The word "Namib" means "place where there is nothing" in Khoekhoegowab, spoken by the people who live right next to the desert and assuredly explored it.

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yard2010 a day ago | parent | next [-]

This reminds me of the dead sea, it's far from dead, there are life forms in it. It's called the dead sea in Arabic as well (maybe this is the source of the name? Don't quote me on this one)

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reaperducer a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Wikipedia states that your interpretation is not 100% certain. It says that there is also believed to mean "vast place," which is not in dispute.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namib#Etymology

	▲	inemesitaffia 17 hours ago \| parent [-]
		So, a vast nothing

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thaumasiotes a day ago | parent | prev [-]

Where are you getting the gloss? Wiktionary has a definition "wasteland", but also derives it etymologically from a verb meaning "walk". Is there an element that means "nothing"?