A Handbook of African Names [2 (rev.) ed.] 0894104381, 9780894104381, 0894104373

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HANDBOOK OF RFRICAN NAMES A

Ihechukwu Madubuike

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by Three Continents Press iiP

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Boston Public Lilrar

Copley Square

A HANDBOOK OF AFRICAN NAMES

Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2015

https://archive.org/details/handbookofafricaOOmadu_0

A HANDBOOK OF AFRICAN NAMES Ihechukwu Madubuike

Three Continents Press

©

Copyright

Three Continents Press, 1976 and

Second Edition, Augmented, 1994

©

by

Max

Karl Winkler

whole or

part,

except for review, in

Three Continents Press, 1994 of cover

art

Three Continents Press P.O. Box 38009

Colorado Springs, Co., 80937-8009

Second Edition, Revised, 1994 All rights reserved.

The reproduction

in

any form or by electronic or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, recording, xerography, and in any information storage and retrieval system,

is

forbidden without the written permission of

—Three Continents

the Publisher

Press.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Madubuike, Ihechukwu. A handbook of African names

Iheclmkwu Madubuike.

/

—2nd

ed.,

rev.

cm.

p.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-89410-437-3 1. -

Names, Personal

—

Africa

;

$20.00— ISBN 0-89410-438-1

—African—

Dictionaries.

CS2375.A33M3 929.4'096—dc20

1992

I.

Dictionaries.

2.

(pbk.)

:

$10.00

Names, Personal-

Title.

86-50744

CIP

Preface

This

is

a revised,

augmented edition of Ihechukwu Madubuike*s

A

Handbook ofAfrican Names, published originally by Three Continents Press in 1978. More than 400 names have been added to this new edition so that 414 female names and 523 male names are now included (some 34 names are in both

lists

as being those given to either a girl or a boy.)

groups are represented on these Ethnic, regional or national

Some

51 linguistic

lists.

names have been added

to the

Arabic; Amharic (Ethiopia); Dagarti; Sissala; Ashanti; Fanti;

(Ghana); Akamba, Meru, Maragoli (Kenya); Kono,

Mende

two

Ga

lists

and

for

Ewe

(Sierre Leone,

Guinea, Senegal); Mossi, Samoga, Garunsi (Upper Volta); Bemba, Tonga

From Rwanda we have only Watutsi names, and from Botswana only Tswana names. The names are offered in two separate lists, with discussions of the ethnic/ linguistic and/or national groups whose names are on the two major lists retained from the first edition. Even a casual browsing through these names (Zambia), and Algeria (Arabic); the Gambia; and The Sudan.

will disclose the impact of Islam

on Africa's

original non-monotheistic

names, such as Mary and Joseph, are common now as well, but we have not included them on our list because they do not cry out for culture. (Christian

definition or translation.)

The days and weeks and months of drought, the arrival of locusts, deaths remembered or memorialized in many names. Hopes, and sometimes fears, are "embodied" in a name so almost any mood or wish or attitude may be caught up in an African name.

in the family, are

V

names may wish to seek out, somewhat at random, some may wish to locate a name they know already but wish to determine its meaning and/or ethnic origin. Parts II Finally, users of these

an appropriate or pleasant name, but

and

III

should be consulted for such specifics.*

This revised edition has been long delayed because of the Nigerian Civil

War, now blessedly

in the

almost distant past, and other problems since arisen

which affected the author severely in both his public and (He was serving as Minister of Education in the Federal Government which was overthrown in a coup with long-lasting consequences. Consequently we have had to work the author's new materials into the previously published work without further consultation with him.) in Nigerian politics

private

life.

We also recognize that the Nigerian section is disproportionate to the other However, Nigeria does represent a considerable part of Africa's population and its writers are most fertile and industrious. Accordingly, we offer the many names, Nigerian or not, for their intrinsic interest, beauty, and

entries.

clues to Africa's

many

linguistic cultures.

D.H./Editor, 1992

* Footnotes are gathered at

end of chapter concerned.

vj

Preface from First Edition, 1978

By Author

Let me stress right from the beginning the Hmitations of this study.

It is

not

the work of an anthropologist based on a body of rules as they apply to 'man in society.'

It is

the

African culture in

work of all

of

its

a literary

minded scholar who

is

interested in

dimensions and manifestations, an amateur

onomatologist, keen on understanding and explaining African cultural

arti-

by a global and continental view of African names. Because of certain limitations I have not covered as many areas as I would have liked to. The work in its present form and content is tentative. All the information did not, strictly speaking, come from the Tield,' but I have facts

avoided as

much

as possible the tantalizing errors of speculation.

The bulk of the

material of this

monograph came from conversations and

discussions with students from different parts of Africa studying and teaching at different universities

also talked to

some

and colleges, both in and outside the continent.

elderly Africans, out of school, and

United States and Paris

who gave me

now

I

have

resident in the

an enlightening insight into their

cultures through their nomenclature systems.

I

have also talked

to elders

locally in Africa.

A

scanty literature exists on the subject of African names.

A few

studies

have been done on the subject by Africans themselves. The Book of African Names as told by Chief Osuntoki, is one of the few attempts to group some African names under the covers of one book but inaccurate information.

it is

full

of mistakes and

major fault is that of speculation and no efforts at critical analysis are made. H.A. Wieschhoff's 'Social Significance of Names Its

vii

Among

done with the help of an Igbo student, Julius Okala, is a sketchy and superficial article on a rather wide and deep subject. Dr. S.N. Ezeanya's A Handbook of Igbo Christian Names is a useful the Igbo of Nigeria,' a study

primer, but as the

suggests

title

names. The area, therefore,

and

is

it is

very

a limited study

—

restricted to Christian

much open and calls for a more systematic

scientific research.

have tried not to fall into the trap of generalization which for long has been the bane of African studies. Africa is a big continent, a land of contrasts, diverse and different in many respects. What is true in the West is not necessarily true in the East. What is cherished and loved by the Bassa of the North may be despised and hated by the Zulus of the South. Several oversimplified statements and truisms which have attempted to dump all I

Africans into one cultural bag are very irritating to a sensitive African scholar. Africa must be able to recognize her differences in order to be able to stress

and harness her

My

common

heritage.

studies have enabled

me

to distill

some of

these

common

ways Africans give or choose names

noticeable and prevalent in the

traits,

for their

common traits have empowered me to use the Igbo society paradigm for the African system of naming. Some of the prescriptive

newborns. These as a

ethics

which govern the Igbo nuclear society and influence

systems are similar to those of

many

their

naming

other African societies studied in this

have been very wary over my pronouncements, and nothing is written down until I have verified it with other Africans who have a native knowledge of the subject. All the same I cannot claim to be infallible work. In spite of

this

I

in this study. I

am

deeply indebted to

material of this work.

I

am

all

grateful

for reading over the manuscript

improvements.

who have provided me the background to Mr. Anthony Uzomba and Chinweizu

those

on Igbo names and for

their suggestions for

My thanks goes also to my wife for suggesting numerous Igbo

names included here. I am equally grateful to all those other friends who have made useful comments which have led to the general improvement of the work and to Victoria and Solomon Mutswairo who developed the lists of Zezuru (Zimbabwe-Shona) and Xhosa names. At best I hope this study shall have laid the foundation for a more systematic study of African names. Suggestions for improvements are wel-

come and

I

intend to revise the book as soon as viii

more materials

are available.

Contents

v

Preface of 1992 by Editor Preface from First Edition, 1978, By Author

PART I:

Introduction:

PART II:

What

Is In

A Name?

Alphabetical Master Lists

Female Names Male Names

PART III: Brief Essays on

vii

7

25 25 38

Certain Ethnic and Regional Languages ..55

Benin Other Dahomian-Benin Names

Botswana Cameroun: The Bassa Chad: The Sara

57 59 60

60 61

Gambia Ghana: The Akans Ewe and Ga Names (Upper Voltaic Region of Ghana)

62

Ethiopia

67

62 65

Guinea: Foula, Foulani, Foulbe, Soussou, Malinke or Mandingo,

Toucouleur Ivory Coast:

The Betes

68

70

A Handbook of African Names Kenya: The Gikiyu or Kikuyu Names from the Abaluyia Ethnic Group of Western Kenya

71

Some Popular Abaluyia Names

73

The Foula or Foulani, Bambara, Malinke Dogon Bobo, Diaware

Mali:

or Mandingo, Saracola,

75

Nigeria: Igbo, Efik, Ibibio, and Yoruba: Structure and

Igbo

73

Meaning

in

Names

77

Rwanda: The Watutsi

..

112

Senegal Sierre

.Ill

Leone

114

Somalia

114

South Africa: The Xhosa

116

Sudan

119

Tanzania Swahili

,

Names from

121 121

East Africa

Upper Volta (Burkina Paso) Zaire: The Decolonization of African Names Zambia Zimbabwe: Names from the Zezuru and Ndebele

122

PART IV:

131

123

124 125

Pronunciation Guide

Part V: List of Languages Dealt With

137

Index

Map of Africa With Languages Discussed in

.....141

This

Work

3

KEY TO MAP

LANGUAGES Akan (Fante & Twi)/22b,22d,22f Akuapem Twi/22c

Bulu/26d Duala/38a

Amharic/1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Arabic/9,10,11,14,16,22 Asante Twi/25

Embu/26b Ewe/25d

Bamum/12a Bemba/22f

Efik-Ibibio/26c

Fante/33f Fula/22c & 23

Ga-Adangme/22b Ganda/14a,17a,25a,26a Ge'ez/22c Harari/12

Hausa/32a Idoma/12d Igbo/25a

& 22g

Kamba/25c

Nyanja/39b Nyoro-Toro/32b

Kikuyu/25c Kinyarwanda/33c Kongo/3 3b Krio/34

Nzema/22a Pokot/33e

Ronga/40a Runyankore/32c Shona (Zezuru)/42a Soga/32e

Lenje/3 1 a

Lozi/18a

Luo/38e Luvale/38c Luyia/32d,33d Malagasy/3 8f

Somali/13, 12e Southern Sotho/4 1 ,45b Swahili/33a, 36 Taita/33g Tigr^/12b Tigrigna/12c Vai/19

Mende/33h, 41, 18b Ndebele/42b Northern Sotho ( Pedi )/45 e Tonga/38d Tumbuka/39a, 38b Tsonga/45g

Tswa/40b Tswana/43, 45 a

Twi (Asante

& Akuapem)/22d &

22f

Venda/45f Wolof/14b Xhosa/45c Yoruba/25b Zulu/45d

PART

I

INTRODUCTION

In their country, they heal the child

name.

My god!

.

.

.

then they give

Are the names of the ancestors ugly? should I change my name?

I

it

another

am

called

Manh Kombeti! Why

Sembene Ousmane: The Harmattan,

p.

26

What

Some

people say that there

misleading statement.

It is

Is

is

In

A Name?

nothing in a name. This

difficult to think

without making use of his name. In our

is

a grossly

of anything one can do today

modem

society with

its

strong

economic structure, a man who has no name is a man who has nothing. People, organizational groups, businesses of various kinds are all identified by one kind of name or another. Countries, towns, cities and villages are all identified by names. In Africa many people and some countries have changed their names following independence. Ghana, Zambia, and Mali are examples of African countries that changed their names after independence. A suggestion to call Nigeria Songhai was not followed up by any concrete move. But inside Nigeria itself many villages and cities either had their names changed or were

Awka-Nkankwu has become Enugu Awka has become Enugu Ukwu. Okigwi and Owerri now sometimes correctly written Okigwe and Owerre.

correctly spelled as they should be pronounced.

Awka-Etiti, and are

A look at the advertisement columns of many Nigerian daily newspapers, for example, will reveal the rate at

which people do change their personal names or their surnames. Out of the twelve issues of Nigeria's Daily Times* studied only one did not carry an announcement of change of names. One such announcement reads

as follows:

AKINKOYE—

I,

formerly

known and

ad-

dressed Festus Adesuyi Akinkoye of District Hospital Ijan Ekiti wish to be

*These were selected

at

random and covered

August, 1970.

7

the

months of June, July and

early

A Handbook of African Names addressed Adesuyi

.

Oluwemimo Akinkoye. Former documents remain valid.

Ministry of Health Western State note. (Daily Times, Tuesday, July 28, 1970,

p. 25).

In this issue of the Daily

Times there were eighteen other changes

of names.

Whatever the reasons may be, the fact that people take

all

the legal troubles

involved to change their names and do go to the press to announce

this

change

importance of names. A man's names are his most valuable possession. It is his only possession that can survive death. Even the poorest man has a name that can live after his death. to the public is a pointer to the

Names

are used to identify people. Onomatologists

have discovered that

the study of names of a given people will reveal a

them

that other sciences

may

not reveal.

body of knowledge about Linguists discover quite a lot from

the study of names. Anthropologists have derived useful cultural information

about the people whose names they have studied.'

A thorough understanding

of works of literature^ and biography will be possible with the study of history

and philosophy of names. Names are such an important tool for the uncovering of a people's social habits and customs, their hopes and aspirations, that

no serious scholar of culture should neglect

Many

Africans believe that the

name

a

this science.

person bears

the understanding of his character and behavior. This

is is

sometimes a key

to

especially true with

nicknames and praise names. Thus, among the Igbos, for example, a name like Nwogankwo, calls to mind a particular skill in wrestling, whereas among the Swazis of South Africa, a man called Mona (umona jealousy) displayed

—

jealousy

traits in his

conduct.

Theophorous names reveal the names of gods worshipped by a group of Through a study of such names we learn much about their religious habits. Through the names given to their sons and daughters, the Gikuyu of people.

East Africa, for example, have been able to record history and events going

back centuries.

To

man

knowledge of African names is invaluable. A detailed study of those aspects of his name which haven't been lost under the traumatic experience of slavery could give clues to what part of Africa the individual came from. It was through such study that the origin of the famous Igbo slave, Olauda Ekwuanu, author of a book on slavery, was discovered. AfroAmerican names like Kwako or Quaco, Cumba or Kumba, Ocreka or Okrika, Cudjo or Kudjo, Bamba and numerous others are no doubt the black

in diaspora the

8

A Handbook of African Names African in origin.

Many people from Ghana, Senegal and Guinea have similar

names. In the South of the United States of America some blacks still have and Ada as their names or parts of their names. These names which have survived cultural subjugation carry four centuries of history behind

Essi, Ebi,

them, and a close analysis of them could reveal abundant facts hitherto

unknown There

to other disciplines.

is

no one who

is

indifferent to the

when their names person whose name is forgotten by

name he answers

to.

People are

are badly spelled or wrongly pronounced.

very sensitive

A

shows some form when someone who has met us only once or twice remembers our name and pronounces it correctly. In the same way we feel flattered and honored when a friend names of resentment.

a friend feels hurt and

On the other hand we

feel

inwardly flattered

his child after us. In Africa a special kind of relationship usually develops

between the child and the person he has been named after. The beauty of African names is spoiled by mispronunciation; their signification and poetry killed. This is especially true with names from tonal languages.

Many

African languages are tonal. This means that a wrong

sound and change the meaning of a name immediately. Thus the mispronunciation of an Igbo name like Okechukwu (the gift of God), will produce a sound similar to *the rat of God.* African names are musical, expressive and pleasant to the ear. It is therefore important to bring out the beauty of these names by learning how to pronounce them correctly. inflection of the voice will produce a different phonetic

Foreigners, especially whites, have exhibited unpardonable ignorance in the pronunciation of African names.^

written

down

several times

many

still

Even find

pronounce. In Africa a person whose name feels insulted. It is only

when one wishes

after these

names have been

them impossible to correctly badly pronounced constantly hurt someone that he mispro-

is

to

nounces his name deliberately. Partly to make things less difficult for the Europeans those Africans who chose not to adopt white names resorted to abridging their names. Ike, Buba,

Ayo, Nguissi, are

all abridged forms of some long African names. In these forms these names lose their original meanings and don't make much sense.

9

A Handbook of African Names Why

Foreign Names?

Why then do Africans answer to foreign names? The answer obviously lies in colonization

and the

"civilizing'*

mission in Africa. Colonization as a

system woriced on the principle that everything African was primitive, barbarous, unholy. Everything from Europe, on the other hand, was pure and

—

was made to make Africans reject their own civilization and to look down on things African. To answer a white man's name was seen as one of the ways of becoming civilized, that is white. Thus, today, one frequently meets an African who will not be content until you have told him what your white. Christian name is. proper

Of

civilized.

Every

effort

course, Christianity has, from

its

very beginning, insisted that each

convert should bear a new name, symbol of new

life,

following the baptismal

A typical example is that of Saul, enemy of the Christians, who changed his way of Hfe when he joined the Christians, and symbolized his new life by answering Paul. Many adult converts to Christianity in Africa followed and perpetuated the example of Saul. We read in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart^ ihsii when Nwonye, the "unworthy," effeminate son of Okonkwo, joined the Christians, he dropped his name of darkness and ignorance' and became Isaac. Toundi Ondoua, the Boy, of Ferdinand Oyono's novel, writes (and one cannot miss the irony): ceremony. later

*

My name is Toundi Ondoua. I am the son of Toundi and of Zama. When the father baptized me he gave me the name Joseph.^ It

was thus

foreign names.

that

many

They

adult Africans

in turn

very difficult for anyone to

mine Patrick Henry friend of

is

gave

came

to

be given or

their children Christian

know from

to

answer

names, making

to it

names that they are Africans. A was baptized Henry. His name its meaning or origin. There are

their

called Patrick. His father

spells nothing African in

several other examples

which

it is

useless to give here.

The Church grew in Africa and assumed more importance in the naming of babies. The missionaries prohibited the use of indigenous names, as they had done in Europe, and encouraged the use only of names of saints and martyrs Peter, Paul, Silas, Sebastian, Mary and others. Of course, as early as A.D. 325, the Council of Nicaea, had ruled against the use of names of heathen gods. This was again emphasized by the Church of England which

—

10

A Handbook prohibited the use of

names of heathen

of African

Names

origin in the 16th century. Heathen,

of course, must be understood to mean that which is not Christian. As the proselytizing mission continued many Africans answered less and

names and more and more to the scriptural ones. The early Christian converts answered names from the Old Testament: Isaac, Moses, Abraham, Elijah, Nathaniel, Joshua, David, Jacob, Joseph, Benjamin,

less to African

Jeremiah, and so on.

