What is in a name?

In most African cultures, choosing a child’s name is done by paternal relatives. Usually, children are named after grand and great grandparents, or according to circumstances surrounding the time of birth. But, the question is, who is supposed to name children? Does the meaning of one’s name matter? And does it determine one’s destiny? Brenda Banura expounds

On June 26, 2009, Stella gave birth to a baby boy and yet a month later in August, he still had no name. For that first month, he was either called boy or baby. While Stella wanted him to be named Calvin Ssemwanga, her husband wanted him to be called Andrew Lutaya and his grandfather wanted the child to be called Bartholomew Lutaya. It all seems like a silly tale but this happens all too often these days, especially with people marrying across different tribes.

According to Regina Naigaga, a mother of five, a child in Busoga would have to be taken to the village to be named and the responsibility of naming would be upon the child’s paternal grandparents. If they had passed on, then other elders in the family would name the child. The 40-year-old adds that in Busoga, children are named after a relative who has passed on.

“When a child is born, the elders think of names to give them and they must decide on one of someone who died a long time ago. If they name the child after someone who has died a short while ago, the person who died a long time ago is insulted and their spirit may haunt the child, make them sickly and they will cry all the time. And even when they are taken to hospital, the doctors will not see anything wrong with them but the child will remain sickly until their name is changed to a correct one.”

She adds that in the past, whenever there were two names to choose from and people were not sure which person died first, elders would get two hens and put thread of different colours around their legs. Each of the threads represented a name. Then the hens would be thrown onto the roof top and the hen that came down first determined what name was given the child.

But, the way things are done today is different. One does not have to take the child to the village in order for them to get a name. You can simply call the elders over the phone and get the name. And even though the child’s name is supposed to be of the father’s family, if you give birth to many children, a man can allow a mother to name some children according to her lineage.

Remembering ancestors
John Mukasa, 45, says the same thing is done in Buganda but they ensure that the person whose name is used has/had a good personality. Interestingly, it does not matter if their name has a good meaning or not. “We believe that if they had bad habits like stealing, committed adultery, lied etc, the child may also take up those habits if they are named after them,” Mukasa says.

While people these days might not follow culture as much, it does not mean that it is smooth sailing when it comes to naming. Naigaga says her nephew Charles is 27 and has three children but none of them is named after their deceased relatives.

“The entire family was mad at him and claimed that he was disrespecting the dead but he said he is born again and according to his faith, naming people after the dead is bad because curses follow them. His children have grown and nothing has happened to them so may be it does not matter anymore who names and what name the child is given. I guess people still go to the grandparents just so they do not feel guilty,” she says.

Naming in Toro
In Toro, children are alsonamed after their paternal relatives and it does not matter if those relatives are alive or not. A baby girl is supposed to be named when she is three days old and a boy when he is four days old. At the time of naming, a small function is attended by the relatives. Millet and mushroom soup are prepared for the attendees and a grandparent or elder names the child. However, Hellena Kabanyoro, 50, says this function is not compulsory. What matters is that the child is given a name that belongs to the father’s clan and even though there’s no elder, the naming can still be done as long as someone knows the names supposed to be chosen from.

The Lugbara
The Lugabara do it differently. Sarah Tisia, 25, says in her culture, they do not mind much about who does the naming and it’s rare that a child is named after someone who died. “Children are named according to the prevailing situation or what the parents went through when they were expecting the child.” She gives an example of her name (Tisia) which means “why the mistreatment?” because she was born at a time when her mother was being mistreated by her in-laws and yet they had not given enough dowry to her (the mother’s) parents. Her mother therefore named her Tisia in a bid to make her relatives think about their actions. Tisia says that even when a child is named by its grandparents, they will do so according to what the child’s mother and father are going through or according to the situation in the entire village.

The Acholi
A similar way to the Lugbara of naming children is found among the Acholi. Harriet Anena, says in her culture, a child is named according to the prevailing situation or what the parents went through when they were expecting the child. A child is named Acan (girl) or Ocan (boy) if he/she is born during poverty or difficult times e.g. when the harvests is meagre and the parents have to live from hand to mouth.

