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Names of People in Gambia

Lamin is the most common Gambian name (male). It is derived from the Arabic Al-Amin - a title given to the prophet Mohammed which means "the trustworthy". Below is a list of popular Gambian first names as well as common surnames; nicknames are in parenthesis. N.B. spelling variations are common.

*Male First Names*	*Female First Names*
Abdoulaye Ablanjaye Adama Alaji Alasan Alieu Amat Baboucar Bai Bakary Bala Banta Baturu Boro Boubacar (Bouba) Chenor Cyper Demba Ebrima Ediresa (Edi) Foday Gereh Hassan Hatabu Isa Jabril Kairaba Kamara Karamo Kawsu Kebba Lamin Malik Masane Mohammed Momodu (Modu) Musa Mustafa Omar Ousman Paoboy Pateh Saihou Sainey Samba Seedy Sheriff Sirif Suma Sutay Tairu Tijan Yankubah Yaya Yoro	Adama Aminata (Amie) Awa Binta Channeh Fatoumata (Fatou) Haddy Halima Ibironke Isatou Jeneba (Jay) Kaddyatou (Kady) Kenenjaye Kutu Loli Maimuna Mama Mampol Mandiki Mariama Marie Musakuta Ndey Nene Oumil Pahali Piretta Ramatoulaye (Ramou) Rohey Saijo Satang Sira Sohna Tida Yahar Yamundow Yari Yata
Surnames
Badjie Bah Baldeh Ceesay Colley Danso Darboe Fatty Gaye Guissé Hairte Jaiteh Jallow Jammeh Janneh Jarju Jassey Jawara Jobateh Jobe Kah Manneh Marenah Mboge Mendy Njie Saidykhan Sanneh Sanyang Sarr Secka Senghore Sidibeh Sohna Sonko Suso Taal Touray

Most first born males from the Mandinka tribe are named Lamin which can lead to a great deal of confusion when calling out a child's name. So they developed the convention to add their father's name after calling out "Lamin". Other names are Fatou derived from Fatima and Momodou or Modou from Mohammed, Bocar from Aboubacarr, and so on.

Culture

Naming Ceremony Muslims