Afrikaans female names derive primarily from Afrikaans, a West Germanic language that developed from 17th‑century Dutch. Many show diminutive morphology used as formal given names, especially endings in -ie, -jie or -tjie, and -ke, as in Elsje, Grietjie, Riekie, Hanlie, Maryke and Marike. Feminine forms in -a appear in Latinate or Dutch-based adaptations such as Adriaana and Engela. The French-derived -ette ending is also productive, seen in Sanette and Sunette.

Religious and Dutch naming roots remain visible, but modern practice often registers hypocoristic forms on birth certificates and favors Afrikaans spelling variants alongside traditional bases.