Share

Top baby names in South Africa: 2015

accreditation

Stats SA published the list of baby names most registered during 2015 last week. 

Junior was again the number 1 baby name for boys in South Africa, being the registered first name of 10 743 boys born in 2015.

Interestingly, most popular three names for both boys and girls, plus a sprinkling of others, are English names this year. 

Also worth noting is that many South African names are unisex, like Melokuhle and Blessing, both of which appear on the top 10 lists for both genders.

*Read: 

*Weird and wonderful baby names lists!

* NEW: SA's top baby names for 2016 (added September 2017)

*South Africa's top baby names for 2014

*Find a name in our South African baby names list with more than 4,000 names.

Top boys names in South Africa 2015

The number in brackets indicates the position of the name on the 2014 top South African baby names list.

1. Junior (1)

2. Blessing

3. Gift

4. Bandile (2)

5. Prince

6. Siyabonga (4)

7. Melokuhle

8. Lethabo (5)

9. Banele

10. Samkelo

30 strong baby names for boys

Top girls names in South Africa 2015

1. Precious

2. Princess

3. Angel

4. Amahle (9)

5. Minenhle (2)

6. Thandolwethu (10)

7. Melokuhle

8. Blessing

9. Faith

10. Lesedi (8)

30 Strong baby names for girls

Top most registered surnames of babies in South Africa 2015

Interestingly, these surnames are all Nguni (isiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele and siSwati) clan names, apart from Mokoena (Sesotho) in number 6.

1. Dlamini (1)

2. Nkosi (5)

3. Ndlovu (4)

4. Khumalo (6)

5. Sithole

6. Mokoena

7. Mkhize

8. Mthembu

9. Ngcobo

10. Mahlangu

The ABC of Xhosa names beautifully illustrated

The ABC of Setswana names beautifully illustrated

Source: Recorded Live Births: 2013-2015, Statistics South Africa, published 27 October 2016.

Find a South African baby name:

Parent24's baby name list has over 4,000 names, including Zulu, Xhosa and Seswati names, Pedi, Tswana and Sotho names, Venda, Ndebele, Tsonga, Afrikaans and popular English names. Click here to search a name: 

SOUTH AFRICAN BABY NAME FINDER

Share your baby's name with us by emailing chatback@parent24.com.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE