The baby name Nyoka is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ny-OH-ka (Swahili [ɲoka]).
Nyoka is Swahili in Origin.
The baby name Nyoka is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ny-OH-ka (Swahili [ɲoka]).
Nyoka is Swahili in Origin.
Nyoka is a Bantu given name and surname meaning “snake.” In Swahili and Shona, nyoka denotes a snake; related forms appear across the region, such as inyoka in Zulu and Xhosa and njoka in Chewa/Nyanja. Because serpents in many African traditions can signify wisdom, protection, fertility, and transformative power, the name often carries auspicious overtones rather than menace.
Usage spans southern and eastern Africa and the diaspora; it is largely unisex locally, though English-speaking audiences often read it as feminine. The pulp-serial and comic-book heroine Nyoka the Jungle Girl (1940s) introduced the name to wider Western notice and lent it an adventurous, retro flavor. Variants and near-cognates include Inyoka (Zulu/Xhosa) and Njoka (Chewa/Nyanja); occasional anglicized spellings Niyoka or Nyokah appear. Meaning centers on “snake,” with connotations of resilience, renewal, and guardianship.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JM | 0 | #93 | 1 | 3,714 | |
| BW | Boys | 0 | #154 | 1 | 4,685 |
| JM | Girls | 0 | #216 | 44 | 7,507 |
| NA | Boys | 0 | #253 | 1 | 6,830 |
| KZ | Girls | 0 | #331 | 2 | 5,862 |
| SD | Girls | 0 | #358 | 1 | 7,678 |
| CR | Girls | 0 | #573 | 1 | 11,342 |
| CL | Girls | 0 | #915 | 1 | 14,098 |
| United States | Girls | 2007 | #952 | 5 | 10,181 |
| EG | Girls | 0 | #1,007 | 3 | 14,742 |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,128 | 14 | 25,928 |
| CO | Girls | 0 | #1,152 | 1 | 16,140 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,153 | 26 | 25,619 |
Nyoka is popular in 11 countries — most recent births per country:
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