The same applies when the child is born when the family is facing difficulties e.g. death of several family members, disease outbreak, death of animals and natural calamities etc. The name Aleng/Aber (girl) Laber (boy) is given to a child who is considered beautiful, or whose mother is beautiful and of good character. Adoch(girl) Odoch (boy) is given to a child who is born with the legs coming out first, instead of the head. A child born with six toes on each feet or six fingers on each hand, is named Lajara (girl) Ojara (boy).

The name Lanyero (girl), Nyero (boy) is given to a child whose parents (especially the mother) is jolly and lives with everyone in harmony. Every first born child in Acholi is named by the man’s family, then the children after can be named by the mother’s family.

The name Anenocan means “I have experienced poverty or hardships”. This is given to a child born during poverty or when the child’s mother is mistreated by her in-laws. The name Anena, on the other hand (short form for Ber Anena), means good to look at and is given to a girl child who is considered beautiful. Names are given after a grandmother, grandfather, or relative and all names relate to the present situation.

The Christian view
Joshua Mugabi, a pastor at Watoto Church, says that while different traditions have different ways of naming a child, what is important to note is that children are a gift from God and He has a plan for each one of them regardless of their name.

He says a child’s name should be thought of even before conceiving instead of naming them according to the season in which they are born or how much pain the mother felt during labour. Naming ought to involve the entire family; both parents should participate and if they have other children, they can also take part in getting a name for the child.

If the in-laws get involved and are causing trouble, you can get the names without them. Even though it’s good for the grandparents to be honoured, it should not be done by naming children after them. Besides, sometimes the grandparent’s habits end up being reflected in the child and some of them may not be good.

Mugabi says, “A name is a confession and an attachment so it needs to have a good meaning.” In the Bible, most names’ meanings affected their destiny, for instance, David meant “beloved one” and his life shows that he was indeed loved. David turned out to be a great king, musician, soldier and poet and he wrote about half of the Psalms in the Bible. On the other hand, Jezebel’s name meant “no goodness” and she turned out to be an evil manipulative woman who promoted an evil religion in a holy land (idolatry).

The Bible also shows that even when your name meant something bad, one could pray so that it did not determine their destiny. For example, Jabez’s name meant “pain” but he prayed for it not to be a prophetic indicator of his life. In Chronicles 4:10, Jabez asked God to bless him and keep him from harm so he would be free of pain and it was granted.
“Even with such occurrences, what “determines” one’s destiny is God and not the meaning of their name. But the meaning of the name usually “influences” one’s destiny,” says Mugabi.

“It’s okay for one to name their children after icons like Obama, Tiger Woods etc. But keep in mind that even those people have weaknesses and having that person’s name will not magically make a child turn out like them. Also, some of these icons may lead scandalous lives and a child may be ashamed to be associated with them by name. What does the magic is good parenting,” Mugabi concludes.

cap: The traditional naming ceremony of a seven-day-old boy in the village in southeastern Senegal.His grandmother reaches for a razor blade to shave his head for cleansing before she gives him his name. Today, Pentecostals, right, believe in naming by baptism, done by immersion in water. Left, an Anglican reverend baptises a baby in church.

Examples of strange names and their meanings

Kasolo: Insect (Baganda)
Zirabamuzale: Problems come after one that is born (Baganda)
Lutalo: War (Baganda)
Bizibu: Problems (Baganda)
Makamazibu: Family life is hard (Baganda)
Nababi (for the women)/Ssebabi (for the men): Ugly (Baganda)
Muwanguzi: Winner (Baganda/Basoga)
Mikisa: Blessings (Basoga)
Mulyamboli: Sweet potato eater (Basoga)
Namugufe: Bad person (Basoga)
Tibasiima: They do not appreciate
Nambwoige: Fool (Basoga)
Agwada: Shapeless (Langi)
Angunya: Female private parts (Langi)
Ocuc: Black beyond black (Langi)
Chandia (for the men) / Chandiru (for the women): You will suffer (Lugbara)
Draru Death (Lugbara)
O/Achan: Poverty (Iteso)
A/omong: Cows (Acholi)
Komakech: Born unlucky (Acholi)
Komagum: Blessed Acholi
Rubunu: Buttocks (Banyankole)
Onjikanya: Ugly. (Acholi)

-Compiled by Brenda Banura