Names from

the

New Testament were also used: James,

Names answered by many came from the New Testament: Mary, EHzabeth; while many baptismal names for babies were taken from the fifth chapter of Romans: Faith, Peace, Comfort, Hope, Grace, Patience, Love. Feminine flower names Hke Rose, Violet, Lily, and vegetal product names like Lavender, Ivy, came also with contact with the western civilization. Teutonic names John, Peter, Simon, Luke, Andrew, Thomas.

African

women

converts

Hke George, Frederick, Adolphus, Ernest, Caroline, are the direct influence of British colonization. So also are royal names like Louis, Charles, Edward, Wilham, Henry, Alfred, Richard, Victoria, Anna. Many Africans have chosen some of these foreign names as first names out of mere fancy, without knowing where the names came from and what, if any, their original significations were, but more on this later. My simple point is that African names have a story to tell.

First

Names

In Africa every one

is

identified in

one form or another, usually by a

first

name given shortly after birth. Names given to people have definite meanings, and parents, relatives, and well wishers are very conscious when choosing the names of their children or of an

individual.

Thus names

are not merely labels

or simply tags which the individual carries along with him. social significance and

many names

They have a deep

studied collectively express a world

view, the Weltanschauung of the people.

As Igbo

society demonstrates, the choice of the

name given

to a child is

dictated by a number of events and circumstances concomitant to the situation

surrounding the birth of the child

—

rains, sunshine, drought, festivities, wars,

conflicts in families, divinations, accidents, jealousies

and so on. African dimensions of Hfe. ries,

first

names

reflect

11

among

wives, rival-

one or more of these existential

A Handbook of African Names The

names

by the importance Africans attach to naming ceremonies. In many parts of the continent naming ceremonies are a big social event, involving not only the immediate family of the child but sometimes a whole village. Foreign names have infiltrated into the continent, as we earlier have noted. Today many Africans answer to foreign names, mainly Christian and Moslem names. While originally these foreign names might have had definite meansocial significance of

ings, they are not

always given

Many

is

also demonstrated

to the African with

names

any particular conscious-

from the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Celtic and Teutonic tongues. Some of them reflect qualities and characters which are not foreign to African tongues. For instance, it is known that most Hebrew names refer to some deity. A name like Samuel is analogous to the Igbo names Chinuru or Chianokwu, meaning God has heard my prayers. In the same way, many Celtic names which chronicle the worship of God of some other deities have equivalent African names: Ogunseye (Ogun, Yoruba god of war), has done the becoming thing. ness of meaning.

The names of

Christian

are derived

the Igbos of Nigeria best capture the essence of African

nomenclature. They delineate and define the social outlook, values, and expectations of an Africa people. Igbo names express the importance of relationships within the family and extended family, joy with the birth of a

male tiie

child, the desire to perpetuate lineage, the

power and righteousness of

gods, and other values. For example, the Igbo society is strongly patrilineal

and many names explicitly point

(Ama,

Ezi, and

wish of continuing the family lineage

to the

by extension Obi). Thus many names express

the bias the

Igbos have for male children: (m):

Let

my name

not be lost

Obiefula (m):

Let 'Obi' not be

Obiechina (m):

Let

lost

(where 'Obi' means family

seat)

my

'Obi' cease not to exist

Since Igbo descent is patrilineal these names express the satisfaction of having a male child to ensure the survival of the family line. We may call this group of names familial names, as distinct from social names, since the

avoidance of extinction of the extended sense. There are several restricted and

philosophy which animates them family lineage both in

its

is

that of

12

A Handbook

of African

Names

names which express this dread of family extinction among the Igbos. Common names Hke Okoro and Nwoke, when interpreted, simply express the

other

male child

satisfaction that is usually associated with the birth of a

family. Conversely, the following female

names express some

nalization over the ''disappointment*' of not having a

in the

sort of ratio-

male child which was

expected in the family:

Agbogho (T): Obumneke (f): Nwanyibueze (f):

Nwabunwa

(F):

This I

am

is

a girl

not a creator (literally,

Woman is King A child is a child

Am

I

the creator?)

(no matter the sex)

Many names given to the child may express concern over the relationship with members of the father

'

s

lineage: the agnates

.

What the names express are

mainly the quality and the nature of this relationship. Relationship with the father or the father's

immediate family

is

expressed by such names as the

following:

The beloved of the father The father is the source of one's The father is supreme

Ugonnaya: Nnabuike: Nnaka:

Most of the time the names take the form of an

strength

appeal, expressing wish for

support and asking the goodwill of the agnates and in extension, the whole village in the defense, welfare and education of the child, and in resolving his

personal conflicts in the society.

The names here

are forms of social

names,

since they suggest involvement with groups outside the immediate family.

Umunnakwe Ibokwe (m): Ibekwe (m):

(m):

By By By

the grace of the agnates the grace of the Igbos the grace of the mates

Though it is a fact well known that the child grows up mainly in the father's community, the mother's lineage also plays an important part in his growth and subsequent development. The mother's agnates are the source of help in cases of serious troubles and difficulties.

13

A child

is

always welcome among

A Handbook of African Names his mother's relations, and can live with them as long as he wants to.

He enjoys

names evoke this relationship and which the mother's kinsmen are held:

a special relationship with them. Several

some express

Nneka

the esteem in

Ogobuike (m):

Mother is supreme The in-laws are my source of strength

Nwogo

Belonging

(f):

(m):

to the in-laws

Igbo names are sometimes direct personal statements, in the form of

messages, attacks, warnings, appeals, or answers directed to friends, enemies, Quite often they point to difficulties in marriage

rivals or ill-wishers.

polygamous family) or to some other social names serve useful social functions. They tend to minimize (especially in a

frictions.

Such

frictions in the

family and in the society as the adversary tend to see in the name as accusation

and a verdict against

ill

intentions:

Ekwutosi (m): Ekwuruibe (m):

Do Do

not speak

ill

of others

not speak

ill

of others

Maduabuchi (m):

Men

his

are not gods

Igbo names express great concern for the unknown. The Igbos are forward looking, hopeful and optimistic about the future.

Names

reflect these qualities:

Anaelechi (m/f):

Who knows tomorrow? (In the sense row may be better than today) we wait for tomorrow

Echidiime

Tomorrow

Onyemaechi (m):

(f):

Although individual

activities

is

that

tomor-

pregnant

and initiatives are desirable and encouraged

among the Igbos, group actions and interdependency are nevertheless emphaBecause of the flexibility of the Igbo social system, the individual can from the lowest social group to the highest if he makes the right effort.

sized. rise

Whatever

his social position, the individual

is

constantly reminded of the

importance of solidarity with the group, since the group that helps an individual in his achievements can also be the source of his downfall. Social

names

reflect this social fact:

14

A Handbook of African Names Ifwebuike:

In multitude

Madubuike: Ohakamike:

Men

strength

The pubHc is stronger than I The group or public is stronger than

Ikerioha:

Many

is

are the source of others' strength

the individual

Igbo names portray the social ethics of the Igbos, and most of them

point specifically to their religious beliefs and

show

the influences of the

supernatural powers on the destiny of the individual. These are

names

that

begin with Chi or Chukwu.

Chukwudi (m):

Chukwuma

(m):

Chukwumaobi

(m):

God exists; we show hope God knows God knows my heart

in

God

These names reveal the intense religious consciousness and nature of the Igbo people, and the collective importance they attach to the intervention of

cosmic and supernatural elements in the daily life of the individual. As has been mentioned earlier Igbo traditional ethics emphasize the importance of material achievements. But among the Igbos no material wealth can be

viewed as more precious than human wealth. Thus in their daily conversations the Igbos quote often the statement: *'onye nwere madu ka onye nmwere meaning that human wealth is more important than material wealth. ego*'

—

Igbo names reflect

this behef:

Nwakaego (f): Nwakuku (f): Nwabuaku (f):

The The The

child

is

child

is

more important than money more important than wealth

child

is

wealth

(God loves me), Chukwuemeka (God has done well), Tobechi (Praise God), are but examples of African names that portray the worship of God or some deity.

Middle Names and African Nomenclature Traditionally Africans

names. There were no

first

made no

distinctions

between

first

and middle

or middle names as such. People have not just one

15

A Handbook of African Names or two names but four, five or even six names. The giving of plural names the rule rather than the exception.

is

Among the Abaluyia of Kenya, for instance,

each of the clans which have a link with the family of the child has a name for it. As there are usually four of them, the child cannot have fewer than four

names. The child receives two names from the father's clan, two from the mother's clan, a name designating the season when he is bom, and another name designating the day when he is bom. Apart from these six names the individual can have other names. It would therefore be ridiculous to ask him to say which is his middle name or his first name. Today, however, because of westem influence, every "detribalized" African

is

supposed

to

Many application forms have a space

have a middle name.

for middle names, and for administrative purposes, the African

forced to use one or two of his

names

as the

is,

as

it

were,

middle name(s).

Surnames In general, the African tends to use his father's is

not,

name

as his surname. This

however, tme with the Sara of Chad who believe that since the child,

going to found his own family it was useless for him to adopt his father's name for his family name. The Sara who usually has more than one if a

male,

name

is

uses one of these

identified

of

first

by the name of her

X (if she is married to Mr.

names

as his surname.

father, although

It is

only a

girl

who

is

people refer to her as the wife

X.).

The practice of using the father's name as surname is gradually dying out many parts of Africa. In its place is the growing tendency to use one family name (commonly that of the grandfather) as the sumame for all members of in

same family group. In some families, however, names duplicate because of the system of naming used. It is difficult then to distinguish the sumame

the

from the

first

name

(except for the position of the names). This

is

especially

where the sumame is Among the we have such dupHcation in names like Kalu Kalu, Mba Mba, and so on. Because of the confusion names like these may cause, the practice today is to sandwich a third 'middle' name between the two similar names. The names above would become something like Kalu Uduma Kalu; Mba Kalu Mba, etc. the case

not a scriptural or colonial name.

Igbos, for example,

16

i

A Handbook of African Names Other Types of Surnames

when people began using surnames in Africa. What is from time immemorial Africans have always had a way of distinguishing people with the same names. For instance, it was the custom to distinguish one person from another by the use of occupational names or the names of the villages from which they came. A man who was an artist It is

not easy to say

clear however,

is

that

—would be

by the addition of his occupational name to his name. Thus where there were two Nwogus of different occupations, names like Nwogu Okpu uzu and Nwogu Omenka would be used to differentiate them. Okpu uzu and Omenka are used in this context to designate the a smith

identified easily

occupations of the persons involved and are used as surnames. In the same

manner a person from Mballa would be his first

called

Nwagu Mballa, Nwagu being

name.

been used as a surname by some people in Africa. For instance, a tailor who has his office in a market place called Afor would be known to the villages as Tailor Afor. Similarly a person who is a

The place a person works has

skilled wrestler

also

can be identified by his

skill:

Ogbagba, or Dingba.

As can be seen these surnames are descriptive terms, and because a descriptive term was always used to distinguish one individual from another, the best descriptive word for each person was used. There are instances where these descriptive names have become hereditary and serve as family names. Igbo names like Dingba, Omenka, Okpuzu, are such example. In the early days in Africa praise names also served as surnames. Praise names, like nicknames, express personal characteristics and many of them today have become hereditary. This is the case with Igbo names like Otueome he says and does as he said he would do; Omengboji ^he demonstrates his richness when he is rich; Omenuko one who acts at the time of scarcity; Ojembaenwe iro one who travels through many countries without incurring the enmity of anybody. A child is rarely given these names in Africa, but today some people bear them as surnames.

—

—

—

Thus

—

for the purposes of classification,

surnames used by Africans could under four groups depending on how they were formed or derived: (a) Local in response to the question: where does he come from? (b) Occupational in response to the question: what does he do?

fall

—

(c)

— —describing

Descriptive

the character of the individual (this includes

nicknames)

17

A Handbook of African Names (d)

Patronymical

—

the use of the father's

name

or grandfather's name.

An individual usually had all four such names, although it is not necessary each time to identify him by all of them. Where the descriptive name is enough to identify an individual, local and occupational names will seem redundant. Today, however, not many people in Africa are known by their local, occupational or descriptive names. Patronymical names are more commonly used.

As has been alluded to, patronymical names are giving rise to genealogical surnames.

Some

patronymical surnames in Africa are foreign:

cially true in countries like Liberia,

Gambia and

this is espe-

the coastal provinces of

Nigeria. Historical circumstances explain the use of these foreign surnames

Most of the liberated Africans came back to Liberia from World bearing the names of their slave masters. Some of the freed

in these countries.

the

New

Africans from Liberia migrated to the Lagos province of Nigeria and have not

changed their names since. Many Lagosians have such surnames Simpson, Johnson, Elias and Lawson.

Among

as

Benson,

the Ijaws of the southern provinces of Nigeria the presence of

foreign surnames

is

explained mainly by the early contact with European

traders and explorers in the late I9th century.

Today the Ijaws have surnames

Brown, Cookeygam, Bellgam, Clark, Lawson, Strongface, Finecountry, Cookey, Bestman, Douglass. It is easy to deduce that some of these names were not answered by Europeans themselves, but were given to the Africans by the white man.^ Such is the case with a name like Finecountry, which refers to the topographical or climatic features of the new region in which the white trader found himself. In the same manner Strongface and Best-man would refer to the physical and perhaps moral characteristics of the Africans who worked with the white man. Conversely names like Clark (which is an English medieval occupational name) and Douglass are obviously foreign names, like

now

naturalized.

Nicknames

are spontaneous

names given

to

an individual and relate to an

aspect of his character, physique or quality. Nicknames are sometimes

bestowed by

sometimes by enemies and sometimes by admirers in appreciation of a feat performed, in derision, or even in anger. The type of name given to an individual depends largely on the circumstance, and the friends,

recipient usually has no power to stop people calling him by it. Thus nicknames are one of those names one cannot easily change, legally or

otherwise.

18

A Handbook

of African

Names

Sometimes nicknames are self-imposed. In a secondary school in one African country all form three (the equivalent of seventh grade) boys once decided to be known among themselves by their nicknames. Dan Damingo, Santa Sawaba, Lemi Jazz, Danta Koko, Muchacha, Okokoriko, are some of the names used by Uzakoli Methodist Secondary School Boys (Nigeria) to identify themselves. It is not easy to say how the boys came by these names. A study of their mental attitude towards names will probably reveal why they decided to be known by these names. Sometimes friends can give an offensive nickname to another friend without meaning to offend him. It might be a corrective gesture, and although the individual might resent it at the onset, he might finish by paying little attention to it when he is designated by it. Africans use many corrective nicknames which are usually dropped when the individual has refrained from the offending attitude which occasioned the nickname. In some parts of Igbo land, women of all ages have endearing nicknames by which they identify themselves. Friends might decide to identify one another by the aspect of their character or quality which appeals to them most. One of my aunts, called Iheoma (Good Fortune), was nicknamed Ogbaka nmanwu she who dances like a masquerade, because she was a very good dancer. This became her popular name among her friends. As with personal names, there can be several nicknames for an individual. The nickname a person is called at a particular time is dictated by circumstances. A friend can greet or salute another friend by simply calling him his

—

nickname. During burial ceremonies of great warriors, individuals will be

by

war names

kinsmen re-enact a battle. Or, if somebody wants to be ribald he might use an indecent word as a nickname for

identified

their

as their

another.

Briefly then, nicknames

Moral

may refer to one of the following characteristics.

characteristics:

— — — —

Omenuku one who acts in time of scarcity Ekwueme one who says and does what he says Okaome one who says and does what he says Omenma one who does good to others

19

A Handbook of African Names Physical characteristics:

— — —

Dogo (Hausa) a tall person Onyeukwu a huge person Ikpon (Efik) one who has refused Sometimes the names of

to

grow; a short person

birds or animals are used to depict moral and

physical qualities of individuals:

powerful person —Lion; Ele — Antelope; good runner Akpi — Scorpion; one who mischievous person Agwo— Snake; and mischievous person person Ichoku —

Agu

a strong, a

stings hard; a

sly

Parrot; a talkative

These nicknames istics

attribute to the individual the qualities that are character-

of these animals or birds mentioned.

Some of these animal nicknames

have provided surnames: Agu (Lion), Egbe (Kite), that is, a rapacious fellow. There are other forms of nicknames used in Africa, but the ones we have listed

above are the more

common ones.

Footnotes: ^

As

G.I.

Jones showed

in his

work, a

list

of the names of the kings of

Bonny

did

elucidate the historical perspective of the dominant historical grouping in the

Niger Delta of Nigeria. See G.I. Jones: The Trading States of the Oil Rivers: A Study of the Political Development in Eastern Nigeria, London, Oxford University Press,

^We

1970.

entirely agreed with

Ruth Finnegan when she wrote as follows: "Names

contribute to the literary flavour of formal or informal conversation, adding a

depth or a succinctness through their meanings, overtones or metaphors. They can also play a direcdy literary role.

names

Akan

We have already considered the studied use of

whole series of different forms (day names, by-names, praise names, and dirge names) together enhance the intensity and high-sounding tone of the poems. The introduction of names in other forms of literature also in

perhaps

in the

dirges; a

case of those with a historical cast

—can bring a sense of

allusive-

ness and sonority not easily expressed in other forms." See Ruth Finnegan: Oral Literature in Africa, London, Oxford University Press, 1970, p. 427.

20

A Handbook of African Names ^

A typical example of how Europeans change African names is illustrated in an article in Afrique Nouvelle, 21/1/70, p. 14,

by one

V.I. Vavilov.

Agunwa

is

spelled

Agounva and Munonye is written Mounonier. Both are Igbo names. Ngugi is written N'Gugui. It may be argued that these transformations result from the absence of a standardized African alphabetical

script.

But

until

such script

is

anyone to write down names the way their owners do, probably using the usual European orthography, but seeking the closest possible developed

it

will not hurt

reproduction of the African pronunciation. "^Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart, London, Heinemann, 1958.

^Ferdinand Oyono: Boy, N.Y. Collier Books edition, 1970, p.9. The late Mazi Ojike, once Eastern Nigeria Minister of Finance, the

European name of Robinson,

dropped the name of the

name

when baptized

in

Mbonu

1922 assumed

after his favorite fictional hero.

Ojike later

when he realized how ridiculous it was, in favor had given him, Mbonu: "action speaks louder than words."

in the 1930's,

his father

See Judith Gleason: This Africa,

p. 26.

