South Africa has eleven official languages, which is second only to India. These languages, which may be one of nine Bantu languages with official status since 1994. These include the Nguni languages, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sindebele, and Swazi, and the Sotho languages, which include Setswana, Sesotho, Sesotho sa Leboa and Venda. There are smaller but still significant groups of speakers of Khoi-San languages which are not official languages, but are one of the eight officially recognised languages. There are even smaller groups of speakers of endangered languages, most of which are from the Khoi-San family, that receive no official status; however, some groups within South Africa are attempting to promote their use and revival. As a result, there are many official names for the country. These are:

• Republiek van Suid-Afrika (Afrikaans)
• Republic of South Africa (English)
• IRiphabliki yeSewula Afrika (IsiNdebele)
• IRiphabliki yaseMzantsi Afrika (IsiXhosa)
• IRiphabliki yaseNingizimu Afrika (IsiZulu)
• Rephaboliki ya Afrika-Borwa (Sepedi)
• Rephaboliki ya Afrika Borwa (Sesotho)
• Rephaboliki ya Aforika Borwa (Setswana)
• IRiphabhulikhi yeNingizimu Afrika (SiSwati)
• Riphabuliki ya Afurika Tshipembe (Tshivenda)
• Riphabliki ra Afrika Dzonga (Xitsonga)

South Africa also recognises eight non-official languages (Fanagalo , Lobedu , Northern Ndebele, Phuthi , Sign Language, Khoe , Nama, and San).

Furthermore, some South Africans use the name "Azania" in preference to "South Africa", which they disapprove of because of its colonial origins. Those using the name are most often affiliated with parties coming from an Afrocentric left-wing tradition, such as the Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania and Azanian People's Organisation.