Updated October 2026.
Ethiopian names work differently from names in most of the world, and knowing how can save you a lot of confusion, whether you are filling in a hotel form, booking a tour or simply being introduced. There is no family surname, people are addressed by their first name even in formal settings, and most names carry a clear meaning in Amharic or another Ethiopian language.
How an Ethiopian name is built
An Ethiopian’s full name is usually:
- Their own given name, chosen by their parents,
- followed by their father’s given name,
- and sometimes their grandfather’s given name.
So in the name of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Abiy is his own name, Ahmed is his father’s name and Ali his grandfather’s. The runner Haile Gebrselassie is Haile, son of Gebrselassie.
This has some practical consequences:
- Siblings share a “surname” only because they share a father. A father and son have different second names.
- Women keep their own names after marriage; nothing changes on the wedding day.
- There is no family name passed down through generations, so a family’s members can have several different second names.
How to address people
Use the first name, with a title if the situation is formal:
| Title | Amharic | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Ato | አቶ | Mr |
| Weyzero (W/ro) | ወይዘሮ | Mrs, a married woman |
| Weyzerit (W/rt) | ወይዘሪት | Miss, an unmarried woman |
| Doctor (Dr) | ዶክተር | as in English |
So Abiy Ahmed is “Dr Abiy” and Haile Gebrselassie is “Ato Haile”, never “Mr Gebrselassie”. Calling someone by their father’s name sounds as though you are talking about the father.
What names mean
Most Ethiopian names are words or phrases, often expressing a hope, a blessing or the family’s feelings at the birth:
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Selam | peace |
| Desta | joy |
| Tesfaye | my hope |
| Tigist | patience |
| Meseret | foundation |
| Abebe | he has blossomed |
| Alemayehu | I have seen the world |
| Getachew | their lord |
Christian names often combine a word with the name of God, Mary or a saint:
- Gebre- (“servant of”): Gebremariam, servant of Mary; Gebremedhin, servant of the Saviour.
- Wolde- (“son of”): Woldemichael, son of Michael.
- Habte- (“gift of”): Habtemariam, gift of Mary.
- Tekle- (“plant of”): Tekle Haymanot, plant of faith, the name of the saint who founded Debre Libanos.
- Haile (“power”): Haile Selassie, power of the Trinity, the throne name of the last emperor.
Many Orthodox Christians also receive a baptismal name in church that differs from their everyday name. Muslim Ethiopians often have Arabic names such as Mohammed, Ahmed, Fatuma or Kedija. In Afaan Oromo, names such as Gemechu (joy) and Abdi (hope) are common; every language group has its own naming traditions.
Paperwork and travel
- On passports and international forms, Ethiopians usually put their father’s name in the surname field. Booking systems may then address them by it; Ethiopians are used to this, but it is good to know.
- If you are meeting someone, ask for their first name and use it, with a title if appropriate.
- Nicknames are common, often a short or affectionate form of the first name.
Writing names
In Amharic, names are written in the Ge’ez script, and English spellings vary: Tesfaye, Tesfaie and Tesfay can be the same name. Try the basics in Amharic phrases for travellers, and for more on how people greet each other, see greetings and hospitality and Ethiopian people.
