali: Fulfilled
Tlhokomelo: Care, being careful
Tlholo: Victory
Tlotliso: Honour
Toebanya: Little mouse
Tokoloho: Freedom, independence
Topollo: Emancipation, release, make free
Tsebo: Knowledge
Tsela: Path
Tselane: Traditional fable name
Tshediso: Consolation
Tshepiso: Promise
Tshepo: Hope
Tsie: Locust
Tsietsi: Predicament, dilemma
Tsotang: Amazement, astonishment
Tsweu: White one
Tumelo: Faith
Tumisang: Give praise
Many thanks to Mr Mojalefa Makhele, lecturer in African Languages at the University of the Free State.
Sources: Sesotho Web, Sesotho Setswana Silozi Heritage Facebook Page, reader submissions.
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