What's in a Name? (Wow how cliche is this title?)

So here’s a nice little Christmas surprise—my sister’s preggo with #2!  Okay, perhaps not a HUGE surprise (not like the shock I would have if I found out I was pregnant), but nonetheless an obviously pleasant surprise.  Such things always get me thinking about one of those quirky little things I enjoy thinking about—names.  They are curious things when you think about them.  They’re a possession you’ve had your entire life; something that indicates only you.  Names can mean something special, or just sound pretty.  Some are chosen with great care, some are not.  Some are meant to imbibe the spirit of something or someone special or perhaps an event. 

Ghanaians have a very flexible system for names.  Not being completely restricted to official bureaucratic regiments for record-keeping allows for this.  In America, we have a million forms one must fill out in the course of a lifetime.  Your name must fit that formula—First Name, Last Name, Middle Name.  Here you have to figure out which names you were given all those years ago will fit in which spaces, and then there might be a couple other names other people use for you that go unrecorded.  Not necessarily nicknames either.

Tribes have different naming patterns that travel all over Ghana, but I’ll tell you about most Konkomba naming patterns, since I am in Konkomba-land.  Most people have a family name, sometimes it’s the father’s first name, sometimes it’s the father’s last name.  It could even be the grandfather’s name.  And then it could change between school and adulthood.  Women don’t always change to their husband’s name when they get married either.  Many then have a Christian name (or a Muslim one if you are so), and usually take the form of words us Westerners are familiar with—Franklin, Simon, Esther, Georgina, etc.  They’re often Biblical or of desired virtues—Patience, for instance.  Then they have a tribal name (or “local name”) that maybe their family and close friends use, and that I butcher when trying to pronounce.  Then there might be yet another name—your “day of the week” name.  For some reason I don’t know yet, the day of the week you were born on is important enough to warrant a special name.  There is one for every day of the week and for each gender.  I can’t remember them all, but Sunday born is Kwesi for boys and Akosua for girls, Monday is Kwajo and Adua, Tuesday is Kwabena and Abena, Wednesday is Kwaku and Akua, Thursday is Yaw and Yaa, Friday is Kofi and Afia, and Saturday is Kwame and Ama.  This system is traditionally Ashante, but the spread of the Twi language has also spread this practice as well.  This name is useful for newborn babies who often won’t receive names for the first month of life until they have their naming ceremony.  Konkombas have traditional names for certain birth circumstances as well.  Special names for twins, if you were born shortly after a death of a loved one, if your mother or father died during or before your birth, if you were born on the road, and so on.  There are many I don’t know about, I’m sure. 

So, Ladies and Gentlemen, here is tonight’s Top Ten list—my Ghanaian-names-are-awesome list.  It’s better than any you’d find in Utah, that’s for sure.  Perhaps my little niece or nephew-to-be will bear one of them!  ;)

Top Ten Reasons Ghanaian Names are Awesome:

10.  Prince

                I’ve seen Princess too, but not in the same family.  Also, Pricilla is popular too, though it’s been morphed to Prinsla.

9.  Barnabus

                Yeah.  Met a grown man with this name.  Yow.

8.  Godsway

                Also a popular name.

7.  Safety

                Don’t know the story, but thought this woman’s name was interesting.

6.  Courage

                Name of a police officer I once met.

5.  Blessing

                Also seen “Bless” and “Believe”.  Lot to live up to?  I think so.

4.  Comfort

                Another popular name.  This is the name of one of Damanko’s midwives.

3.  Alnice

                Pronounced like it looks—All-Nice.  Don’t you love it?

2.  Wisdom

                Popular male name as well.  This is my supervisor’s name.

And the Number 1 Awesomest Ghanaian Name Ever:

1.    1.   Blossom

Okay, maybe I’m biased because this is the name of Kwesi’s youngest (and my favorite baby in Damanko), but how can you not grin a chuckle a bit when you find out it’s for a baby boy?  Apparently this was a gift from his grandmother.  J