President Mobutu's "Zairification" of

many foreign names, including his own, is of great interest in this respect. See Time magazine, January 24, 1972, p. 9. Significant is also the recent move for cultural authenticity being made in Chad. ^G.I. Jones wrote: "It

was customary from an

important Oil River persons with

early period for kings, chiefs and other

whom Europeans traded to have an English name A Study

as an African name." See G.I. Jones: The Trading States of the Oil Rivers:

of Political Development in Eastern Nigeria, O.U.P. 1970, p. 22. It is true also to say that some Ijo (or Ijaw) names are simply transliterations of English proper

names or nicknames: Yellow for lyola (Yellow is also a proper name found among theEfiks), Queen for Kweni, Grand Bonny forUbany, Cookey for Juki, Pepple for Perukule.

''Examples are

in Igbo, unless

otherwise stated.

21

PART II:

Alphabetical Master Lists

Alphabetical Master Lists

Female Names In it is

some cases only

the language

is

cited because, as in the case of Somali,

name is omitted. name is omitted. Also

the primary language of Somalia, and the national

Amharic names are from Ethiopia only so the national a few names are identified only as to country where spoken.

Name

Meaning

(Linguistic group and/or country of

origin in parenthesis)

Aba Ababno Abayomi Abebi Abebja Abeje

Abena Abeo Abimbola

Bom on Thursday (Fante-Ghana) A child that keeps returning (Ewe-Ghana) Come

to bring

joy (Yoruba-Nigeria)

We asked and got her (Yoruba-Nigeria) Bom at a time of grief (Akan-Ghana) We asked for this one (Akan-Ghana) Bom on Tuesday (Akan-Ghana) Come

to bring

happiness (Yomba-Nigeria)

Abla

Bom to be rich (Yomba-Nigeria) Bom on Tuesday (Ewe-Ghana)

Ada

First daughter (Igbo-Nigeria)

Adaego Adaeke

Daughter of wealth (Igbo-Nigeria) Bom on 'Eke' market day (Igbo-Nigeria)

25

A Handbook of African Names Adaeze Adande

Princess (Igbo-Nigeria)

The challenger (Dahomey)

Adanma

Daughter of beauty (Igbo-Nigeria)

Adanna Adanne Adaoha Adebomi

Father*s daughter (Igbo-Nigeria)

Mother's daughter (Igbo-Nigeria)

Daughter of the people (Igbo-Nigeria) Crown has covered my nakedness (YorubaNigeria)

Adedagbo

Happiness

is

a

Adedewe

The crown

is

shattered (Yoruba-Nigeria)

Adedoja Adeleke Adeola Adiagha Adjua

Crown Crown Crown

is

crown (Yoruba-Nigeria)

worthy (Yoruba-Nigeria)

brings happiness (Yoruba-Nigeria) brings honor (Yoruba-Nigeria)

First daughter (Ibibio-Nigeria)

Bom on Monday

(Akan-Ghana)

Aduke

Much

Adwa

Bom on Monday (Ghana) Bom on Monday (Ghana)

Adwica Adwin Adzo

loved (Yoruba-Nigeria)

Afi

(Akan-Ghana) (Ewe-Ghana) First child of second husband (Ewe-Ghana) Friendly (Akan-Ghana) Bom on Friday (Ewe-Ghana)

Afron

Good-smelling (Somali)

Afryea

Bom during happy times (Ewe-Ghana) Bom on Friday (Ewe-Ghana)

Afafa

Afam

Afua

Agbeko Agodichinma Ahada Ahuzuomoke Aidoo Aisha/Ayeshah

Artist

Bom on Monday

Life (Ewe-Ghana)

As

it

pleases

God (Ewe-Ghana)

Bom on Sunday (Somali) May

I

be perfectly well (Igbo-Nigeria)

Arrived (Akan-Ghana) Life (Swahili) Also after

The Prophet's second

wife, "Mother of the Faithful" (throughout Islamic

Africa)

Aiyetoro

Peace on Earth (Yoruba-Nigeria)

Akarika

Bom during the harmattan 26

(Ibibio-Nigeria)

A Handbook Akenke AkiH Akosua

of African

To want her is to love her (Yoruba-Nigeria) Wisdom (Tanzania)

Akua

Bom on Bom on

Akuabia

Here

Akuako Akwate

Elder of twins (Ga Ghana)

Alaba Aladinma

Second child after twins (Yoruba-Nigeria) I am happy with my stay (Igbo-Nigeria)

Alaezi

I

Alili

Ama/Amma

She weeps (Yao-Malawi) Very beautiful; a diamond (Amharic) Come here (Nwena-Kenya) Bom on Saturday (Ewe-Ghana)

Amadi Amaogechukwu

No one knows God*s

Almaz Aluma

Amauchechi

Amauzo Ambara Amevi Amina

Names

Sunday (Ewe-Ghana) Wednesday (Ewe-Ghana)

wealth (Igbo-Nigeria)

is

Younger of twins (Ga-Ghana)

am

exonerated (Igbo-Nigeria)

Dedicated

"Amadi" (Igbo-Nigeria)

to

Who knows Who knows

God's the

time (Igbo-Nigeria)

will (Igbo-Nigeria)

way

(Igbo-Nigeria)

Pearl (Somali)

human being (Ewe-Ghana) the name of The Prophet's mother

Child of a Faithful,

(Algeria and Sudan)

Amonke

To know

Anan

Fourth

Anuli

Joy (Igbo-Nigeria)

Arda

Studious (Somali)

Amsi

Bom during

her

is to

pet her (Yoruba-Nigeria)

bom (Akan-Ghana)

wedding (Swahili)

Asabi

Of

Asesimba Asha

Noble

Ash Asong

Original (Somali)

Atsufi

Bom

Ayah Ayan

Lucky-girl (Somali)

Ayeshah/Aisha

Life, also after

select birth birth

(Yoruba)

(Yomba-Nigeria)

Life (Swahili)

Seventh

bom (Akan-Ghana)

twin (Ewe-Ghana)

Bright (Somali)

27

The Prophet's

wife,

"Mother of the

A Handbook of African Names throughout Islamic Afnca (Swahih)

Faithful, T

/'\r

!_\

_ XT'

1_

Ayo

Joy (Yoruba-Nigena)

Ayobami Ayobunmi

T I

am

Joy

11

J

•

a1

/XT'

•

1

~V

T*

is

given to

me (Yoruba-Nigena)

home

Ayodele Ayofemi

Joy comes

Ayoluwa

Joy of our people (Yoruba-Nigeria)

Ayoola Aziza

Joy in wealth (Yoruba-Nigena)

Azuka Baako Baderinwa Badu Bahati

Banasa

Bayo Bejide

Benada Bishara

Bolade Bolanile

\

blessed with joy (Yoruba-Nigena)

Joy likes

me

(Yoruba-Nigeria)

(Yoruba-Nigeria)

Gorgeous (Swahili-East Africa) Support IS paramount (Igbo-Nigena) First

bom

(Akan-Ghana)

Worthy of

respect (Yoruba-Nigeria)

bom

(Akan-Ghana) Luck (Swahili-East Afnca) Bom on Monday (Abaluyia-Kenya) There is joy (Yoruba-Nigeria) Tenth

Bom dunng the rainy season (Yomba-Nigena) Bom on Tuesday (Akan-Ghana) Good-news (Somali) Honor comes (Yoruba-Nigeria) The wealth of this house (Yoruba-Nigeria)

Bunmi Bupe

My gift (Yomba-Nigeria)

Buruku

Named

Charakupa Chausiku

That which you are given (Zezum-Zimbabwe)

Chaimaka

*'Chi" is splendid (Igbo-Nigeria)

Chidi

*'Chi" exists (Igbo-Nigeria)

Chijioke

Hospitality (Tanzania) after the deity

Bumku (Akan-Ghana)

Bom at night (Swahili-East Africa)

Chi

owns

(Igbo-Nigena)

gifts

Chika Chiku

Chi IS supreme (Igbo-Nigena) Chatterer (Swahih-East Africa)

Chinasaokwu Chinenye Chinwe

God answers

for

me

(Igbo-Nigeria)

"Chi" gives (Igbo-Nigeria) It

belongs to

God

28

(Igbo-Nigeria)

A Handbook Chinyere

God

Chipo Chizoba Chola

Gift (Zezuru-Zimbabwe)

May

is

"Chi" protect (Igbo-Nigeria)

(m/0 The next one: second, third first bom (Samoga-Upper Volta)

Golden-girl (Somali)

Daib

Excellent (Somali)

Dalia

Gentle (Swahili East Africa) Versatile (Somali)

Joy arrives (Yoruba-Nigeria)

Dzigbodi

Ebere

Mercy (Igbo-Nigeria)

Ebun Ebyan

Gift (Yoruba-Nigeria)

Dzidodo Dzidzo

etc. child after

Child with curly hair (Yoruba-Nigeria)

She who pleases (Somali) Second of twins (Tanzania) Birth is good (Ewe-Ghana) Used to suffering (Ewe-Ghana) Happiness (Ewe-Ghana) Patience (Ewe-Ghana)

Dridzienyo

Names

the giver (Igbo-Nigeria)

Dada (m/0 Dahaba

Dalmar Dayo Deka Doto

of African

Educated (Somali)

Edem

What has tomorrow in store? (Igbo-Nigeria) Dedicated to the God Ndem (Efik/Ibibio-Nigeria)

Efioanwan Efua

Bom on the market day *'Ofiong" (Ibibio-Nigeria) Bom on Friday (Ewe-Ghana)

Ekanem

Named

Echijiole

after a deity of the

same name

Nigeria)

Ekechi

Ekedinma Elewechi

Elom

Enam Enomwoyi Enyo Enyonyam

God's creation (Igbo-Nigeria) Eke is good (Igbo-Nigeria)

We await God (Igbo-Nigeria) God loves me (Ewe-Ghana) God gave it to me (Ewe-Ghana) One who has grace (Benin-Nigeria) It is

It is

enough for me (Ewe-Ghana) good for me (Ewe-Ghana) 29

(Ibibio-

A Handbook of African Names Eshe

Life (Swahili)

Esi

Bom on

Ezisbo

Sunday (Fante-Ghana) God has heard me (Ewe-Ghana) Beloved (Igbo-Nigeria)

Fabayo

A lucky birth is joy

Esinam

Farhia

Happiness (Somali)

Fatiha

The

Fatima

Named

first

(Yoruba-Nigeria)

verse of the Koran (Algeria)

after

The Prophet's daughter (Sudan and

elsewhere)

Payola

Good

ppprhi

Worshin God

Femi

Foluke

Love me (Yoruba-Nigeria) Honor (Yoruba-Nigeria) Honor arrives (Yoruba-Nigeria) Placed in God's care (Yoruba-Nigeria)

Fujo

Bom

Fumiya

Suffering (Ewe-Nigeria)

Fuvi

A child bom into

Oahanthatp Tm/n

Thev don't

Gani

Pure gold (Somali)

Gbama

Eighth child, meaning "not

Geediya

Bom during a journey (Somali) Bom when the camels save too little milk

Fola

Folade

fortune TYoruba-Nieeria^ npho-Nij?eria'i

after parent's departure (Swahili -East

Africa)

Gella

like

suffering (Ewe-Nigeria)

me

fBotswana^

much"

(Sierre

Leone) to

celebrate (Somali)

What

Guva

more precious than a child (Igbo-Nigeria) Wanted bv no one (Mali) Bom between the monsoon seasons (Somali) Grave, serious (Zezwru-Zimbabwe)

Haban

Good on

Habika Hadiya

Sweetheart (Somali) Gift (Swahili-East Africa)

Hadson

Bom with

Ginikanwa (m/f) Guedado Gulai

is

all

occasion (Somali)

beautiful baby-hair (which will stay)

30

A Handbook

of African

Names

(Somali) riaiima

Lienue (^owanui-iiasi Aincaj

ilaUIliydlU

DUIll UUIlli^ LUIllilClo

Hareda

Rainwater (Somali)

Hasina

Good

V^^VVdlllll I-/dai /Allied^

(Swahili-East Africa)

Hayat

Liie (^ouoanj

Hembadoon Hodan

The winner

Huria

Independent, Independence (Algeria)

iCiunciiyiii

nupe

luUWu

Fllal LIlllU UUIIl dllCI IWlIla

Iff lie

LUVe

Tftin

ll^iiL ^^oUlIldll^

Tfra Hid T

r\

O

ineornd z;^

iiicyiii

wd

inesinacni

(Tiv. Nigeria)

Prosperity (Somali)

^iDiDiu-i>igend^

V.

I

I

UIUUd-l>l^CIldy

UIUUd-lM^CIld^

ndppy ^oonidii^ A welcome cniiQ

(^igDO-iNigeridj

iiicre IS iiuuiiiig iiK.e d ciiiiu ^^igDO-i>igeiid^

All

comes mrougn aivine proviaence

(^igoo-

isigeriaj

LucKy

lllUUIIld

vjooci lucK,

ige

Doiii leei uisL

V i

IJCUIlld

A gooajoumey

Ikusegham

Peace

ciiuu v^igDO-iNigend^

uruud-i>igend^

i^iguo-iNigeridj

Indadeeka

war (Benin-Nigeria) She who pleases the eye (Somali)

T ^nina 11 1 Id Idl

DUiii uii iviuiiudy ^^ouiiidii^

T

^okp

ly aiJyJ

TypKp

Jabu

A

is

better than

JidLlSiyillg ^111 IIUIII

iviuiiier iids

come

njiig CApccieu

VJUu

DdCK.

i

i^DCIllll-lNlgCI Id^

oruud-iNigend^

ciiiiu ^DCiiiii-i>igend^

Rr\rT> uuiiiig HiitHnfT idiiiy rQin\/ oCdouii Cf»i4cr\n v^ivieiiuc-ociicgdi^ ^\A(^nr\(^ Q#=»ri\i/ii

PrnviHf»H Hpnth Hnpc not nvprtakp

iiq /^Ttrhn-

i>i^cridj

Rihi 11 11 13

r\ sllUllg-UUlieU LHJy V.'JUilldll^

one

Rom uftf»r r\Qrf»ntc ouiii aiici paiciild

h^H Qonp without diiiuisi^ii wiuiuui r*hilHrpn iidti ^uiic

fV>r ikji

Inno^ nprinri

Cinnfl v_iv/v^\j

npws f^Snmali^ iiv^wo y^kjV-/! 1 1 cii ly

mv

Ritnmn

I ikp i^iiv^

Robo

Rp hiimblp rF^wp-Ohana^

RopI V

Yniinjy

Boseda

Bom

111 y

fathpr idliis^i Tllnnpr Wilt*/ lyL/Vi Vnlta^ \^

bnv rrrambia^

on a Sunday (Tiv-Nigeria) don't want (anything) (Senegal)

Bougouma

I

Riinp

Oift tn r^arpnt^ Inner awaitin(T a rhilH

TRpmba-

75imHi 51^ Z^dillUldy MJ

WCl Tal a wi^ \iyu^\Jlil iyil^CIid^

Chikpzip V^i 11 IVV^^^l^

ividy vJuu LiCdLC well

Chie^anii

Chikosi

Chikwendu Chimanga Chinangwa Chinouyazura

1

lie

wiceiv

v,-i^f5VJiii

Life depends on

^ 1

guu-ii igeiid^

ivididwiy

God

(Igbo-Nigeria)

Maize (Ngoni-Malawi) Cassava (Ngoni-Malawi) Will return (Zezuru-Zimbabwe) 41

a a

A Handbook of African Names v^icdiui, vjuu » t/icdiure v.-i^^uiii-z^diiiuid^ T'Vip TiPYf r^np* IIIC IlCAl UlllU, UIIC cf»r*r>nH aCCUIlU, thirH

CIC f*tr*

r'ViilH V/IlllU

nftpr fircf illdl dllCI

V^IlUIIid

Chuma Chuma

Iron (Tanzania)

Phiitrh

Thp 1 lie

Wealth or rosary (Zezuru-Zimbabwe) tinv r>np piCllldlUlC r\rpmatiirp ^^^^^lmHia^ Lilly UllC) V.v-'dlllUld^

Pptich rCU^il

^^"liiniMci _T Tf^r\pr \/r\lt!J^ ^\JLII UllM-UppCI y KJlia)

Cntnlama

T

LJaKXa.

A philH hair ^Y^\^l^\^l-^^i(TP^i^l^ L'llllU with 1^ l^Cild^ /A Willi piirlv L/Uliy lldll V, ^ Ul uUd

1/

udiiiidr

1

Ipavp

it

to rroH r^amntia-l Innpr Volfa^

idveiier ^ounidii )

Rom ijuiii on uii PriHsiv ^iiaUid i^i^ciid^ riiudy f'Hjiiicji-MitTPriji^ Rom Ull on OUllUdy QiinHciv v^iAdUoa ^T-Tjiiica-MifTPriJi DUlll l>l^Clld^

ivdiij liiiid

l^diiidUi

>

Thp Iqvx/ onp lllC IdZy UIIC

T^/a (TfTilh

L-'eggdll

^ Ckmy\\ ct\ \KJdlliUld)

Plpacant uiic onp /'^omali^ riC/dodiii v,k3VJiiiaiiy l^^old

Hcir\ninpcc Amharif^ ndUpiHCoo t^/AllliidiiC^

l^iUld

(tpH a^ HpqIpt ^Tcrho-Mi IlC/dlCl ^l^UU l^l^Cllay RpHcrionc ^'^om^^l^^ IVCll^lUUo \^OVJllldll/

T^i ini 1^11111

Putmpr ^^l^LMJ-l> ^Tcrho-Mil^Cl CTPrila^ Q r^dllllCl 1-/1IVC

W/Qrrior crho-Mi typri a^ I>l^Clla^ WdlllUl, hrcjvp UldVC ^^i^UU

LyJU^UdlCiC

T'hp momincT npvpr r*Ofnpc ^^r^iimnci-T Tnopr \/olfQ\ VUlluy 1 lie UlUllllll^ llCVCl eVJlllCo V,vJUlUllollJpjJd

hum

A llUlliUiC hip r\prcon A ttin-f^h'inci^ VJlldlld/ r\ L/ClsUll f^/AlVall

RIpccpH ^^^omali^

Dii 'alp

PiiirL'-cl'innpH /^^omali^ l-^dl IV-dK lllilCU V^OUllIdHy

imi rf»ri\/i LyUK.UZ,UIIluI Cliyi

r IdlhC

Dumisani

Herald (Ndebele-Zimbabwe)

T^itLri 1 VI

1

ue LU VJUU i^rvWdllUd^

Durojaiye

Wait and enjoy the world (Yoruba-Nigeria)

i^Ui UJl

/^\i/npr ui of ydiiiac \^i^uu-i>i^ciidy ^Tcrho-Mi ctpH ^^^ vjwiier

Diiiih

^\i/pat OWCdL

r^mil anp

\A/iirrior or ) llltdlil mpjint to IV/ VVdlllUl, Ul

Eberechukwu

God's mercy (Igbo-Nigeria)

Ehioze

Above people's jealousy (Benin-Nigeria)

Ejiikeme

Do

Ekeamaka

Nature

^^omjjli^ \^v3Ulllall^

hp nnp UllC ^^^omali^ V,»^vJlll^ CI A V/ VI 1 Vf VI

VI

11

1

C

Vll VI T 1 V4 XT A

m

\ ^

Cl^^V/X A

Kenvfl^

smiles every time (Abaluyia-Kenya)

Sipho

A gift (Xhosa-S.

