Source: http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Ethiopia

AMHARIC: the main language of Ethiopia is also spoken in Egypt, Israel, Sweden. Alternate names ABYSSINIAN, ETHIOPIAN, AMARINYA, AMARIGNA.  Classification Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Transversal, Amharic-Argobba.

Source: http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=AMH

The origins of the language and its people are traced back to the 1st millenium BC It is rumored that they are the descendants of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Immigrants from southwestern Arabia crossed the Red Sea into present-day Eritrea and mixed with the Cushitic population. Thus, new languages formed as a result of this union, e.g., Ge�ez.

Ge�ez was the classical language of the Axum Empire of Northern Ethiopia. It existed between the 1st Century A.D. and the 6th Century A.D. When the power base of Ethiopia shifted from Axum to Amhara between the 10th Century A.D. and the 12th Century A.D., the use of the Amharic language spread its influence, hence becoming the national language.

Amharic is a syllabic language which uses a script which originated from the Ge�ez alphabet. It has 33 basic characters with each having 7 forms for each consonant-vowel combination. Unlike Arabic, Hebrew or Syrian, the language is written from left to right.

Ge�ez, also spelled Geez, and sometimes called Ethiopic, is an ancient Semitic language related to Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. Unlike other Semitic languages, both Ge�ez, Amharic and other kindred Ethiopian languages are written from left to right. Ge�ez, which is not spoken any longer, has been for many centuries the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Church; the Bible was translated into Ge�ez before the 7th century CE. It is generally assumed that Ge�ez was the original language of the Beta Israel (The House of Israel) as the Jews of Ethiopia are generally known. The Bible, translated from the Septuagint Greek version, is read in Ge�ez, and most ancient religious texts of Beta Israel are written in Ge'ez.

Amharic, also called Amarinya, Amharinya, or Kuchumba, is also a Semitic language and is spoken today by about one third of the population of Ethiopia, mainly in the central highlands of the country. In recent times Amharic has been the main language spoken by the Jews of Ethiopia.

Tigrinya, also spelled Tigrigna, and sometimes called Tigray, or Tigrai, is another Semitic language close to Ge'ez and spoken in northern regions of Ethiopia by about six million people including Jews.

The names of the Jews of Ethiopia can be categorized in various groups according to their meaning and origins: names that reflect everyday life activities or various aspects of nature, names of Biblical origin or that echo local traditions, as well as names of grandparents and other ancestors. Several first names generally reflect the desire for the happiness and well being of the new born as expressed by the name giver, usually the parents or grandparents.

Source: http://www.bh.org.il/Names/ethiopianames.asp