Our Burkinabe name database contains 5.300 Burkinabe first names and 703 Burkinabe surnames categorized by gender and frequency. After payment you can download the Burkinabe name database in CSV, SQL or JSON format and use it freely in your projects. Africa is very poor organised and has no open data initiatives. The list of names from countries like Burkina Faso are very limited to the names we know from other countries. The Burkinabe names are validated using official governmental databases we received in other countries which contained Burkinabe names as well. To create the Burkinabe name database we used 11.801 validated Burkinabe social media profiles. We have a detailed explanation of our methodology and illustrate our approach with several examples.

Burkinabe first names

In Burkina Faso, parents often choose a first name for their child based on cultural and traditional values. They often choose a name that has a significant meaning or represents an ancestor or important figure in the family. Some parents may also choose a name based on the child's birth circumstances, such as the time of day or the weather on the day of birth. The choice of name is often a family decision made with input from grandparents and other family members.

Popular Burkinabe male names

First name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Traore 67 0.9% Ivorian Malian French
David 65 0.9% American British Spanish
Daniel 44 0.6% American British Spanish
Mohamed 41 0.5% Egyptian Dutch Algerian
Ibrahim 39 0.5% Turkish Egyptian Nigerian
Diallo 38 0.5% Guinean Ivorian French
Abdoulaye 38 0.5% Senegalese Guinean Malian
John 34 0.4% American British Canadian
Alex 32 0.4% American British Spanish
Michael 30 0.4% American British German
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 11.801 Burkinabe social media profiles from which 7.631 (65%) is male.
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  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.
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Popular Burkinabe female names

First name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Sanou 31 0.7% Ivorian Belgian Senegalese
Adama 31 0.7% Senegalese Malian Ivorian
Amanda 25 0.6% American British Brazilian
Nana 22 0.5% Ghanaian American Indonesian
Jessica 22 0.5% American British Brazilian
Laura 21 0.5% British American Spanish
Kone 21 0.5% Ivorian French Malian
Andrea 19 0.5% Italian American Spanish
Michelle 17 0.4% American British Canadian
Lil 17 0.4% American British French
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 11.801 Burkinabe social media profiles from which 4.170 (35%) is female.
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  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.
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Popular Burkinabe surnames

In Burkina Faso, surnames are passed down through the father's family line. Children typically take on the father's surname at birth. In some cases, women may choose to keep their maiden name after marriage instead of taking on their husband's surname. It is also common for people to have multiple surnames, as they may include traditional names or names given by their community.

Last name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Ouedraogo 245 2.1% Ivorian American French
Sawadogo 92 0.8% Ivorian French Belgian
Kabore 89 0.8% Ivorian American French
Silva 71 0.6% Brazilian Portuguese American
Traore 59 0.5% Malian Ivorian French
Lima 47 0.4% Brazilian American Portuguese
Compaoré 44 0.4% Ivorian French American
Santos 43 0.4% Brazilian American Portuguese
Ouattara 38 0.3% Ivorian Malian French
Oliveira 34 0.3% Brazilian Portuguese American
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 11.801 Burkinabe social media profiles.
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  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this last name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.
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