Sisay

Treasure (Amharic)

Siwema

Cruel, unkind, nick-name (Tanzania)

Siyad

Another (new)

Siyazini

Siindu Tm/n

What do we know? (Ndebele-Zimbabwe) Thp spvpnth child mcaninp not much Pood

Sutav

The X IV/ survivor ClIIll-/ld O u T V wl (^Oamhia^ V

Taabu

J.TAV/V VA Ly

Tabansi

l-^AAVAVAAV/ Ly

Africa)

man

(Somali)

fKono-Sierre Leone^

Taiwo Tanga Tarah

I

1

1

/

Met un with Idly encountered X Wl dA M V WV/ VI (Tanzania^ A A

Vft A

1

io

V/ 1 V/

AA

\

#

Endure oatientlv TIsbo-Niseria) ^AC^V/AAM/ L V/l

bom

First X 1 1 O L L/V/ 1

A i-A T

A

1 1

of twins lv3 (^Yoruba-Nit?eria^ y X Vy VI Ly CI A ^ f^^* / v/l V

l

I *

*

1

TMossi-UDDer Mountain & vy VA yATAv/utJA vyLyLyv/* Volta) vv* c The onlvY bov iviaaaia y TSomali^ w^v/aaa^aaa X lAV' v/iii lll the ciiv/ familv cy vy T in X

A A

*

vyj.

V4 A A A

/

\

/

Tehett

Be consoled (Igbo-Nigeria) The oldest in the family (Gambia) One day all will be seen (Gurunsi-Upper Volta) The one y(Gambia^ v/iiv/ v/i c*y xxiw troublesome LyXV/kj vy Cl

Tesfave (m/f)

( J.TXy llV/Ly^ y^illlll Itll

Thako

Hin ly XTICIIC* X XI Ly fNponi yJ-^tlVylll -Malawi^ (Neoni-Malawi) Ground x m *»vy ivi y vy

Tasie

Taw Tediouakaba

Thambo 1 111^1

IIU

Vi

Mv 1

i A 1

v-» cii 1

V'

1

hone Amharic^ v^y

i "

V* 1

1

k^a.

ia»

v%

* #

Chief rSpncjran

Timir

Palm date (Somali)

Tobechukwu

Praise

Tsal ani

Tsitsiwn

Good-bve fNtioni-Malawi^ x a vax vy V-^ vy v/ vi vy yX A^e counts iiiv/1 more yx-/ TEwe-Ghana^ T» v^iicuiciy x^V/ V/v/vtiii-o

Tuwile

Death

Uba

Wealthy (Igbo-Nigeria) Wealth in children (Igbo-Nigeria)

Ubariwa

God y V/

(Igbo-Nigeria) ^

a*a

V/

is

vi

a /

V/

inevitable (Kenya)

52

A Handbook Uchechukwu Uchenna Udechukwu Udegbulam

Udenwa Udo Ufa Ugas

Ugo Ugochukwu Ugwunna

of African

God's plan (Igbo-Nigeria) God's plan (Igbo-Nigeria) God's fame (Igbo-Nigeria) May my fame not kill me (Igbo-Nigeria) Child's fame (Igbo-Nigeria) Peace (Igbo-Nigeria) Flower (Ngoni-Malawi) King (Somali) Eagle (lebo-Nieeria)

Eagle of God; illustrious (Igbo-Nigeria) Father's fame (Igbo-Nigeria)

Ulus

Abundance (Igbo-Nigeria) Calm and smart (Somali)

Umi

Life (Yao-Malawi)

Uwadiegwu Uwaezuoke Uzoamaka

The world is deep (Igbo-Nigeria) The world is imperfect (Igbo-Nigeria) Road is splendid (Igbo-Nigena)

Uzoechina

May

Uzondu

Uzoma

The way of life (Igbo-Nigeria) The right way (Igbo-Nigeria)

Wakgotla

He belongs

Wambua

Bom during

Uju

Names

the road not close (Igbo-Nigeria)

to this place

(Botswana)

rainy season or

downpour (Akan-

Kenya)

Wamukota Wanjala Wardeera

Warsame

Left-handed (Abaluyia-Kenya)

Bom during

a famine (Maragoli-Kenya)

Famous (Somali) The bringer of good news; one

truly

needed

(Somali)

Watende

No

Watsie (m/f)

Arrived with the locusts (Botswana)

Wehliye

Companion (Somali) Never satisfied with his wealth (Luganda-Uganda) The sun (Mossi-Upper Volta) God's protection (Mossi-Upper Volta) God's power (Mossi-Upper Volta)

Wemusa Windiga Windgudi

Windpanga

revenge (Tanzania)

53

A Handbook of African Names God (Mossi-Upper

Windpoera

Part of

Yaa ga yone Yao Yawa (Yaw)

The long awaited one (Gambia)

Yirimuah Yobachi

Fame

Zahur Zawadi (m/f)

Flower (Swahili-East Africa)

Zelleke

Has done

Zesiro

Elder of twins (Luganda-Uganda)

Zuberi

Strong (Swahili-East Africa)

Volta)

Bom on Thursday (Ewe-Ghana) Bom on Thursday (Akan-Ghana) Pray

gift

has gone (Sissala-Ghana)

to

God

(Igbo-Nigeria)

(Tanzania) well;

54

gone

far

(Amharic)

PART

III:

Brief Essays on Certain Ethnic and

Regional Languages

Brief Essays on Certain Ethnic and

Regional Languages

BENIN ceremony which denotes a number of important events in the calendar of child birth among the Gouns of South and east Dahomey. It is a ceremony (a ritual feast) which involves some merry making. It is the occasion when the mother **sees" the sun for the first time following

The

'*outing" is a

when a priest finds out who the child is, that is, who reincarnated him. Finally, it is the time when the child is given a name.

childbirth.

It is

also the occasion

This event takes place seven is

a

(if

the child

is

a female) or nine (if the child

male) days after childbirth. In general, among the Goun a child is bom with name, the name of the day of the week in which he is bom. Names refer to

events surrounding birth and could be an expression of joy or sorrow. Several

names are given to a child, especially by its aunts, and each giver has to **buy" the name given, by a gift of money. The mother eventually decides what name is called, but where the grandfather is Here are some Goun names:

the child

Dossou (m) Dossi

(f)

Dosa (m)

Dohwe

(f)

still

alive his choice prevails.

Bom after twins Bom after twins Bom after Dossou or Dossi Bom after Dossou or Dossi 57

A Handbook of African Names Toffa (m)

Affoyon (m)

Donyo (m) Godonou (m) Dohwevi (f) Agogsou (m) Houssou (m)

Comlam (m)

The country is calm (name of king) Welcome; bom at the right time Third after twin

The

last

bom

Third after twin

Bom on the wrong Bom in a jacket Bom on Friday Bom on Sunday

Sede (f) Bidoun (0 Hwesu (m) Hwesi (f) Hwesa (m)

The joy of birth; Bom at noon Bom at noon

Hwese

Following a child

(f)

Zinsou (m) Zinsa (0

Agogbe

(f)

Yeyinou

(f)

birth is a pleasure

Following a child

Name Name

bom bom

Bom during the feast of the dead Glorious; a glorious event Futility;

Words are useless The space is empty

Adjoto (m)

Padonou (m) Kouto (m)

at

given to twins

Hovokou (m)

Adjovi (m)

noon noon

at

given to twins

Djohodo (m) Ayivodgi (m)

side

paying attention to useless things

A prince A thief, a usurper Bom outside the home A child who fights against death; struggles to live

Agbola (m) Adande (m) Ogonshola (m) Agavi (m) Kosu (m)

Kosa (m)

Kohwe

(f)

The ram is ready to fight The challenge; the challenger The giftof "Ogun"^ The child of**Afa"^

Bom of a long pregnancy Rnm nf a lonc^ nrpjrnanrv Bom after Kosi/Kosu Bom after Kosi/Kosu

58

he

who

A Handbook of African Names Bom with much water Bom with much water Bom on the road Bom on the road Bom in the market place Bom in the market place

losu (m)

(0 Alihonu (m) losi

Alihosi (0

Axisu

(f)

Axisi (m)

Other Dahomean-Benin Names Nyakadja (m) Nyasanu (m)

Rough-skinned

Nyawi (m) Nyonu Podwe (0 Nyonu vi (f) Nyonu wi (f)

man Short woman Little woman Black woman

Abiku (m/f)

Bom to die

Traditionally,

Son of men Black

some Dahomean

children are

named according

to the

These children derive their names from mothers or fathers or from both. These are special

religious affiliations of their parents.

the cult-groups of their

names. Here are some examples:

A woman who belongs to the Sky cult will call her first child Asogbakitikli if male

(F).

or Agbale

The

third child is

father has

The second child is called Azovidi (M) or Chadasi named after the father's *Ta" or destiny name. If the

if female.

no *Ta," the child

given an ordinary name.

is

The first three children of a woman who worships the God of Thunder would be named respectively: 1 Sosu (M), Sosi (F); 2. Sosa (M), Sosixwe (F); 3. Soye (M), Sosivu (F). In the same manner the first three children of a woman who worships the God of the Sea are called respectively: 1. Tosu (M), Tosi (F); 2. Tosa (M), Tosihwe (F); 3. Togbadji (M), Tohwevi (F). .

Ordinary, non-cult names can also be used here,

For the

first

three boys the following

Huna, Hunyo and Hugbadji. For used.

They mean 'belonging

if so

desired by the parents.

names would then

girls,

Huno, Husi and Husihwe would be

to the sea.'

59

respectively be used:

A Handbook of African Names Botswana Segametse

(f)

Motlalepula

(f)

Drawer of water Brought with rain

Otlaadisa (m)

He

Kebonyethebe (m) Kaboyamodimo (m/f)

I have got a God's gift

Mpho

Gift

(m/f)

will look after animals (domestic)

Wakgotla (m)

God (he) is I am lucky He belongs

WaUala

Who

Onalenna (m/f) Kesegofetse (m/f)

(f)

Watsie (m/f) Mogale (m)

Motlhabani (m)

with

me

to this place

arrived during the year of famine

Arrived with the locusts

A brave one A fighter

Mogolodi (m)

Marksman Redeemer

Moatlhodi (m)

Judge

Lore (m)

A

Sehudi (m)

shield

guide or supporter

(literally

means a

walking stick used by the aged) Ntshadi (0

Nick-name

for

little girls

or used to denote

beauty

Gabanthate (m/f)

Nick-name for a little boy Thanks Posthumous: He has comforted us loss of dear one They don't Hke me

Kebaitse (m/f)

I

Simane (m) Malebogo (m/f) Ogomoditse (m/f)

don't

know them,

after the

or, a stranger

Cameroun: The Bassa

Among the Bassa of Eastern Cameroun the suffix ''Ngo" is used to denote name of a girl. Ngo is a slight modification of a longer word, Ngod, which **the daughter of" Thus Ngo Batum would mean the daughter of Batum. As a rule the girl would be known by no other name.

the

means

60

A Handbook There

is

of African

Names

a socio-mystical reason behind this form and practice of naming

a female child.

It is

believed generally that a girl belongs to her father's

family, even after she has been married and

is

staying with her

new

family.

The Bassa believe that a girl's strength lies in her family and not in that of her husband. Secondly, Bassa tradition does not encourage the affirmation of

female identity. The

remain

in the

in the traditional to girls

woman

is

supposed

to

be inconspicuous, and should

background. This philosophy translates the place of the

woman

Bassa society. The Bassa believe also that other names given

normally disappear after marriage and that the only name which can

identify a girl permanently

is

that

which associates her

to her father's

compound.

On the contrary, boys

names of the grandfathers. The name to his child before he has had three of four his own personal name. According to our infor-

are given one of the

father as a rule cannot give his children.

He can

mant boys

then give

bear:

Names taken completely from outside the family. Such a name could be symbolical: Ngos parrot, Nje lion, courage Njock elephant, one who has an important social value. (b) Names that reflect the psychological state of the parents during or (a)

—

—

before childbirth: Sohna child

—

—

anxiety; a prayer addressed to a

may live, Pegwo disappointment Names expressing the relationship

—

god asking that the

between a family and the rest of the society: Ntamak jealousy, Ponok revenge, Bonok a vague promise or warning. A child 's name is usually given by the father. The naming ceremony is performed on the ninth day if a male child and on the seventh day (c)

—

if a

existing

—

—

female child.

Chad: The Sara

A small family feast is one of the highlights of a naming ceremony among the Sara of Chad. A male child is named on the third day after birth (three, among the Sara

'le signe de Vhomme). For a female child the ceremony takes place on the fourth day. The quality of the feast and the people invited depend mainly on the social status of the is

regarded as the masculine number,

Names recall the ancestry of the individual and are taken from the family "genealogical tree." Names reveal the special talents of members of family.

61

A Handbook of African Names .

the

same family, and sometimes

I,

refer to their occupation.

A name

like

N'guississandje, the founder of the family of lions, shows that the family has a tradition of producing fine hunters that refers to a strong,

names

kill lions.

Tomalbaye (Tombalbaye)

courageous man, while Kutu and

for twins. Dila

is

a

common name

Mbagun

are feminine

for boys.

Gambia Pachan (m/f) Kebugul Katim (m)

The

Sutay

The saviour

Bai serigne daara

Scholar

Chaat

Yaa ga yone

The youngest in the family The oldest in the family The long awaited one

Kani (0 Bai bouki

baby girl The ugly one

Boely (m)

Young boy

Njai jatta

Lion, or, brave one

Batch

Counterpart, or, opposite

Deggeh

The lazy one Grandmother

No

pet, or, the spoiled

one

First

Taw

trusts

one

you

son

First

Magu

Troublesome tiny one (premature baby)

Tehett

The

Chutch

Ghana: The Akans

Among the Akans, one of the largest ethnic and linguistic groups in Ghana, a child

is

named

after the seventh

day from the day of its birth. 'come to stay.'

It is

assumed

that after this period of time the child has

The ceremony is performed in the parents' home and starts very early in the It consists of a simple ritual. The elder of the family, usually the grandfather of the child, plants the child between his legs; by his side is a bowl

morning.

of water containing a sacred leaf called the Atwein (the mind), prepared specially for the occasion.

The elder prays 62

to the

Gods and asks them

to bless

A Handbook of African Names The father then says the name of the child. The elder dips his fingers into the bowl of water and drips the water from his fingers three times into the mouth of the child, saying: 'If you have come to stay this is your name. May the child.

among us.' After this the child is given to the mother. Relations and friends who came for the ceremony present their gifts to the child. In principle every Akan child has a birthday name corresponding to the day of the week when the child is bom, and a positional name corresponding to you

live

his birth position in the family.

Day

of the

Week & Birthday Names Among Akan

English

Birthday

the

Names

Boys

Dwouda

Monday

Girls

Kodjo/Kwadwo Kobina/Kwabena

Benada Wednesday Wukuda

Tuesday

Akans

Kwaku/Kweku

Yaw

Adjua/Adwoa Abena/Araba Akua/Ekua Yaa

Thursday

Yawda

Friday

Fida

Kofi

Afua/Efua

Saturday

Memeneda

Kwame/Kwami

Amm a/Abba

Sunday

Kwasidu

Kwesi/Kwasi

Akosua/Esi/Asi

Apart from the birthday names indicating the day of the week when an individual

is

bom,

there

is

also the positional

birth position in the family. This practice

name which corresponds to the of giving names according to

whether the child was the first or second bom in the family recalls the ancient Romans' method of using numerals for the first name of some of their children, e.g., Quintus, Sextus, etc.

Name

Position

Baako (m/0

bom 2nd bom 3rd bom 4th bom 4th bom 4th bom

Manu

(m/f)

Mensa (m/f) Mansa (m/f) Anan (m/f) Anani (m/0

1st

63

A Handbook of African Names bom 6th bom 7th bom 7th bom 8th bom 9th bom

Enu (m/0

5th

Nsia (m/f)

Asong

(m/f)

Nsonowa (m/f) Awotwi (m/f) Nkruma (m/f)

(A magic number:

to

be 9th

is

very

special!)

Badu

(m/f)

10th

Baduwa (0

10th

Baidoo

10th

It is

(f)

bom bom bom

only in some very exceptional circumstances that the

exceeds ten children. According bear the

name Dubaku

—

to

Akan

family

my informant, there are few children who

literally, ten

plus one, which indicates the eleventh

It is even rarer to find a family with twelve children. Today, among the Akans, however, it is possible to find a child who is called Mensa, for instance, but who is not necessarily the third bom in the

position in the family.

when

name does not convey a factual meaning, but expresses an emotional attitude. The child in this case may have been named after the father, or the grandfather, or some other person dear to the family. But the history of the name will reveal that the original bearer was the third family. This

bom

is

the case

a

in the family.

The Akans

also have a system of combining birthday

position names, done by prefixing the birthday

name

names with the birth to the birth position

name. From such a combination a name will reveal not only the day an individual was bom but also his 'rank' in terms of the number of children the parents have in his family. Thus the first daughter of a man bom on Sunday would be called Esibaako. Its Igbo equivalent of Nwanyi-Sunday, simply indicates the sex and the birthday of the child and is less clear in that it does at the same Ume indicate the birth position of the girl in the family. The same defect is found in Igbo names like Adaeke a girl bom on the market day Eke, and Mgbeorie a girl bom on Orie, and in Ibibio/Efik equivalents of Efioanwan and Aret. Names like Kwesinsia, Abunsonowa, Esibaduwa,

not

—

—

Esibotwe (Gaa), in Akan are formed by the beauUful combinafion of birthday names with birth posiuon names.

