Our Somali name database contains 947 Somali surnames and 3.160 Somali first names categorized by gender and frequency. After payment you can download the Somali name database in CSV, SQL or JSON format. Africa is very poor organised and has no open data initiatives. The list of names from countries like Somalia are very limited to the names we know from other countries. The Somali names are validated using official governmental databases we received in other countries which contained Somali names as well. To create the Somali name database we used 14.558 validated Somali social media profiles. We have a detailed explanation of our methodology and illustrate our approach with several examples.

Popular Somali surnames

This table show popular Somali surnames. In Somalia, surnames are typically passed down from the father. Children take on their father's surname at birth. In some cases, a woman may choose to keep her maiden name after marriage, but it is not as common as in other cultures. In traditional Somali culture, a person's surname often reflects their clan or tribe affiliation.

Surname Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Mohamed 560 3.8% Egyptian Dutch Algerian
Ahmed 340 2.3% Egyptian Pakistani Bangladeshi
Hassan 284 2.0% Egyptian Pakistani Bangladeshi
Abdi 276 1.9% Kenyan American British
Ali 251 1.7% Pakistani Egyptian Indian
Osman 182 1.3% Egyptian British Sudanese
Abdullahi 159 1.1% Nigerian Kenyan American
Hussein 157 1.1% Egyptian Iraqi American
Omar 142 1.0% Egyptian American Saudi Arabian
Jama 125 0.9% American British Kenyan
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 14.558 Somali social media profiles.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this surname also is used. They are sorted on popularity.

Somali first names

In Somalia, parents typically pick a first name for their child based on religious and cultural significance. They often choose a name with Arabic roots, as Arabic is the main language spoken in the country and is closely tied to the Islamic religion. They may also choose a name that has been passed down through the family or that holds special meaning to the parents. The choice of a name is often made in consultation with family members and religious leaders to ensure that it is appropriate and respectful.

Popular Somali male names

First name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Mohamed 715 6.4% Egyptian Dutch Algerian
Ahmed 376 3.4% Egyptian Dutch Saudi Arabian
Abdirahman 277 2.5% Kenyan American Ethiopian
Abdullahi 177 1.6% Nigerian Kenyan American
Francesco 153 1.4% Italian American Luxembourger
Giuseppe 141 1.3% Italian American Luxembourger
Hassan 131 1.2% Pakistani Egyptian American
Antonio 108 1.0% Spanish Italian American
Ali 108 1.0% Turkish Pakistani American
Omar 95 0.9% Egyptian Mexican American
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 14.558 Somali social media profiles from which 11.116 (76%) is male.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.

Popular Somali female names

First name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Michele 111 3.2% Italian American Brazilian
Andrea 61 1.8% Italian American Spanish
Francesca 43 1.2% Italian British American
Eng 42 1.2% Egyptian Iraqi Saudi Arabian
Anna 37 1.1% American British Spanish
Maria 35 1.0% Spanish American Venezuelan
Roberta 32 0.9% Italian Brazilian American
Angela 30 0.9% American British Spanish
Aisha 28 0.8% American British Nigerian
Antonella 26 0.8% Italian Argentinean American
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 14.558 Somali social media profiles from which 3.442 (24%) is female.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.