Meet Ava
Zulu · Xhosa

Thando

Pronounced TAHN-dohShare

Meaning: Love

  • Gender-neutral
  • Rare gem
  • 2 syllables

The story

Thando is used in Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele and comes from thanda, “to love.” Its shared linguistic history is more informative than a broad label such as “African love name.”

Nicknames

  • Tee

Spellings & variants

Popularity

Rare gem

Rare in US records; use elsewhere may differ.

Style

  • Short
  • Soft
  • Works everywhere

Origins

Thando comes from Zulu and Xhosa.

More like Thando

More African names
Yoruba · Norwegian · Polish

Ola

Wealth or honor in Yoruba; other origins have separate meanings

Rare gem
Sotho · Tswana

Thato

Will; desire

Rare gem
Shona

Tendai

Be thankful

Rare gem
Yoruba · German

Tobi

Great in Yoruba short forms; also a form of Tobias

Rare gem
Swahili

Nuru

Light

Rare gem
Yoruba

Dayo

Joy arrives

Rare gem
Ava for iPhone

Meet more names like Thando in Ava.

Meet one name at a time, with its meaning and origin up front and its story a tap away. Swipe up for the next, heart the ones you love and share them with your partner.

Meet Ava
Ava’s Explore tab: names rising right now, and collections such as Rising, On screen, Bridge names and Rare gems.
Development preview