64

A Handbook of African Names Some Other Akan Names

Name

Meaning

/\Dcrijnd

rdlllCl Ul IIIUUICI UI oVJlllC UlllCl IClaLlVJll

yjii)

whpn A fa m

(

m /V\

/\U Will

philH

FripnHlv /Alllbl,

v,iii )

InvJil

LlCdlUl

T'hf* u pdll r^iiir rtf LWlllS Ul twine 1 lie \/oiir>cTf»r jUUll^Cl r^f Ul a

/\lilK.UIIId v,lll/l/

Aiflnn/FHii

Arri vpH

DUdlUl

)

TnHpr\pnHf*nf minHf*H lllUCjJCllUClIL llllllUCU

UWdlllllld

l^IIl^

JVUlIll

i^iedrt'i Ul wdyis,

cuuid^cuuo

FUiceiui

)

Kumiwa (0

A killer;

Nyako (m)

God-like; friendly

Buruku (m) Afram (m)

Named Named Named

Tra (m)

Ewe Names (Upper

Among

UlCU

waQ horn

brave

after the deity

'Buruku'

after the river

'Afram'

after the river 'Tra'

Voltaic Region of

Ghana)

Ewes of the Volta Region of Ghana names follow closely the Akan names. Names given to the child are closely related to the week when it is bom. Every Ewe child has a birthday name plus two or three other names by which it is identified. the

pattern to be found in

Female Name:

Male Name:

Meaning:

Adzo Abla

Kodjo Kobla

Aku

Koku

Bom on Monday Bom on Tuesday Bom on Wednesday Bom on Thursday Bom on Friday Bom on Saturday Bom on Sunday

Awo

Yawo

Afi

Kofi

Ami, Ama Kwasiho

Kwami, Kwame Kosi, Kwasi

65 I

A Handbook of African Names Other Ewe Names I>l

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)

eSUlU

Lu suiicniig

God gave it to me ouu s i^rediiuii

)

Deiongs

jcsua

lu

TThprp'c JilwjivQ thp ^nvinr

T

nlnnvn

J->UlUil ^111/1 )

I

ife

1

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ic Kp^iiitifiil

T'hprp'c ul\i/Q\/c iuvc 1o\/p iiicie s diwdys o\/p IC

cwppt

1-«U1UV1V1 \v)

T

Dodzi (m)

Have courage Hope

Mokpokp

(f)

God

Mawulolo (m/f) Nonona (m/f)

Gifty

oroua

Respect

rj/iom

(^i;

oCld

ljoci

juy

onango

vjiven oy

Royal

Abiola (m)

Bom

Adebayo (m)

He came

Akinlabi (m)

We

Akintudc (m)

It is

Ajamu (m)

He who

Bandele (m)

Bom

during the

new year

in a joyful

time

have a boy a

boy again takes his booty or prize after a fight

away from home 108

A Handbook of African Names Adelaju (m)

It is

crown

the

that settles

Ogunseye (m)

Ogun

has acted well

Olabisi (m)

Joy

increased

Olatunde (m)

Joy comes again

Olujimi (m)

God's

Kayode (m) Idowu (m) Taiwo (m)

He came

Kehinde (m) Alaba (m) Ademola (m) Oluremi (m) Adelabu (m) Abimbola (f) Abidemi (0 Adebola (f)

Adebomi Adedewe Ade (f)

(f) (f)

is

Bom

gift

First of twins

Second of twins Bom after Idowu A crown is added

God

to

wealth

The crown passed through deep water

Bom to be rich Bom during father's

absence

The comer who met honor Crown covers my nakedness The crown is shattered Royal

Adesimbo

A

(f)

(f)

(f)

Kunle (m)

Ebun (f) Femi (0

has become a thing of worth achieves happiness has honor

noble birth

To meet her is to love her Good fortune walks with honor The home is filled with honors Gift

Folade

(f)

Love me Honor The king arrives Honor arrives

Folami

(f)

Respect and honor

Fola

my

consoles

Crown Crown Crown

Akarale

with joy; he brought joy

after twins

Adedoja (0 Adeleke (f) Adeola (f)

Fayola

(God give)

(f)

Obadele (m)

Honor bestows

at

the house

me

Folashade (0 Folayan (f)

To walk

lyabo (0 lfe(0

Mother has come home Love

a

crown

in dignity

109

A Handbook of African Names Ifetayo

Love brings happiness

(f)

Modupe

(f)

I

am am

grateful

Monifa (f) Abimbola (0 Olufemi (0 Olufunke (f)

God God

Olaniyi (0

There

Olufunmilayo Akinyele (m)

I

lucky

Bom

(f)

God

be rich

to

loves gives

to

be loved

glory in wealth

is

gives

Valour

me me

me joy

profits this

house

Akinshiju (m)

Valour arouses/wakes

Akintude (m)

A

Akinsheye (m) Akinwole (m) Akinsanya (m) Akinlabi (m) Akinlawon (m)

Valour behaves honorably

Akinlana (m) Akinshegun (m)

Ayobami (0 Dada (0 Oni

(f)

Titilayo

(f)

boy has come again

Valour enters

We have

boy

Valour, bravery

Valour conquers I

am

blessed with joy

A child with curly hair Bom in a sacred place Happiness Several

Famous The king

(f)

a

Bravery sustains them

Mongo

Obafemi

house

The hero avenges

lyapo (m)

(m)

this

is

etemal

trials

likes

me

Olafemi (m)

King of the world The king enters the house Ogun has gathered honor A male child bom after several daughters Wealth Wealth comes home Wealth favors me

Olamina (m)

This

Olaniyan (m) Olatunji (m)

Honors (wealth) sorrow Honor awakens again

Olu (m)

Pre-eminent; excellent

Obataiye (m)

Obawok (m) Ogunkeye (m) Okalawon (m) Ola (m) Oladele (m)

is

my

110

wealth

me

A Handbook

of African

Olubayo (m) Olufemi (m)

The highest joy

Olugbala (m)

Sorrow

Olujimi (m)

God gave me

Olukayode (m) Olumide (m) Olumiji (m)

(My) Lord brings happiness (My) Lord arrives (My) Lord awakens

Olushegun (m) Olushola (m)

God God

Olutosin (m)

Praise be to god

Oluyemi (m)

Fulfillment from god

Omotunde (m)

A

God

Names

me

loves

this

the victor

is

has blessed

me

comes again The consoler will come Money is good; it is good to have money The wise healer sought me out Bom face downwards

Onipede (m)

Owodunni Sowande (m) Ajayi (m)

child

Bom feet first A difficult delivery.

Ige (0

Ojo (m)

Rwanda: The Watutsi named about a week from

was bom, although there are instances where children have been given names earlier than this period of time. On the day of naming there is a feast for children, some of whom are invited to suggest names the child should be called. Usually, however, it is the name suggested by the parents that is given to the child. Generally a child

Names

is

the day

it

are given with particular consciousness of meaning.

Mimmbi

(m)

Uwingabiye (0 Rusanganua (m)

Bom when God The

was raining

child has joined the others; a

to the son

Bizimana (m) Wimana (m) Birasa (m)

it

sent

of a second wife

Only God knows Belongs

Things

to

that

111

God resemble

name given

A Handbook of African Names Other Rawanda Names

A brave man Bom during the reign of Metara Bom in time of war

Sentwaki (m)

Mukamutara (f) Mukamtagara (0 Bamgaboix) (m) Habimana (m) Hakizimama (m) Nkudinshuti (m)

There There

God I

is

liice

is

dispute in the family

is

God

the saviour

friends

Senegal

Among the Wolof, the largest single ethnic group in Senegal, children take name or the family name of their father. Matriarchal family is Wolof by Khet. Names in general have no meanings except to the genealogical tree. For instance, in the Walo region where

the tribal

designated in identify

succession is essentially through the matemal side, the chiefs and the notables are

known by Khet, and instead of saying we are from the N'Diaye or M'Bodj

family

—

these are patriarchal

names

—people

signify their origin

by pointing

to the mother's side.

Patemal relationship

is

defined thus both by the patriarchal family and the

matriarchal system. The most commonly used patronymical names, transmit-

by the males, are Diop, Ndiaye, Mbang, Fall, Gueye, Mbaye, Sek, Diao, etc. Heritage through the patemal side gained prominence with the advent of ted

Islam.

The Toucoulor that of the lineage.

Ly, Dia,

Si,

mle give each child three names, the last of which is As a mle Toucoulor names include Kane, Tall, Ball, Wane, as a

Ba, Thiam.

Each and every Wolof child has

a traditional

name which carries with it the

reminiscence of the past, and usually refers to the ancestors: 1

.

The Dieng

is

a very old tribe

which

is

said to belong to the

same

tribe as

the Fall. 2.

The

Fall are descendants of a powerful

and large family

—

the

Damel of

Cayor, once the vassal of Boubou Djollof. 3.

The N'Diaybe of Bakel are the N'Diaye who once lived in the upper river

(the Senegal).

112

A Handbook 4.

The

M

'

Names

of African

Beng pass for the most ancient tribe from the East and still inhabit

the region of Djollof.

The N'Diaye are the descendants of Bouba Djollof or N'Diadia 'u, the monarch who grouped the people of Wolof under his authorThis fact confers on the N'Diaye the title of the most noble among the

5.

twelfth century ity.

Wolofs. 6.

The

traditional chiefs of

Dakar

are usually the

Diop and

the

Bour Guet

Silmakha Diop. Senegalese names can be pointers

to the

socio-economic origins of the

Thiam refers to a family of smiths, The shoemakers belong to the family M'Bao. Wolof the naming ceremony takes place a week after the birth

bearers or of their parents. For instance, jewelers, and artisans.

Among the

of the child. Friends and relatives are a large gathering if it

is

held late morning in the

The child

is

washed

in

informed and invited. Usually there

naming ceremony of a first child. The ceremony compound where the child is bom. medicine some water in which items like leaves,

is

is

all

the

—

grasses, a bark and a silver ring have been added. Spread in the center of the

which an old woman sits with the child on her lap, covered in white cloth. The baby is then shaved and made wet with water. By the side of the old woman is a clay bowl containing red and white kola nuts, cotton and suna, each having a symbolic significance. The red kola

compound

is

the

ceremony mat

in

signifies long Hfe, the white kola signifies

good

luck, and the

suna and cotton

signify blessing.

After the shaving, the hair

man

is

carefully gathered, and an elder of a learned

rubs his hands on the head of the child and prays and spits in

implant the

name of

the child in

its

announced and a collective prayer for the child

is

offered. Usually an animal

head.

The name of

a long life is

killed

its

the child

ear to

is

then

and prosperity on behalf of

and the

rest

of the day

is

spent

feasting.

Other common Wolof first names include (for men): Alasan,Ali, Babukar, Dauda, Demba, Dudu, Madi, Malik, Mamadu, Musa, Omar, Samba, Usman. Common feminine names include Adam (for twins), Aminanta, Binata, Hadi, Hauma, Jaineba, Mariama, Ramatulai.

These names are also found among the other ethnic groups in Senegal. This between the various ethnic groups and also due to the predominant influence of Islam. A child may be called Sen

is

largely because of the interaction

113

A Handbook

of African

(rubbish heap) or

Names

Buguma

(not wanted) if the

mother has had frequent

or her children have died as infants.

stillbirths,

Some Names From

Senegal

Sagar

Duster

Sen

Dustbin, garbage pail; nickname

Bougouma

I

don't want (anything)

Alarba

Bom on Monday Bom on Friday Bom on Wednesday Bom on Wednesday

Ndakhte Salam

Because Peace

Serigne

Chief

Altine

Ajouma Daba

Thiemo

Chief

Khott

Kebougoul

Empty Nobody

Pi tie

Bird

that's the

trusts

way

it is

you

Sierre Leone

bom bom

Sahr (m)

First

Sia (0

First

Sundu (m)

Seventh son, meaning not

Gbama

son daughter

much good meaning "not much"

Eighth child,

(m/f)

(0 Jibawo (m)

The The

Jabu

Bom during rainy season Bom on a festival day Bom during a family crisis

Jilo

(f)

Kume (0 Manjia (0

sole survival sole survival

Somalia Somalia names refer to specific events individual

was bom.

A

child

is

named 114

a

—

especially to the season

week

after

it

is

when an

bom. The naming

A Handbook ceremony is

a feast in

its

of African

Names

own right. Professional singers are invited, goats are

slaughtered, and relatives and friends arrive. According to the Islamic

Koran is read to bless the child, and f the child is a girl it is named Kodicha or Asha. Usually it is the father who gives the child a name, but the mother also chooses her own name for the child. The popular name of the child is that given by the father.

tradition the after

i

one of the wives of the Prophet

He who

Roble (m)

—

brings rain

(bom during

the rainy

brings sun

(bom during

the dry

season)

He who

Khoran (m)

season)

Deirlai (f)

Bom between the two seasons Bom between the two seasons Bom between the monsoon season Bom between the monsoon season Bom during the full moon Bom during the dry season Bom during the dry season

Shermarke (m)

He who

Rhamah

(f)

Sweet She who brings rain She who brings the sun She who satisfies, pleases

(f)

Bright

Nadif (m) Nadifa (0 Gu (m) Gulai

(f)

Diah (m) Teir (m)

Roblai

(f)

(f)

Khoranhlai I

Deka Ayan

(f)

brings luck

Jwahir

(f)

The golden woman

Amina

(f)

Tmstful

Ashia (0 Kadija (f)

The Prophet's The Prophet's

Aziza (0

Gorgeous Holy giri

Kalifa

(f)

Sharufa

Habiba Jemila

(f)

(f) (f)

The outstanding Sweetheart Beautiful

Shamfa (0

Sunshine

Daib

Excellent

(f)

favorite wife

eldest wife

115

giri

A Handbook of African Names Galia (m)

The helper

Gnedi (m)

Traveller

Raghe (m)

The one who

Tare (m)

He who divides Good timer

Rahei (m)

Grad (m) Guled (m) Dalmar (m) Jama (m)

lives longest

Prince

Helper Versatile

He who adds

together

South Africa: The Xhosa

Xhosa is one of four languages of the Nguni group (the others

are Ndebele,

Swazi, and Zulu) and, along with the Sotho group, contains what are called ''clicks," represented in

roman

letters

by "c," "q," or "x"

—sounds not

often

heard in English words. Below are a few names often given to boys and girls

and as will be easily noted, they are mostly

attributes of

females and more war-like or sterner qualities for males.

Female Names: Nontlupheko

(f)

Suffering

Nondumiso (0 Nocawe (0

Bom on Sunday

Linda (0

Wait

One inducing

Nondudumo (0

Thunderous

Nolwandle

Sea Consoler

(f)

Nontuthuzelo (0

Nobantu (0 Nozenzele (f) Pumla (0 Thandiwe (f)

Thembeka

(f)

Nonzwakazi (0 Nontobeko (f) Sikose (0

praise

Loved by people

Do

it

yourself

Rest

Beloved Trustworthy Beauty

Meekness Customary 116

peace or love for

A Handbook of African Names Nomsa (0

Kindness

Ntombizodwa (0

All girls

Ntombentle Nozipho (0

Lovely

(f)

girl

Gift

Nomvula (0 Vuyelwa (0 Vuyiswa (0

Rain

Boniswa (f) Noxolo (f) Nontando (f) Nombulelo (0 Nokhwezi (0 Nonkululeko (f) Lindiwe (0

Revealed

Nompumelelo (0 Nombini (f) Nomatha (0 Nomabaso (f) Zine (0 Ntathu (f)

Nongqawuse (f) Nomthandazo (0 Nozibele

(f)

Joy

Made happy Peaceful Full of love

Thanks Morning star Freedom Have waited Success

Two

girls

Surprise Surprise present

Four

girls

Three

girls

Falsehood

Prayed for Generous one

Male Names:

Mayeza (m)

Depends on drugs

Diliza (m)

Destroyer

Zola (m)

Quietness

Ndumiso (m)

Inducing praise

Mthuthuzeli (m)

Consoler

Velile (m)

Vulindlela (m)

Appearance Way-paver

Silulami (m)

Quietness

Mxolisi (m)

Peacemaker Knowledge

Solwazi (m)

117

A Handbook of African Names Mthunzi (m) Mthimkhulu (m) Sondisa (m) Nkokheli (m) Dumisani (m) Mlamleli (m) Bongani (m) Sipho (m) Mbonisi (m) Nkululeko (m)

Shadow Big

tree

Bring near

Leader Praise

Peacemaker Sing happily Gift Instructor

Freedom

Ntsikelelo (m)

Blessing

Jongilanga (m)

Face the sun

Langalibalele (m)

Sun is shining Reminder

Sikumbuzo (m) Mtnetno (m)

Law

Siyolo (m)

Joy

Mxali (m)

Anxiety

Mehlo-makhulu (m) Zwelinzima (m) Mbizo (m)

Big eyes

Zwelihle (m)

Good

Thandw efika (m) Themba (m)

Loved Hope Lucky

Thamsanqa (m) Xola (m) Soya (m) Zwinye (m) Mlungisi (m) Phakamile (m) Mpumelelo (m) KM 11„1 „ / \ Mandlakayise (m) Ndlela (m)

Suffering land

Conference land at first sight

Stay in peace

We

shall

go

One word Corrector Progress

Success

*

Strength of his father

On

the

way

Sozufe (m)

Courageous (Name of Xhosa chief) Never die

Mdengentonga (m)

Short, but a genius

Hintsa (m)

118

A Handbook

of African

Names

Sudan Sudan the naming of a child calls for a special ceremony. The name first day but on the seventh day of the birth of the child. At father of the child picks out a lamb and when the sun rises the that time the lamb is slaughtered and the father says "by the name of God I am going to call my boy or girl so and so." From that day on the child carries that name for the rest of his life. Even if she is a girl she keeps her name without changing it after marriage. On this seventh day, which is known as '*Simayah," all the relatives, friends and neighbors spend the whole day celebrating the "Simayah." Sometimes instead of spending this day at the parents' house, the parents send some of the lamb meat to each family at their home, often as much as two to In the

is

not given in the

three pounds. If the father closest relative will

Names

Some people

and Fatimah for the

Fatimah

is

first girl;

home

not at

at

the day of the **Simayah" his

him.

this for

boys and

differ for

for their child.

do

is

girls.

