News24 | Joy, resilience, and identity: Here are South Africa’s most popular baby names for 2024

Names such as Lethabo (joy), Onalerona (God is with us), and Melokuhle (uphold what is beautiful) topped the 2024 most popular names charts, reflecting cultural pride and aspirations.

• Names such as Lethabo (joy), Onalerona (God is with us), and Melokuhle (uphold what is beautiful) were clear favourites when choosing names for babies in 2024, according to StatsSA.
• Nguni clan surnames such as Dlamini, Ndlovu, and Nkosi dominated, with Mokoena standing out as the only non-Nguni surname in the top 10.
• South Africa recorded a steady decline in births, with 787 933 live births registered in 2024 – down from 848 337 in 2023.

While South Africa’s birth rates decline and demographics evolve, one powerful marker of identity remains unchanged – the enduring significance of baby names.

In 2024, Lethabo, Lubanzi, and Nkazimulo topped the charts for the most preferred names for baby boys.

Amongst baby girls, Onalerona, Zanokuhle, and Melokuhle were the most popular – names rich with meaning.

This was according to the recently released 2024 Recorded Live Births (RLB) data from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA).

This statistical release presents information on live births that occurred and were recorded in the South African birth registration system at the Department of Home Affairs from 1 January 2024 to 28 February 2025.

READ | Child-free by choice: Why SA’s birth rate drop is no accident

Lethabo, which means “joy” or “happiness”, was given to 2 791 baby boys and was the fifth most popular name for females.

This name has been prominent over the years, with 2 965 boys named Lethabo in 2023, making it that year’s most popular name. In 2021, Lethabo was also the most favoured boys’ name.

Amongst girls’ names, Onalerona, which means “He (God) is with us”, was given to 2 289 baby girls in 2024, earning the top spot for three consecutive years.

The name was ranked only as the 27th most popular name in 2021, before becoming the most popular in 2022 and 2023.

This name was followed by Zanokuhle, which means “to come with or bring what is good”, a name given to 2 223 girls.

Melokuhle – a unisex favourite – means “stand for good or uphold what is beautiful” and was given to 2 108 baby girls.

The report also shows that the most popular second choices for females were Precious, Princess, and Blessing.

Among baby boys, Junior, Blessing, and Gift were the top three most popular middle names.

“Interestingly, names like Lethabo, Nkanyezi, and Lesedi were shown to be gender-neutral, proving that meaning carries greater weight,” the report notes.

“These choices aren’t just labels – they carry aspirations and values, expressed through names that speak to identity and hope for the future.”

Surnames

The report shows that in both sexes, Dlamini was the most common baby surname in 2024, closely followed by Ndlovu and then Nkosi.

“It is worth noting that, as in previous years, nine of the surnames were from Nguni clans, namely isiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, and siSwati. Mokoena, which featured as the sixth most popular surname, was the only non-Nguni surname,” the report explains.

Khumalo, Sithole, and Mkhize were also in the top 10 surnames.

Median age of mothers

The report also reflects a change in the median age of mothers, which rose to 28.3 years old.

This is the age at which a woman has her first child.

According to the report, this is the highest the median age of mothers has been since 2005, reflecting global trends of delayed childbirth linked to education, career aspirations, and access to family planning.

It further notes that South Africa is experiencing a steady decline in births.

“The 2024 total of 787 933 births that occurred and were registered was down from 848 337 in 2023, marking a decrease of 60 404 birth occurrences,” the report says.

“This continued downward trend has been observed since 2021, with the overall number of births shrinking, reflecting demographic shifts and changing fertility patterns.”

READ | These were South Africa's favourite baby names in 2023

Mothers aged 20-34 remained the dominant group, accounting for nearly 70% of all births, while KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of births to teenage mothers aged 17 and under, followed by Limpopo, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng.

“Together, these insights show how birth registration connects to wider dynamics of seasonality and maternal age, offering a comprehensive view of the factors shaping South Africa’s birth landscape in 2024,” the report remarked.