Niger: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Niger – Meaning: river of rivers – Origin: Tuareg – Pronunciation: NY-jer


Niger is a Tuareg name meaning “river of rivers”. It appears in our list of 200+ Geographical Baby Names Inspired by Places Around the World.

Meaning & Origin of Niger

Meaning: River of rivers.

Origin: Tuareg.

A common claim: black Actually: The common belief that the name derives from the Latin word for black is considered a folk etymology.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Niger

Phonetic: NY-jer   IPA: /ˈnaɪdʒər/

Popularity of Niger

Niger doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.

Lists That Include Niger

Similar Names

Neva · Mara · Niagara · Rhone · Murray · Serengeti

More Baby Name Inspiration