The

parents can pick any

name

they like

name Mohamed for the first boy Mohamed is the name of the Islamic prophet and

like to give the

These two names are very common. (According God has Ninety-nine names with different meanings

his daughter.

the Islamic religion,

to

and so there are many people who like to call their sons after the various names

—

—

of God, adding the word " Abd"

which means servant in front of the name name would mean servant of God, e.g., Abdul, Abdoulayi, Abdallah). Some are named after famous people. Some people use the names of the days of the week which are Thursday, Friday and Saturday only. Some names are picked only according to their meaning or for the occasion of God. So the

surrounding the

Below

are

birth.

some names

Jamal (m)

Abd Allah (m) Rami (m)

for

boys with

their

meanings. They are Arabic.

Beauty Servant

— of God

Basel (m)

Giving love Brave

Safe el-din (m)

Sword of

Hamid (m)

Thanking God

119

the religion

A Handbook of African Names The conqueror Wise

El-Fatih (m)

Hakim (m) Khamis (m) Jumah (m)

Thursday Friday

Sabit (m) Saed (m) Nazeer (m) Nadir (m) Kareem (m) Magboul (m)

Saturday

Happy

Who

donates?

Rave Generous Accepted

Bahari (m)

Seaman

Irwah (m) Mulik (m)

Resolution

Thair (m)

Amin (m)

Honest and clean Honest

Mamoun

The one whom you have confidence

Owner

(m)

Faki (m)

A

Daw

Light

(m)

religious

man

Female Names Neimat

Maha

Pleasant

(f)

With beautiful eyes

(f)

Sarah (0 Nur(f)

Gives pleasure

Hadiah

Quiet and calm

Sti

Light

(f)

Abua

(0

Ra Uma al-KuU Nadia

(f)

Mother of Full of

(f)

Amira

Master of her father Master of girls

(f)

Sit al-Banal

Queen

(f)

Thuraia (0

Star

Gamer

Moon

Shamis

(f) (f)

Bakhitah

Amal (0

(f)

all

dew

Sun Fortunate

Hopes 120

in

A Handbook Ahlam (0

Dreams

Zihur (0

Flowers

El-Jamah (0

Paradise

of African

Names

Tanzania

Many traditional Tanzanian names refer to specific circumstances and lay emphasis on meaning. Today, however, many young Tanzanians do not always remember the meanings of their names or what particular circumstances they refer to in their family history.

Mzee (m)

Old one (Old man)

Matata (m)

One who makes

Marunda (m)

Hardworking

Masika (m)

Supporter

Mamboleo (m) Akili (m)

Temporary thing Wisdom (One with wisdom)

Knumbe (m)

A

Nsami. (m)

One who moves

Nkiwa (m)

Poverty stricken

Ngoranmi (m)

Blessing

sold person

Mwatabu (m)

Child of sorrow

Maskini (m)

Poor Lion

Simba (m)

Names from East

Swahili

Bom during

Aisha

Life

Asha

(f)

Asura

(f)

a

Bom during the Grief

Aziza (0

Gorgeous

Bahati

Luck, fortune

(f)

wedding

Life

Asya (0

Suhuba (m)

a lot

Africa

Arusi (0 (f)

a lot of fuss

Friend

121

Islamic

month *'Ashur"

A Handbook of African Names Siwatu (m)

Bom

Sudi (m)

Luck

Chausiku (0 Darweshi (m)

Bom

Faraji (m)

Consolation

at a

at

time of conflict

night

Saintly

Haoniyao (m)

Bom during the Idi festival Bom during the time of quarrel

Shonari (m)

Forceful

Idi

(m)

Chuike

(f)

Bom

during the time of animosity

Dalila (0

Gentle

Hasina

Good

(f)

Fujo (0 Jaha (0

Bom

Kesi (0

Jumaane (m)

Bom when father had difficulties Bom at night Bom on Thursday Bom on Friday Bom on Tuesday

Jelani (m)

Mighty

Layla

(f)

Hanisi (m)

Juma (m)

after parents' separation

Dignity

Khalfani (m)

One who

Maulidi (0 Lulu (0

Bom Pearl

Zubevi (m)

Strong

Mosi

is

destined to rule

during the Islamic

Siwazuru (0

The first bom The second bom They are not good

Masud (m)

Fortunate

Mbita (m)

Bom on

(f)

Pili (f)

a cold night

Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) Windpanga Windpoere Windgudi Rimpogbo Windiga

God

'

The

part of

s

power

God

God's protection

Power follows you The sun 122

moth of Maulidi

A Handbook Thf^ tnith 1 Iiv;^ IIULII

oiuiweLRre

ic la

of African

Names

Horn UUlll

oiidiigcr

R vpr i

Mountain

It AVy Ul 11(1 1 1

T

Onp who

pwava

has rptiimpd f child hplieved to be

r(^\r\r"Arr\cii\r\n ui r\f infant hue wiivj iiuo iiiidiiL \x/hn iClllL/dliidliuii

Hipd^ uituy

Diu, ixUVdi rdiUiij' Qr\r\fHin(T T

What

aVanrinp

Diiomo

LIKC

V^Uldlallld

T

1

r^nd nrnnnsp*\

my

IdLIlLI

VJUU ICdVC 11 tr\ lU (TioH Onr* f\'A\f all iill vA/in cppn will Hp Wlic \jixy uv^ accii i

CUlUUdKdUd

it

Djugnatele

Without any following morning

Cora

Fetish

Banugu

Butter

Bali

Forge

Zaire:

The Decolonization of African Names

President Mobuto's "authenticity program" which involved sweeping

changes in the names of many important geographical and historical places in Zaire as well as the dropping of European names by many former Congolese, including the President himself,

is

the

most eloquent example of It is also a good

the growing cultural consciousness of the African people.

all along, namely, that the name a person emblem which may help define his personality. Some of the unfavorable remarks which came in the wake of the changes are not surprising, especially when we realize from what quarters they come.

illustration

bears

is

of the fact I have posited

a significant cultural

Mobutu, for some, may this

still

be considered a stooge of western capitalists, but

should not lead to an unqualified condemnation of all the man's actions.

The cultural

implication of the changes

is

tremendous and should be

fully

comprehended. It is a significant "prise de conscience" by the President of the colonial and neo-colonial situafion of his countrymen and women. The desired goal

is

gradually to lead his people back to the

their cultural heritage, to insfill into

full

appreciation of

them the necessary consciousness for a

better evaluation of things African.

123

A Handbook of African Names The changes

also carry political implications.

self-reliance, an attitude

which

former Congo, and hopefully lead Confidential aptly puts

It is

program of independence of the

a part of a

will further the political

to a brighter political future.

As African

it:

"For Mobutu, the name change was a further step in his constant policy of trying to cut himself and his country off from their past in order to build

(it is

hoped) a brighter, new future." (Vol.

13,

No.

7, p.2)

own

Apart from changing his

personal name, and asking

ministers to do the same. President Seseseko

Mobutu

also

some of

his

changed the

was renamed Lumumbashi, in honor of Zaire s first modem political martyr, Patrice Lumumba. Stanleyville was changed to Kisangani. Stanley Pool also named after the explorer. Sir Henry Morton Stanley, has received the new name of Malebo Pool and so also national anthem of his country. Elizabethville '

was Stanley

Hill

now known

as

Mount Ngaliema. The productive Katanga

province has been rebaptized Shaba, a S wahili word for Copper. Leopoldville ,

had since taken the indigenous name, Kinshasha.

Some

Zairian Names:

Panga (m) Katokwe (f) Dyese (f)

Happiness

Mpyama

Inheritor

(m)

Matungulu (m) Tshishimbi (m)

Creator Blessing; good fortune

Onions Wild rabbit; smart, sneaky person

Zambia Bupe

"Gift,"

it is

given to a child whose parents

had been struggling

to

be blessed with a

child

Choi a (m/0

The next bom.

one: second, third, etc. after

124

first

A Handbook Chinwenwe

(m/f)

This

is

when

of African

Names

also a gift with happiness especially

newly

the

bom

are twins.

Masialeti (m/f)

Bom during a funeral for a family member. Bom of a mother soon to die in childbirth.

Chilenga

^'Creator,"

Sililo (m/f)

it is

associated with the

maker

(God).

Mukolo

A

member of the family. (The name man in that family.) Given to the only female child among the lot senior

of the oldest

Mutinta (m/f)

of boys. Sibajene

Mwambazhi

It

can also he given to a boy

amongst many girls. Given to a child whose grandparents had died just before the child is bom; also means "I did not find them (grandparents)" "What did you say?". Given to a newbom child who seems about to speak out on some subject.

Zimbabwe: Names from the Zezuru and Ndebele of Zimbabwe The Zezuru and the Ndebele share with many other ethnic groups in Africa the practice of naming a child after the second week from the time of its birth. As in many parts of Africa, Ndebele and Zezuru names refer to specific circumstances and events, and have exact significations.

Zezuru Names

DzaShe (m)

By God's

Shumba (m)

Lion

Moyo

Heart

(m)

grace this sick child has survived

— totem name of

Kings

Simba (m)

Strength

Tsitsi (f)

Mercy The Bow-legged One

Chideya (m)

125

the Ancient

Rozvi

A Handbook of African Names Manzira (m) Mashiri (m) Hondo (m) Mutsa (m/0

Ways

Farisai

Be exceedingly happy Be happy Be thankful The marvelous or astonishing one One Who Strings Together The Name of (the greatest hero) Warrior Mapondera

(0

Farai (m)

Tendai (m/0

Marere (m) Mavu (m)

or paths

Birds

War Kindness

—

Chipo (0

Gift

Shingirai (m/f)

Perseverance

Nehanda

(f)

Hardiness.

Name

of

Zimbabwen heroine

late 19th century priestess

— an

Mapondera) Chenzira (m)

Wayside-Traveller

Rungano (m)

Story

Garikai (m)

Be prosperous One who comforts What have you fought

Munyaradzi (m)

Marwei (0

Rumba Jiri

(f)

(m)

Jirira

(m)

Motsi (m/0

Gamba/Murwisi (m) Chiduku (m) Tinarwo (0

Mavura (m)

Dambudzo (0 Tambudzai (m/0 Tapera (m) Tipiwa (m)

Tambudze (m)

Chuma

(m)

Speed/Complain Forest of Wild Fruits

One Who Straddles The First One Hero/Warrior Little One Have It The Opener Worrisome

The

We

Bothersome We Are Done For We've Been Given

Troublesome Wealth/Beads

Chinamano (m)

The Sensible One

Tamburike(i) (m)

Sufferer

126

for?

ally

of

(a

A Handbook Charakupa (m)

inai

z

Dusn DC i^oniainea

we

1,111^

IvULcllUU

dc or Assisiance wnai are you rigniing ror;

\^OLK_ie-I3UrT

igere vni

rdlire

ortoise

riappiness

Deiscrai/ijaisirai yav)

KOQzai

ondii L/ie

\\\\

onamiso vi; cnitsa (m;

rvie ociiicu

W/hprp WIICIC

V\/p /AIC A rp

rdlUl/

lldIlK.5

WC

1

Surprise

Stump ourpribiiig wiie

V^IllSllcUillsU ^1^

1

iVla^Wl

W UlUa/iVlCaad^C

yiii.

vjwauQzo

i^mj

Z,«i r« **M vjwinQi v^mj *

#

1

jvidrdVdnyiKd

fNyenyeazi vmj V^illidlllUd viii^

IVlUlUld

lie

Aonerence

urum 1

oiar 1

lie

1

rdvciici

W/pt yjiic ei Onp

Thp 1 lie

\\\v

tJeat

ne LanQ-L-ouncuior

w

iVldlllVUId \l)

Ivdllla

ivoswa

ue wounaeo Thp Onp ilie Rrioht Dllglll WliC

Ki)

iVlall^WllU

V***/

iVlUU iviuunidiii/niii

OM /^r\t"/^ i>iydnuoro

( int\\ Kjiy)

yjnc

wno wears

ine L.rown

Mapfumo (m)

The Warrior/Spears

Chaparadza (m)

Destroyer

Tapfuma (m)

We

Ruvudzi (m)

Patch of hair

are wealthy

127

Names

A Handbook of African Names Mutinhima (m) Gwanzura (m)

The Thunderous one One who splits

Dikita (m)

Perspiration/Striving

Rudo

Love/Charity

(f)

Takadiyi (m)

How

Nhamo

Tribulation/Suffering

(m/f)

we doing

We desired

Takazvida (f) Maingeni (f)

it

You've come

A

Siti (0 Pasipamire (m)

Muchemwa

are

for

Saying

The world is standing The mourned one

(m/f)

Kufa (m) Muparadzi (m) Murambiwa (m)

The Destroyer The rejected one

Ruvimbo (m)

Confidence

Gore (m) Tapfumanei (m)

Year, or Cloud

Mudiwa

Beloved one

Sekai

(f)

Sekesai

What has made

(f)

MusekwaA^usekiwa (f)

Ruzvidzo (m) Goredema (m) Gorejena (m)

Hachina'amwe

still

Death

(f)

Harusekwi

me

(f)

us ri.ch

Not to be ridiculed The ridiculed one Laugh Laugh much The Despised one Black cloud

White cloud (f)

Mandizvidza (f) Nyikadzino (m) Taruvinga (m) Yamuro (m) Shungudzo (0 Ndoro (m) Rwizi (m) Muzorewa (m) Muzaruri (m)

The Non-Such You've

spited

me

This land

We've come

for

it

Help/Assistant

One causing

anxiety

Shell/Pendulum of chieftainship River

The anointed one The opener

128

A Handbook

of African

Ndebele Names as distinct from Zezuru names (being related

Ntombizodwa Thandiwe (f) Thokozile Sithabile

Zulu)

Beloved Happiness

(f)

We are

happy Reminder

(f)

Do it yourself You shall scatter

(f)

Masabulala (m) Tagulani (m)

—

a political

name

Be happy Happiness

Njabulo (m) Mahluli (m)

Conqueror; victor

Bekitemba (m)

Trust

Sihle (m/f)

Beautiful;

Nzodiwa (m)

Hated

handsome;

Ndabexinhle (m)

Good news

Sipo (0 Simangaliso (m)

Gift

Dumisani (m)

Herald

Sibongile

Thanks Four girls

it is

Surprise (the child was

(f)

Ntombizine

to

All girls

(f)

(f)

Sikhumbuzo Zenzele

Names

(f)

a beautiful thing

bom

without hands)

Blessing

Sibusiso

Zanele

Enough

Nomusa (0

Mercy, or kindness

Footnotes ^

Ogun and Afa

^

For a

are

Dahomean Gods

fuller discussion

of Bete nicknames, see, B. Holas: L' Image du

Paris, Presses Universitaires

Monde Bete,

de France, 1968, pp. 254-268.

^G.I. Jones wrote that the majority of these

names are English transliterations of Efik Cobham for Akabom, Archibong for

names, Afrom for Ofon, Henshaw for Nga, Asibong,

etc. G.I.

Development *

Jomo

in

Jones, The Trading States of the Oil Rivers: A Study of Political

Eastern Nigeria, London, O.U.P. 1970.

Kenyatta: Facing

Mount Kenya,

p.

129.

129

A Handbook of African Names ^

In

Facing Mount Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta points out that the European way of spelling the

^

word *Kikuyu*

is

incorrect.

It

should be Gikuyu or in

Gekoyo (Preface, p. xv). Ogun is the Yoruba god of war

130

strict

phonetic spelling,

PART

IV:

Pronunciation Guide

Pronunciation Guide

In compiling the various

consistent as possible

names here

by following

I

have

tried to

keep the spelHng

the International Phonetic Alphabet.

as

The

African names used here derive their meaning and signification through their

An incorrect vocal inflection or stress on the wrong meaning different from what is intended. The beauty and essence of the names will thus be destroyed. Perhaps some special mention should be made of the so-called tonal correct pronunciation. syllable will yield a

languages with particular reference

to

Igbo and Yoruba. '*A tone language,"

according to the definition of Dr. K.F. Pike, "is one in which contrasting pitch levels

do not merely form the intonation tune of a sentence

in English, but enter as distinct factors into the lexical

language, and in

The

weir*^

some languages of which Igbo

is

three basic tonemes found in Igbo and

(high).

Because tone-marking

is

elements of the

one, into the

Yoruba

middle, represented by the following tone-marks:

as, for instance,

*

grammar

are low, high,

(low),

-

as

and

(middle), and

a complicated linguistic exercise,

'

and

because of the various variations involved (for instance in Igbo there are the

mark systems of Welmers: low-step-same, and Green: low-high-mid), I have not attempted to tone-mark the names in this work. Nonetheless, the reader should be conscious of tonal inflections and the contrasting pitch levels in the effort to correctly

The

pronounce the various names.

work follows. Most of open as in English and the consonants, with some excepare also pronounced as in English. The following deserve attention: other significant phonetics encountered in the

the vowels are as tions,

133

A Handbook of African Names kw: is labialised K and is a single composite sound in Okwuchukwu (Igbo): God's word: kp: is a single composite implosive sound as in Okpara (Igbo: First son) gb: is a single composite implosive sound. It is pronounced as implosive ch:

pronounces as

is

gw: gh:

is

labialised

g as

in

church

in

Ogwo

(Igbo: pit)

voiced velar fricative

is

pronounced as in English si-ng labialised n where nw is single composite sound, e.g. Onwudiwe (Igbo: Death is cruel). Nw is sometimes bisyllabic as in nnwa. ng:

is

nw:

ny:

is

is

palatalised n as in

onye (Igbo: onye), agneau (French: lamb)

r: is

rolled dental alveolar

s: is

a whistling fricative, sometimes interchangeable in Igbo with sh

m: d:

bilabial nasal as in

is

used alone

is

mother

an implosive: used with z

to suffering) or with

j

as in Adjoto

in

Dzidodo: Ewe: accustomed

(Goun-Foun: usurper)

is

dental alveolar

fricative h: is glottal fricative as in

^

English harm

See M.M. Green and G.E. Igwe:

A

Descriptive

Grammar of Igbo, London, Oxford

University Press, 1963, p.6 ^

For example, the following nouns

in Igbo, spelled alike,

derive their different

meanings basically through proper accentuation and contrasting pitch

levels:

(low, middle, high):

akwa akwa akwa akwa

= egg = bed = cloth = cry

As is the case with many other languages there is no magic formula to aid the mastery of the various terms used here. What is required is dedication, constant practice and help from native speakers when available.

