HIST103: World History (1600–Present)

The naming origins of the Mali Empire are complex and still debated in scholarly circles around the world. While the meaning of "Mali" remains contested, the process of how it entered the regional lexicon is not.

Among the many different ethnic groups surrounding Manden were Pulaar-speaking groups in Macina, Tekrur, and Fouta Djallon. In Pulaar, the Mandinka of Manden became the Malinke of Mali. While the Mandinka people generally referred to their land and capital province as Manden, its semi-nomadic Fula subjects residing on the heartland's western (Tekrur), southern (Fouta Djallon), and eastern borders (Macina) popularized the name Mali for this kingdom and later empire of the Middle Ages.