Our Tanzanian name database contains 1.187 Tanzanian surnames and 4.872 Tanzanian first names categorized by gender and frequency. After payment you can download the Tanzanian 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 Tanzania are very limited to the names we know from other countries. The Tanzanian names are validated using official governmental databases we received in other countries which contained Tanzanian names as well. To create the Tanzanian name database we used 17.800 validated Tanzanian social media profiles. We have a detailed explanation of our methodology and illustrate our approach with several examples.
Popular Tanzanian surnames
This table show popular Tanzanian surnames. In Tanzania, surnames are often passed down from the father to the children. Children typically take on the surname of their father, although some families may choose to use the mother's surname as well. In some cases, particularly among ethnic groups, surnames may also indicate a specific clan or tribe. Additionally, many people in Tanzania may also have traditional names, which are given at birth and may be used alongside their surname.
Surname | Percentage*1 | Alternative countries*2 |
---|---|---|
John | 1.0% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Joseph | 0.9% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Juma | 0.8% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Peter | 0.7% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Ally | 0.6% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Charles | 0.5% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Boy | 0.5% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Paul | 0.5% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mushi | 0.5% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mohamed | 0.5% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
- *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 17.800 Tanzanian social media profiles.
- *2 Alternative countries are countries where this surname also is used. They are sorted on popularity.
Tanzanian first names
In Tanzania, parents typically pick a first name for their child based on cultural and family traditions. Many names have specific meanings and are chosen to reflect the child's personality or the parents' hopes for their child's future. Some names may be chosen to honor ancestors or family members, while others may be chosen based on religious or spiritual beliefs. Parents often consult with family members and community leaders before making a final decision on a name.
Popular Tanzanian male names
First name | Percentage*1 | Alternative countries*2 | |
---|---|---|---|
Emmanuel | 1.3% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Joseph | 1.2% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
John | 1.2% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Frank | 1.2% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Peter | 0.9% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Juma | 0.9% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Kelvin | 0.8% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
David | 0.8% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Michael | 0.7% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
James | 0.7% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
- *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 17.800 Tanzanian social media profiles from which 13.731 (77%) is male.
- *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.
Popular Tanzanian female names
First name | Percentage*1 | Alternative countries*2 | |
---|---|---|---|
Ally | 3.4% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Young | 1.2% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Amani | 1.0% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Irene | 0.9% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Yohana | 0.9% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Neema | 0.9% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Elly | 0.7% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Grace | 0.6% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Elisha | 0.6% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Elia | 0.6% |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
- *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 17.800 Tanzanian social media profiles from which 4.069 (23%) is female.
- *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.