134

Part V:

List of

Languages Dealt With

List of

Languages Dealt With

Abaluyia (Kenya)

Akamba (Kenya) Akan (Ghana) Amharic (Ethiopia) Arabic (N. Africa and the Sudan) Ashanti (Ghana)

Bambara (Mali) Bassa (Cameroon)

Bemba (Zambia) Bobo (Mali)

Dogon

(Mali)

Ebo, Ibo, Igbo, Egbo (Nigeria) Efik (Nigeria)

Ewe

(Ghana)

Fanti (Ghana)

Foula, Foulani, Foulbe (Guinea, Mali)

137

A Handbook

of African

Names

Ga (Ghana) Gikuyu, Kikuyu (Kenya)

Goun-Foun (Dahomey) Gwainsi (Upper Volta)

Hausa (Foulani) (Nigeria) Ibibio (Nigeria)

Ibo (Ebo, Egbo) (Nigeria)

Kikuyu or Gikuyu (Kenya)

Kono

(Sierra

Leone)

Lozi (Zambia)

Luganda (Uganda) Malinke or Mandingo (Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone) Maragoli (Kenya) Mende (Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone) Meru (Kenya) Mossi (Upper Volta-Burkina Paso) Ndebele (Zimbabwe) Ngoni (Zambia, Malawi)

Samoga (Upper

Volta)

Sara (The Chad) Saracola (Mali) Sissala (Ghana)

Somali (Somali. a) Sousou (Guinea) Swahili (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and elsewhere in East and Central Africa)

Tonga (Zambia) Toucouleur or Toukoulor (Mali and Senegal) 138

A Handbook Tswana (Botswana) Watutsi (Rwanda)

Wolof (Senegal) Xhosa (South Africa) Yoruba (Nigeria) Zezuru (Zimbabwe)

139

of African

Names

Name

Index

Adeola

Abia 25, 65 Abosi 38, 98

Abu-Bakr Abubakar

38 38

Abunsonowa 64 Acholam 38, 83, 99 97

Acholonu Achufusi

A Aba 25 Ababno 25 Abang 67 Abanobi 38, 97 Abaraonye 84 Abaronye 38 Abasi 38 Abayomi 25, 38 Abba 63 Abd Allah 119 Abdekah 38 Abdelkrim 38 Abebi 25 Abebja 25 Abedayo 39 Abeeku 38 Abegunde 38 Abehjha 65 Abeje 25 Abena 25, 63 Abeo 25 Abiade 38 Abide mi 109 Abiku 59 Abimbola 25, 109, 110 Abimola 38 Abiodun 38 Abiola 38, 108 Abioye 38

98

38,

Achugbu 38 Ada 25, 93, 100 Adaego 25, 101 Adaeke 25, 64. 94 Adaeze 26, 85 Adafo 94 Adaku 91. 99

Adam

38. 113

Adande Adankwo

26.

58

94

Adanma

26.

100

Adanna 26 Adanne 26 Adanze 85 Adaocha 96 Adaoha 26, 86

Adaoma

100 94 Addae 38 Addo 39 Adaorie

Ade 39, Adebayo

108, 109

108 109

Adebola

Adebomi Adedagbo Adedewe Adedoja Adelabu

26,

26,

Adelaju

109 109

Adeieke

26,

Ademola

109

26 26,

109 109

109 39, 109

141

26,

Adesimbo

109 109

Adiagha 26, 104, 105 Adije 100 Adika 39 Adimonyemma 39 Adimonyenma 96 Adisa 39 Adjoto 58 Adjovi 58 Adjua 26, 63 Adom 39 Aduke 26, 108 Adwa 26 Adwica 26 Adwin 26, 65 Adwoa 63 Adzo 26, 65 Afafa 26 Afam 26, 65 Afanikang 106 Affoyon 58 Afi 26. 65 Afiong 1 05 Afram 65 Afron 26 Afryea 26 Afua 26, 63 Agavi 58 Agbale 59 Agbeko 26, 66 Agbenyega 67 Agbenyo 67 Agbogho 13, 79 Agbola 58 Aghaegbu 97 Agim 98 Ago 67 Agodichinma 26. 80

0 00

A Handbook of African Names Agogbe 58 Agogsou 58 Agu 20, 39, 73

Akinyele

Agwabunma 100 Agwo 20 Agyemang 39 Ahada

26 Ahamefule

Ahlam

12,

79

121

Ahmed Ahuruole

Aidoo Aisha

26

Ajayi

27. 39. 63

Akuabia 27 Akuabuchi 91

Akuada Akuakalia

39

26,

91

Akuako

91

Akubuike

39, 111

Akubundu 91 Akuegbulam 91 Akuezue 91

39, 114

Ajuluchukwu

39 Akabueze 39, 84 Akabuike 84 Akachukwu 39. 89 Akamefula 39

Akanwanne

101

09

Akarale

1

Akarika

26, 103, 105

Akenke

27

27, 121

Akinlabi 39, 108, 110

110 Akinlawon 110 Akins 39 Akinsanya 1 1 Akinshegun 1 1 Akinsheye 110 Akinlana

Akinshiju

1 1

Akintude

108, 110

91

Akujindu

91

Akumdirim Akumefula

Akunma

92 91 91

Akunna

92 Akuobi 98 Akuoko 67 Akusinachi

91

Akuzuru 92 Akwate 27 Akwele 67 Akwete 39 Akwuete 67 Alaba 27, 107, 109 Alachebe 97 Aladinma 27. 82 Alaezi

27,

101

Alake 108 Alarba 39, 114 Alasan 113

142

67

59 59

Alihonu

Alili

27

Almaz

27,

76 68

Alpha

68

Altine

39, 114

Aluma

Ama

27 65

27,

Amadi 27, 39, 93 Amaechi 39, 82 Amaechina 79 Amaefula

27

39,

Ajouma

Akili

Allakouye

03 Akpan 1 03 Akpi 20 Aku 65 1

39,

39, 113

Akpabio

26. 65

93 Ajamu 108 Ajani 93 Ajala

Ali

Alihosi

26, 27, 121

Aiyetoro

Alemayehu

Ako 67 Akobundu 39 Akosua 27, 63

Akua

39 100

Ahuzuomoke

110 110

Akinwole

Amaku Ama!

79

91

120

Amanambu

39,82,101

Amani

40 Amanze 98

Amaogechukwu Amara 76

27,

Amasiatu 98 Amatefe 40 Amauchechi 27 Amauzo 27 Amazu 40, 83 Ambakisye 40 Ambara 27 Amevi 27, 66 Ameyibor 40 Ami 65 Amin 40, 120 Amina 27, 115 Aminanta 113 Amir 40 Amira 120 Amma 27, 63 Amonke 27, 108

89

A Handbook of African Names Ampah Anan

Awo

40

Anaelechi

14,

27,

82

Awotwi

63

AnanI 63 Anizoba 96 Ankoma 40 Anogeel 40 Anozie 98 27 Anuli

Anyabunkem Anyalewechi

Anyanwu 40, Anyaoha 86

82 89 93, 100

Anyiam

83 83 Araba 63 Arda 27 Aret 64, 105 Anyika

Arusi

27, 121

Asabi

27,

108

Asesimba 27 Asha 27, 121 Ashia Asli

115 27

Asong Asukwo Asuquo

27, 64

Asura

121

Asya

103, 105

103

121

40 Atakpa 40, 106 Atakuma 65 Atalachiuta 102 Atim 105 Atsu 40, 67 Atsufi 27, 67 Atu 40 Atuegwu 40 Awaal 40 Ata

65

Awotwe

62

Bai bouki

40 64

Bai serigne daara 40,

62

40 64 Bakhitah 120 Bali 40, 123 Balogun 40 Bamgabobo 112 Banasa 28 Bandele 40, 108 Bangababo 40 Banugu 123 Barasa 74

Axisi

59 59 Ayah 27 Ayalew 40, 67 Ayan 27, 115 Ayanleh 40 Ayeshah 26, 27 Ayetoro 108 Ayinde 40 Aylvodgi 58 Ayo 28, 108

Baibouki

Axisu

Baidoo

Ayobami 28. 108, 110 Ayobunmi 28, 108

Barkhadle 41 Barre 41 Bary 69 Basel 119 Batch 41, 62 127 Batsirai Bayo 28, 108 Bejide 28 Bekitemba 129

Ayodele 28, 107, 108 Ayofemi 28, 108 Ayoka 107 Ayoluwa 28, 108 Ayoola 28, 108 Azagba 40 Aziza 28, 115, 121 Azovidi 59 Azubuike 40, 84 Azuka 28, 84

B Baako

63 40

41

Beluchi

Beluonwu 41 Benada 28, 63 Betserai 127 Bidoun 58 Bihi

41

Babafemi Babatunde 40, 108 Babukar 113 Baderinwa 28 Badru 40 Badu 28, 40, 64 Baduwa 64 Bah 69 Bahari 120

Bile

41

Bahati

Bleza

28,

28, 40, 121

143

Binata Binta

113 77

Birasa

1 1

Bishara

28

Bisharo

41

Bitomo 41, 123 Bizimana 111 Ble

71

71

A Handbook of African Names 65

Boardi

Bobo

Chidubem

67

41.

Boely 41, 62 Bolade 28, 108

Chidumaga

28, 108

Chidunga

Bonganj Boniswa

118 117

Chledozi

Bonok 61 Boseda 41 Bosede 108 Boubou 76 Bunmi Bupe

41, 114

28, 108 28, 41,

124

Buruku 28, 65 Bwerani 41

41

126

Chiduku

Bolanile

Bougouma

98

Chidozie

101

101

89 Chiegbogu 90 Chiegbulam 88 Chiemeka 41, 102 Chifamba 127 Chiganu 41 Chigbogu 90 Chigozie 88 Chijioke 28. 41, 89 Chika 28. 88 Chikezie 41. 88

C

Chikosi

Camara

Chiku

Chamunorwa

Chikwe 88. 89 Chikwendu 41 Chilenga 125 Chilungu 74

69 Chaat 41, 62 Chadasi 59 Chaimaka 28 127 Chaparadza 127 Charakupa 28, 127 Chatha 41 Chatuluka 41 Chausiku 28, 122 Cheikh 68 Chenzira 41, 126 Chi Penga 42

Chiamaka 41 Chianakwalam Chibale

41

Chibueze 90 Chibugo 89 Chibuzo 88 Chideya 125 Chidi

41

Chikpeweremazu

28, 41

89

99

28

Chimanga

41

Chimaobi

88 Chimaokwu 99 Chinaka 89 Chinamano 126

Chinangwa

41

88 Chinasaokwu 28. 88 Chineche 89 Chinedum 89 Chinemenma 88 Chinenye 28 Chineye 100 Chinonyere 89 Chinouyazura 41 Chinua 98 Chinara

144

Chinwe 28 Chinweaku 91 Chinwendu 88 Chinwenwe 125 Chinweokwu 99 Chinweolu 80 Chinweuba 91 Chinyere 29, 88, 100

Chinyeremaka 88 Chipo 29, 126 Chishamiso 127 Chltsa 127 Chizoba 29 Chola 42, 124 Chuike 122 Chukwudi 15, 88 Chukwudiegwu 97 Chukwuemeka 96 Chukwujindu 89 Chukwuma 15, 88

Chukwumaobi

15,

88

Chukwumerije 89 Chuma 42, 126 Chutch 42, 62 Comlam 58 Cora 42, 123 Cotalama 123 Cotolama 42

D Daba 114 Dada 29, 42, 110 Dahaba 29 115 29 Dalila 122 Dallamane 76 Dalmar 29, 42, 116 Dambudzo 1 26 Daib

Daiia

29,

A Handbook 42 42 Darweshi 122 Dauda 113 Daw 120 Dayo 29, 108 Deggah 42 Deggeh 62 115 Deirlai 42 Dek Deka 29, 115 Dela 66 Demba 76, 113 Desfa 42, 68 Diabe 76 Diah 115 Diallo 69 Diawo 69 42 Dibia Dibugwu 99 Dieneba 77 Diengoudo 75 Diini 42 Diji 42 Dike 42, 98 Dikita 128 Diliza 117 Dingba 98 Diop 69 Dioulde 68 Dioumah 68 Djidade 75 Djohodo 58

Danjuma Danladi

Djugnatele

42, 123

66 20 Dohwe 57 Dohwevi 58 Domelevo 67 Dodzi

Dogo

42 Donyo 58 Dormekpor 67 Dosa 57 Dossi 57 Dossou 57 Donkor

Doto

29

Dougon

77

Drepenba

71

29, 66 42 Dudu 113 Duhule 42 Dukuzumurenyj 42 Dumisani 42, 118, 129 Dungamareze 99 Durojaiye 42 Duruji 42, 93 Duuh 42 Duulane 42 Dwamina 65 Dwouda 63 Dyese 124 Dzidodo 29, 66 Dzidzo 29, 66 Dzigbodi 29 Dzigbordi 66 Dziwonm 66

Dridzienyo Du'ale

E Ebere

100 Eberechukwu 42 Ebong 104, 106 Ebun 29, 109 Ebyan 29 Echezona 96 Echidiime 14, 82 Echijiole 29 Echika 82 29,

145

of African

Edem

Names

29, 67.

106

103, 105

Edet

Edu

65

106 103 Efioanwan 29, 64, 105 Efua 29, 63, 66 Egbuniwe 83 Effiom

Effiong

Egejurumuokwu Egeonu 83 Ehioze 42 Ejiikeme 42 Ejiofo 96

Ekanem Eke

101

29, 105

64

Ekeamaka

42 Ekebuisi 95 Ekechi 29, 90 Ekechukwu 43 Ekedinma 29 Ekere 106 Ekon 103 Ekong 103 Ekpenyong 103 Ekpo 103 Ekua 63 Ekundayo 43 Ekwere 1 06 Ekwueme 19, 98 Ekwuruibe 14, 83 Ekwutosi El-Fatih

14, 43,

120

El-Jamah Ele 20

121

Elekwachi 90 Elewechi 29 Elmi

Elom

43 29,

Emembolu

66 83

83

A Handbook of African Names Emenari 85 Emenike 43, 83 Emereole 97, 99 Emeriegbu 84 Enam 29, 67 Enomwoyi 29 Enu 64 Enyiaku 92 Enyinnaya 80 Enyo 29, 66 Enyoham 66 Enyonyam 29 Eshe 30 Esi 30, 63 Esibaako 64 Esibaduwa 64 Esibotwe 64 Esieme 106 Esinam 30, 66 Esonu 83 Essien 104, 106 Etim 104 Etuk 104 Ewansika 43 Eyi 67 Eze 43, 86 Ezeala 93 Ezeamaka 43 Ezebunachi 87 Ezechukwu 90 Ezeji 93 Ezeka 86 Ezemenari 85 Ezenachi 43 Ezenwa 98 Ezeogu 98 Ezeoha 43 Ezeribe 86 Eziamaka 82

Eziemedo

Gamba 43, 126 Gamer 120

Ezigbo

Gani

Eziechila

79 102 30, 99

30

Gavivi

126 67 43, 67

Gbala

71

Garikai

F

Gavevi

Fabayo

30, 108 Fadahunsi 43 Faki 120 Fantaye 43, 68 Farah 43 Farai 126 Faraji 43, 122 Farhia 30 Farisai 126 Fatiha 30 Fatima 30 Fatimata 77 Fayola 30, 109 Febechi 43 Feechi 30 Femi 30, 109 Fenuku 43 Feso 127 Fida 63 Fidow 43 Fimya 67 Fola 30, 109 Folade 30, 109 Folami 109 Folashade 109 Folayan 109 Foluke 30, 43, 108 Fujo 30, 122 Fumiya 30 Fuvi 30, 67

G Gabanthate 30, 43, 60 116

Galia

146

Gbama

30, 43, 11

Geedi 43 Geediya 30 Gella 30 Gellah 43 Genet 68 Ghedi 116 Gheedi 43 Ghola 29 Gini

Kanwa

Ginikanwa Gllva 30

80 30,

43

Gnouka 71 Godonou 58 Gogo 43 Gore

128

Goredema

128 128 Gowon 43 Grad 116 Gu 115 Guedado 30, 75 Gulai 30, 115 Gulaid 43 Guled 116 Guure 43 Gwanzura 128 Gwatidzo 127 Gwenzi 127 Gwindi 127 Gorejena

A Handbook

H Haban

30 115 30

Habiba Habika

Habimama

43 Habimana 112 Hachina'amwe 1 28 Hadi 113 Hadiah 120 Hadiya 30 Hadson 30 Hakim 120 Hakizimama 112 Hakizimana 43 Halima

31

Hamid

119

Hanisi

44, 122

Haoniyao 122 Haoniyaro 31 Harbi 44 Hared 44 Hareda 31 Harusekwi 128 Hasina 31, 122 Hassam 44 Hauma 113 Hayat 31

Hembadoon

Hugbadji

Huna 59 Huno 59 Hunyo 59 Huria

Husi

31

59

59

Husihwe

Ihechukwu

89

Ihejiamatu

97, 100

59 58 58 Hwesi 58 Hwesu 58

Ihekerenma 101 Iheoma 31, 100 Iheonye

101

Ihesinachi I

Ibeamaka

44

Ibeawuchi Ibegbulam

44,

Iheyinwa

84

83 107 Ibekwe 13, 81 Ibok 106 Ibokwe 13, 81 Ibrahim 44 Ibrahima 77 Ichoku 20 Idi 122 Ibeji

Idorienyin

Idowu

31,

Ifetayo

1 1

80

31 31

Iftin

15

Ifwebuike Ige

31, 111

Igobobuike

Igwe 93 Igwebuike Iheanacho Iheatu Ihechi

81

84 97

97 89

IhechukwII

44

147

89 Ikechukwu 44, 89 Ikejiani 93 Ikemefula 79 Ikenna 44 Ikeotuonye 85, 99 Ikerioha 15, 84 Ikerionwu 96 Ikezue 98 Ikezueoke 98 Ikodiya 99 Ikoro 94 Ikot 104 Ikpon 20 Ikusegham 31 Imarogbe 44 Ime 104 Imeh 106 mo 93 Indadeeka 31 104 Iniabasi Inwang 104, 106 losi 59 Ikechi

105

44

97

Ifeatu

82

92

Ijeoma 31, 82 IJkandu 95

84

Ifeanyichukwu

Ifra

Ijego

31, 109

Ifeanacho

92

Ijedinma

77

Ifbekamike

97

31

Ihuaku 92 Ihuarulem 101 Ihuoma 31, 100 Ijeaku

31, 44, 109

Idrissa

Ife

31, 91

Iheukwumere

31

Hodan 31 Hondo 44, 126 Houssou 58 Hovokou 58

Names

Hwesa Hwese

Ifeyinwa

118

Hintsa

of African

44

I

A Handbook of African Names 59

losu

44,

84

82 Irwah 120 44 Isige

Imka

31

Isnina Iso

106

isoke

Iwegbolu Iwegbula

Jojo

118 Juma 44, 122 Jumaane 122 Jumah 120 Jumanne 44 Jongilanga 1 .

.

