Previously, I spoke about the beauty of moonlight tales and how they are a part of the Nigerian culture. You can check that out in this post:
There is something about the Nigerian Moonlight Tales
This time around, another idea popped into my head to talk about Nigerian names. A uniquely beautiful thing that sets us apart as Nigerians is our names. It is easy to know if an individual is a Nigerian or not, through the name they bear, and I am not talking about those simple names, I am talking about names that come with weight, that when you pronounce it, you know that it is a Nigerian name. Names like Oluwatosin from the Western part of the country, the Yoruba people, which means God is enough to serve. Or Chukwuebuka from the eastern part of the country, the Igbo people, which means God is great.
These are the kind of names I am referring to, and this goes for all the different tribes in the country. With the diversity in the country, filled with different culture that brings about different ways of doing things and living life, so does it apply to their names. Every tribe has a given name that means something in their dialect.
So in Nigeria, a name is never just a name. It means something bigger, probably a prayer, thanksgiving, a life story, and in some cases even a warning. Certain events or stories may play out in a child's life; it could be the event leading up to the child's delivery or some life experience that is worth living through life. The names, especially Nigerian names, should not be taken at face value. It means more, and it is a good opener for a conversation. Whenever I meet people with unique names, I try to ask what they mean and if they are comfortable sharing the backstory behind the name.
Due to the validity that comes with the meaning of Nigerian names. There is a relevant importance to the Naming ceremony of a child. This is when the child is introduced to the world, and their names are spoken out loud. The names given to the child are called out in most cases by the person or people who gave the name. Also, the meaning of the name is said as well. For the Yoruba people, the naming ceremony of the child takes place on the seventh or eighth day after the child is born. While for other tribes it differs.
A unique feature about Nigerian names, as I would like to put it, is the ability for the name to serve as an identifier. Names not only call out the person that bears the name, but it also plays a role in identifying what tribe the person comes from. When you get to listen to a name that has the Yoruba word Oluwa, you get to understand that this is a Yoruba name and it has to do with the Yoruba tribe. The same thing applies to other cultures as well. Like Chukwu for Igbo and Musa for Hausa.
This identification can go as far as identifying the person's clan or village, especially when they tell you their full name. I have seen this play out amongst the Igbo people, when they can identify where a person comes from just by listening to their names. When it comes to Nigerians, names are powerful, and most names tell a story.
I am @samostically, a chess player and writer. I love to share the experience I have gained from different battles over the 64 squares and the knowledgeable insights from books I have read. But most importantly, I am a Midnight Owl and I founded the community Midnight Letters.
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Obrigado por promover a Língua Portuguesa em suas postagens.
Vamos seguir fortalecendo a comunidade lusófona dentro da Hive.
I like the idea of names being open conversations, because they reveal tribe, origin, and even family events.
I wrote about this shortly when I first got back to Hive last month, and it was a prompt to tell the history behind our usernames. So, to explain that, I had to give a brief intro about what names mean to Nigerians. As much as the country is multi-cultural, this importance to name giving and ceremonies is something that unifies us. I really do appreciate it. Even more, I love the aspect of growing up and realizing you can change your name to suit your personality, whether the idea is gotten as a rhema or whatever great inspiration, I'm all for it!
I'm also glad this is something you acknowledge. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about it in this blog post.
Yes it something that has been on my mind. I believe names are everything. Do you know my name "Samuel" was as a result of the situation before my birth? So when you go deeper to traditional names, it's becomes more obvious. Like if I tell you my Igbo name or my Yoruba name, you'd figure it faster than "samuel"
Oh, wow. I never thought about it, but now that you've mentioned it, I realize that it does have a biblical story behind it. This further proves what you just said - indigenous names are easier to figure out than English names. They also spark more curiosity. Didn't know you had Igbo roots, too. That's so cool.
So interesting to know about nigerian names! I love to know the meanings behind a name or a surname, maybe because my name is Silvia (in italian language came from "forest") Beneforti (that literally means "Well-strong"). 😊