—

A A

.

^

Jumoke

31

77 issa 1 04 Ita Iwedinobi

126 44

Jihra

Iroawuchi

luo

Jwanir

83 44 83

Iweobi 83 Iwuchukwu

no

31,

K Kaboyamodimo OA

A A

44, 60

Kadija

32,

115

44 lyabo 31, 109 lyapo 110 lyiegbu 97

44 Kafele 44 Kaha 32 Kakabe 44

Izebe

115 Kama 76 Kamaba 76 Kamalu 93 Kamania 32 Kamau 45

31

Izuchukwu 90 Izundu 95

J 44

Jabari

Kadiye

Kamba

44 Jaha 31, 122 Jahl 44 Jaineba 113 Jama 116 Jamal 119

Kambiri

Jabulani

Jamila 1

_ _ 1

31 A A

44 Jelani 122 Jemila 115 Jibawo 44, 114 Jilo 31, 114 Jim'ale 44 126 Jiri Jela

32,

Kamuzu

100 45 77 45 45 45

Kandibe

101

Kamdibe Kamissa Kampihe Kamulira

Kani

127

32, 62,

45,

45, 62

148

Kesegofetse 32,45,60 32, 122 Keya 73 Khadidja 32 Khalfani 122 Khamidi 45 Khamis 120 Khane 69

Khoran

74 115

Khoranhlai

32, 115

45, 114 Kigule 45, 123 Kitiwala 45 Kjouma 77

Khott

76

Knumbe

121

Kobina 63 Kobia 45, 65

69 Kareem 120 Karimi 32 Kasiya 45 Katim

Kekeleme Sou 71 Kelechi 45 Kenbougoul 45 Kenbugul 45

Khatiti

Kantey

Kassaye

Kefim 68 Keninde 32, 45, 109 Keita 69

Kesi

Kalifa

31, 114

Jabu

32,

Katokwe 1 24 Kausiwa 32 Kayode 45, 109 Keambirowo 45 Keanjano 45 Keanyandaarwa 45 Kebaitse 32, 45, 60 KeDonyetneDe 4b, oO Kebougoui 114 Kebugul 62

68

Kodassema 45, 123 Kodjo 45, 63, 65 Kodzai 127 Koffi 45

A Handbook 65 Kohwe 58 Koku 65 Kokumuo 32 Koliraga 32 Konde 69 Kontar 45 Kofi

63,

Koofrey Koria

Kosa Kosi

Kosu

I

104. 106

77 58 58, 65

58 Koswa 127 Kouto 58 Kubiangha 104, 106 Kufa 128 Kufere 45 Kuli 45, 67 Kuliga 45, 123 Kulmiye 45 Kume 32, 114 Kumi 65 Kumiwa 32, 65 Kunbatazi 45 Kunle 109 Kwabena 45, 63 Kwacha 45 Kwadwo 45, 63 Kwahene 46 Kwakou 46 Kwaku 46, 63 Kwame 46, 63, 65 Kwami 46, 63, 65 Kwasi 46, 63, 65 Kwasidu 63 Kwasiho 65 Kweku 63 Kwende 46 Kwesi 46, 63

64

Kwesinsia

L Lago 71 Lakanape 46, 123 Lakhdar 46 118 Langalibalele Layla 32, 122 Lebechi 32 Leila 32 Lewaya 32, 46, 123 Lewechianya 89 Leyla 32 Lichuma 73 Ligongo 46 Limbe 32 Linda 116 Lindiwe 117 Lisimba 46 Lizwelicha 46 Lololi 32, 66 Lolonyo 32, 66 Lolovivi 32, 66 Lore 46, 60 Lotachukwu 46 Lozokwu 32 Lul 32 122 Lulu Lumo 46 Lutuvula 74

M Ma'allim

46

Mablevi

46,

Machupa

66

46 46

Madaadi Madi 113 Madu 46 Maduabuchi

149

14, 46,

83

of African

Names

Madubuike 15, 46, 84 Madubunjoala 98 Maduegbulam 88 Maduezue 84 Madujibeya 84 Maduka 88 Madukaaku 90 Madukaego 90 Madukwe 88 Madunehiebeyanjo 101 Madzimoyo 46 Magboul 120 Magu 62 Maha 120 46, 129

Mahluli

46

Maidei

Maimouna

77 Maingeni 128 Makesi 75 Makona 74

Makutano Malaika

Malawa Malebogo Malik

46,

74

32 46 33, 46, 60

113

Mamadu Mamboleo

Mamoun

113 46, 121

120 Mamvura 127 Mandizvidza 128 Mandlakayise 118 Maneno 46 Mangwiro 127 Manjia 33, 114 Mansa 63 Manu 63 Manzira 126 Mapfumo 127 Maraka 74

A Handbook of African Names Maravanyika 127 Marere 126 Mariama 113

Marunda

121

Marwei

126 Maryam 33 Masabulala 129 Masamba 46 Masani 33 Mashiri 126 Masialeti 46, 125 Masibuwa 47 Maside 74 Masika 33, 121 Masinde 74 Maskini

47, 121

Masud 122 Masumbuko Mataan

33,

33,

47

Matata 121 Mathani 73 Matope 127

Matunde 47, 74 Matungulu 124 Maua 33 Maudisa 33 Maulidi 122 126 Mavu Mavura 126 Mawali 47 Mawasi 33 Mawulode 47 Mawulolo 47, 66 Mayeza 117 Mazwi 127 Mbadiwe 98 Mbaegbu 98 Mbaekwe 98 M'baye 76

47

122 47 Mbiti Mbizo 118 Mbonisi 118 Mbonu 97 Mbwana 47

Mdengentonga

118

Mecha

73 Mehlo-makhulu Melle 76 Memeneda 63 Mensa 47, 63

Mensah

118

47

33,

106 Meyram 33 Mfon 105 Mgbafo 94 Mgbafor 33

Mgbeke 33, 94 Mgbeokwere 102 33,

64

Mgbocha 96 Mgbokwo 94 Mgborie Mirumbi

Moro

75

Mosi

47, 122

Motlalepula

60

Motlhabani Motlolepula Motsi 126

47,

77 Moussokoura 68 Moyo 47, 125 Mpasa 47 Mpho 33, 47. 60 Mpumelelo 47, 118 Mpyama 124 Msafiri 47 Mthetho 118 Mthimkhulu 118 Mthunzi 118 Mthuthuzeli 117 Muchemwa 128 Mudiwa 33, 128

Mukamtagara Mukamutara

47,108,110

47, 60

60 77 47

47,

Mohamadou

Mohammed Mokpokp 66 Mongo 110 150

60

33

Muhuba

33,

Mogolodi

72

111

33 Mlamleli 118 Mlungisi 118 Mma 33 Mmaji 93 Mmerechika 102 Moatlhodi 47, 60

Mogale

47

Moombi

94

Mkiwa

Modupe

Montsho

Moussa

Meseme

Mgbeorie

110

Monifa

Mbita

Mukhevi

33

74

Mukhwana Mukolo

33, 112 33,

74

47, 125

120 74 Mulongo 75 Munyaradzi 126 Muparadzi 128 Murambiwa 128 Murwisi 126 Musa 113 Musekiwa 128 Musekwa 128 Mulik

Muliro

112

i

A Handbook Muthoni 33 Mutinhima 128 Mutinta

33, 47, 125

Mutota 127 Mutsa 126 Mutuku 47 Mutva 47 Muzaruri 128 Muzorewa 128 Mwai 47 Mwamba 48

MwambazhI 48, 125 Mwatabu 121 Mwethaga 72 Mwita

48

Mwobobia

48

118 117 Mxolisi Mxali

Mzee

121

N 48 Nabinye 33 Nabulungi 33 Nadia 120 Nadif 48, 115 Nadifa 115 Nadir 120 Nafiesa 33 Nafisa 33 Nafula 33, 73 Nafuma 33 Nagu 33 Nakhanu 74 Nakhumicha 74 Nakisisa 48 Naliaka 33, 74 Nalongo 34 Nalovile 74 Nab'ale

Namono

34

Nang'eni 74 Nangila 73 Nangleni 34

Names

of African

Netondo 74 Ngoli 48 Ngolinga 48 Ngoranmi 121

Nanjekho

Ngos

Nanyama

Ngozi 34, 48, 87, 100 Ngozika 34, 87 N'guississandje 62

74 73 Nasike 34, 73 Nassor 48 Nasteha 34 Nawune 66 Nawunoe 66 Nawvena 66 Nayo 34 Nazeer 120 Nchekwube 100 Ndabexinhle 129 Ndaeyo 105 Ndakhte 48, 114 Ndale 48 Ndarake 104 Ndelema 74 Ndem 106 Ndemi 73 Ndidika 100 Ndlela 118 Ndoro 128 Ndubia 48 Ndubuisi 48, 95 Nduka 48, 95 Ndukaku 95 Ndukwe 48, 95 Ndulu 48 Ndumiso 117 Neema 34, 48 Nefwafwa 74 Negomo 127 Nehanda 126 Neimat 120 Nekesa 73 151

61

Ngunda

Nhamo Niamke

48 128 48

Nigatwa

34, 68

Njabulo

129

Njaijatta

Nje

48,

62

61

Njemile Njete

34 48

Njideka

34, 100

Njock 61 Njoku 93 Nkandinshuti

48

Nkanginieme Nkanta 104 Nkechi 89

101

Nkechinyere 34,80,89 Nkeiruka 82 Nkemakolam 48, 79 Nkemdirim 48, 79 Nkemefula 48, 79 Nkemjika 80

Nkeonye

92

Nkeonyediriya

Nkeonyere 89 Nkiwa 121 Nkokheli 118 Nkolichika 102 Nkosi 48 Nkowocha 96

Nkpanam

105

79

6

A Handbook of African Names Nkpume

48

Nkruma

48,

Nontando

64 Nkudinshuti 112 Nkululeko 118

Nmutaka 101 Nnabugwu 49, 80 Nnabuike

13,

Nnaemeka Nnaka Nnalu

13,

80

49 80

99

97 Nnorimele 97 Nobantu 116 Nobuhle 34 Nnochiri

Nokhwezi

Nonyameko 34 Nonyelum 49 Nonyerem 97

1 1

117 Nolizwe 49 Nolwandle 116 Nomabaso 117 Nomatha 117 Nombese 34 Nombini 117 Nombulelo 117 Nompumelelo 117 Nomsa 117 Nomthandazo 117 Nomusa 129 Nomvula 117 Nondudumo 116 Nondumiso 116 Nongqawuse 117 Nonkululeko 117 Nonona 66

Nwachi

89

Nwachukwu Nwadighu

Nonzwakazi 116 Nosakhene 49

34 34 Nwadiuko 34 Nwaeze 86 Nwafo 94 Nwagboso 49 Nwagwu 94 Nwahijoku 94 Nwaiwu 83 Nwajindu 34

Nwakaego

Nsami

Nwakaji

Nsiah Nsini

121

Nwakibie

Nwamaife

61

Ntathu 117 Ntombentle 117 Ntombizine 129 Ntombizodwa 117,129 Ntshadi 34, 60 118 Ntsikelelo Nunya 67 Nur 120 Nuru 49 Nuurta 34 Nwabiriwe 101 Nwabuaku 15, 90 Nwabudike 49

Nwabuego 91 Nwabueze 96 Nwabugwu 34

Nwabunma Nwabunwa 152

90

91

98

Nwaku 91 Nwakuku 15, 90

64

Nwabungozi

15, 34,

90

Nwakanma

64 49 105

Nsonowa Ntamak

89

Nwadimkpa

49 Noxolo 117 Nozenzele 116 Nozibele 117 Nozipho 117 Nsia

49,

34, 91

Nwadinobi

Nosiike

Nnamdi 49 Nnanna 80 Nne 34 Nneka 14, 34,81, 100 Nnenna 99 Nnennaya 34

Nocawe

117 Nontlupheko 116 Nontobeko 116 Nontuthuzelo 116

34 91 13,

80

49

Nwando 99 Nwandu 95 Nwankwo 94 Nwanneka 34 Nwanodu 49 Nwanyi 64 Nwanyibuaku 100 Nwanyibueze 13, 79 Nwanyiocha 96 Nwanyioma 34 Nwanze 86 Nwaoha 86 Nwaoma 34 Nwaonuma 96

Nwaubu 91 Nweke 94 Nwigwe 99 Nwkeocha 96 Nwogo 14, 81

A Handbook Nwoke 79 Nwokeoma 97

Nwoma

100 Nwonye 10 Nworie 94 Nwosu 94 Nwugo 34

Nyahkomago

35 Nyakadja 59 Nyako 65 Nyandoro 127 Nyasanu 59 Nyawi 59 Nyemba 49 Nyenyedzi 127 Nyikadzino 1 28 Nyiramohoro 35 Nyogesa 74 Nyong 104 Nyonu 59 Nyonu Podwe 59 Nze 86, 93 Nzeka 86 Nzerem 98 Nzeribe 86 Nzodiwa 1 29

O Obadele 49, 109 Obafemi 49, 110 Obasi 97 Obataiye 110 Obawok 110 Obenyealu 99 Obiagaeliaku 35 Obiageli 99 Obiageriaku 92 Obiajulu 49 Obiajunwa 49, 97

Ogobuike

101

Obiajurumoyi

Obianuju 35, 92, 101 Obianuria 49 Obichere 98 Obidiya 99 Obiechina 12, 79 Obiefula 12, 79 Obiegbula 83 Obierika

Obika Obinali

98

97 98

Obinna

49, 96 Obinwanne 49 Obinwoke 49 Obioma 35, 100 Obuagu 99

Obumneke

Ochi 49 Ochiabuto 98 Ochieng 49 Ode 35, 49

97 97

Ofonedu

98

100

Ogechikanma 153

Ogonshola 58 Ogueri 97 Ogugua 99 Ogunkeye 110 Ogunseye 109 Ogunshoye 49 Ogwambi 50 Ogwumike 102 Oha 49 Ohakamike 15, 84 Ojemba 50 17

98 Ojikeme 98 Oji

96,

50, 111

Okaome

19

Okebunachi OkechI 89

89

Okechukwu 9, 50, 89 Okemakolam 79

Ogbaka nmanwu Ogbo 49 Ogbonna 49 Ogbonnaya 80 Ogbonne 81 Ogbuisi

81

94 Okalawon 110

104, 106

Ofokansi

Ogonnaya

Okafo

Odudu 104 Odueze 85 Odunze 85 Ofoegbu

81

Ogomoditse 35, 49, 60

Ojo

Odinakachukwu 49 Odinkemere 49 Odoemela 98

Offiong

81

Ogomegbulam

Ojembaenwe

79

13,

Names

14, 81

Ogokamike

49

Obialo

of African

89

19

Okemefula 79 Okereke 94 Oko 50 Okocha 96 Okokon 106 Okon 50, 104 Okonkwo 94 Okorie 94 Okoro 79 Okoroafo 94 Okorocha 96 Okoronkwo 94

1 11

A Handbook

1

of African

Okpara 50 Okudiwe 92 Okwara 93 Okwuchi 90, 99 Okwuchukwu 90 Okwukwe 87 Okwuoma 87 Ola

101, 110

Olabisi

35, 109

Olabunmi Oladele Olafemi

35 110 110

Olamina

50, 110

110 Olaniyi 35, 110 Olatunde 109 110 Olatunji Olol 50 Olu 50, 110 Olubayo 35, 111 Olaniyan

Olufemi 35, 110, 111 Olufunke 35, 110 Olufunmilayo 35, 110 Olugbala 1 1 Olujimi

109, 111

Olukayode 1 1 Olumide 111 1 1

Olunze

86 35, 109

Olushegun Olushola Olutosin

111 50, 111

1 1

Oluyemi 1 1 Omar 113

99 50 Omeaku 92 Omengboji 17 Omasiridiya

Omavi

Names

Omenma

17, 50,

Omolara

35,

101

19

50

Omorede Omorose

50 35 Omoruyi 50 Omosede 35 Omosupe 35

Omotunde

111

Onalenna

50, 60

Onchukwu 110 Onipede

50

Oni

1 1

Onolenna 35 Onuabuchi 97

Onuabueke

83,

97

Onukwe 81 Onunze 86 Onuoha 86 Onuzuruike

Onwasoanya

97 101

Onwuamaeze 96 Onwuamaonyeukwu 95 Onwuanaghasi 95 Onwuasoanya 95 Onwubuali

95 95 Onwuchekwa 95 Onwudiwe 95 Onwuegbula 95 Onwughara 95 Onwuha 95 Onwuliri 102 Onwuma 95 Onwumeme 96 Onwumere 96 Onwumereobi 95 Onwunyiri 96 154

96 Onwuzuruigbo 95 Onwuzuruike 95 Onwuzuruoha 95 Onwuzuruwa 95 Onyeachonam 83 Onyeasoezinnaya 101 Onyedinma 50, 96 Onyegbulam 88 Onyejekwe 83 Onyekaozuoro 99 Onyekwe 88 Onyemaechi 14, 82 Onyemazuru 83 Onyeukwu 20 Onyewuchi 50, 84 Onyewueke 84 Onyirimba 83 Osagboro 50 Osakwe 50 Osaze 50 Osei 50 Oseye 35 Osinaomumu 102 Ositadinma 98 Osman 50 Osob 35 Osobia 50 Osondu 95 Osonduagwuike 50 Osuagwu 99 Osuji 50, 99 Othiamba 50 Othieno 50 Otiaadisa 50, 60 Otoeze 85 Onwunyirieze

19

Omenuko Omenuku

Onwubuiko

Olumiji

Oluremi

1

Otueome 17 Otuome 50 Otuto

87

A Handbook Owodunni

1 1

Owunwanne 99

Oyiridiya

Oyourou

Oza

97

71

71

baiam oi, 114 bamatar oi

Ramla 36 Rapuluchukwu Rapuoku 51

bamba

36 Henerna ob nnarnan 110

nasniQi

y^

oaruazai

Di

HimpogDo

p

Paki

b