GแปNแป Bแปค AHA Gแป?
Updated: 23/04/2023
โWhen a person is given a name, his gods accept.โ – Igbo proverb
Traditions like the naming ceremony demonstrate the importance of names within Igbo society. In Igbo, the ceremony is referred to as โIgu Afaโ.
In contemporary Igbo culture, it is customary to perform a naming ceremony for a newborn on the eighth day after their birth. Typically, two names are given to the child, one from each side of the family, but only one name is retained for the child’s later life. However, within the diaspora and among those living outside of Igboland in Nigeria, the tradition and context of names can become lost aspects of a person’s heritage.
For many of us living abroad, our surnames can feel foreign and disconnected from our cultural roots, as the significance of these names has often not been explained or elaborated upon. In the modern globalised world, a person’s name can provide a unique glimpse into their history and origin. Surnames, in particular, serve as important indicators that trace the collective journey of a family or clan.
At Okwu ID we are drafting a register archiving Igbo surnames and their meanings. If you know of/have an Igbo surname, or if you have ever wondered what the meaning and context of your surname is. We will do our best to try to find out what it means.
See the current list below. Some names have not yet been defined/speculative (?) If you know the meaning or have a better translation please let us know using the text box above.
To be added:
- Ihemenege
- Ekwelum
- Nwaoha – Child of the people
- Ekete
- Ogeri
- Okwor
- Chukwumerije
- Mmadubugo
- Asike
- Diogu
- Ochie
- Nkameme
- Nnadi
- Abara
- Ikenna
- Ume / Umeh
- Okeke – see below
- Udeh
- Onwudiwe
- Akharame
- Anabaraonye
- Chinonso
- Alaeze
| NAME | BREAKDOWN | MEANING |
| Abara/ Agbara | Spirit | |
| Achebe | An abbreviation of Anichebe | May Ani (the earth goddess protect) |
| Acholonu | ||
| Adichie | We will live on and our descendants will carry on our legacy. | |
| Adindu | We shall live | |
| Agughalam | Do not side-line/marginalise me | |
| Aguta | Countless/To have many | |
| Agwuegbo | The hardship is over | |
| Aku | Wealth | |
| Alaneme | Ala (land) + n’eme (is doing something) | The land is active – may have other interpretations |
| Ama | Compound | |
| Amadi | Ama + di | The compound remains |
| Amaike | Ama + ike | The compound is strong |
| Anichebe | May Ani (the earth goddess protect) | |
| Aniefuna | Ani/Ala + efuna | My land is not lost |
| Anokwuru | Ano + Kwuru | Four talk |
| Anosike | Ano + si + ike | Four is strong |
| Anuoru | Anu + oru | To stay well? |
| Asiegbu | A + si + egbu | |
| Asika | Asi + ka | Asi (lie) = to lie a lot ? |
| Asinobi | A + si + na + obi | From the heart |
| Atuche | Atu + uche | To think / to plan something in the mind |
| Atuegbu | Atu + Egbu | Speculation will not kill me |
| Atusiemobi | Take heart (my condolences) ? | |
| Awachie | He has come to replace ? | |
| Awujo | A wu ujo | To be quiet ? |
| Azuka | Azu + Ka | โThe back is above.โ Azu ordinarily means โthe backโ but it likewise refers to โthe backer.โ The family was poor, but since it had wealthy relatives, it was assured of social status. This fact is expressed in the name. |
| Azunna | Azu + nna | My fathers back |
| Chidozie | Chi + dozie | My spirit/God looks after |
| Chinka | Chi + nka | God’s craft (work) or a creative chi “spirit” |
| Chuke/Chike | Chu(kwu) + ike | God’s power |
| Chukwumerije | Chukwu + mere + ije | God makes (something) walk |
| Chukwunyelu | Chukwu + nyelu/nyere | God gives |
| Diri | To be (may be short for another name) | |
| Dozie | To repair – to look after – to make well | |
| Dunga(maeze) | Sit here/stay here and know the king | |
| Duru | (Di + Uru) *Di in this case means master | Master of prosperity |
| Duruaku | Master of prosperity | |
| Duruji | ||
| Ebujo | To kill the wrong person ? | |
| Edochie | To replace | |
| Edolasim | Do not side-line/marginalise me | |
| Edozie | Edozie | To repair – to look after – to make well – well ordered |
| Edoziem | My life has been ordered by God | |
| Eguminyo | ||
| Ehioma | Ehi + oma | Good cow |
| Ejike | from: Ejiro-ike-erne-ife-enu | โWe do not use power in doing things of the world.โ |
| Ejikeme | We donโt do anything by force | |
| Ejiofor | Eji + Ofo | The Ofo is the an object historically used to settle disputes and to bestow judgement. Eji = To hold |
| Ejofor | Eji + Ofo | The Ofo is the an object historically used to settle disputes and to bestow judgement. Eji = To hold |
| Ekezie | Eke +ezi | Good sharing |
| Emenike | E me na ike | โDo not with force.โ |
| Eregbu | ||
| Esiokwu | Esi + okwu | |
| Ezejiofor | Eze + ji + ofor | The King holds the Ofor |
| Ezemonye | I fear no one | |
| Ezenwa | Eze + nwa | The kings child |
| Ezeogba | Eze + ogba | |
| Ibe | (Abbr. of Ibeanaeweka) | โPeople continue to be angry too much.โ ? |
| Ibeh/Ibe | Towns people/villagers | |
| Ibekwe | Ibe + kwe | Ibe (people) + kwe (agree) = my people agree |
| Ibem | Ibe m | My people |
| Idozuka | ||
| Igweze | Igweze the โstaffโ the king holds but happy to be corrected! | |
| Iheme | Ihe + me | Things happen |
| Ihemelu | Ihe + melu/mere | Something happened |
| Ike | Strength | |
| Ikeji | I + ke + ji | Yam harvest festival (To break/split yam) |
| Ikwuakolam | Let me not lack brothers/neighbours | |
| Isiguzo | ||
| Iwuoha | ||
| Kalu | (also Kamalu) | The god of thunder |
| Kanu | (also Kamanu) | The god of thunder |
| Manufor | ||
| Mbanefo | May the nation/community remember | |
| Mborie | Mba + Orie | |
| Metu | Touch | |
| Mgbodile | ||
| Mmeremikwu | To be higher/better | |
| Monye | Mu + onye | Me and who |
| Ndukwe | Ndu + ekwe | Let life permit |
| Ndunesokwu | ||
| Nkwo | Nkwo market day (the last of the 4 days on the Igbo calendar) | |
| Nnadi | Nna + di | It means “my God is alive” or “my father lives |
| Nnadozie | Nna + dozie | Father looks after ? |
| Nnamdi | Nna m di | It means “my God is alive” or “my father lives |
| Nnebe | ||
| Nnodim | ||
| Nwabara | Nwa + abara | (Child) of the spirit |
| Nwabeke | Nwa + beke | Foreign Child |
| Nwachukwu | Nwa + chukwu | (Child) of the supreme God |
| Nwadibia | Nwa + dibia | (Child) of a native doctor |
| Nwadike | Nwa + di + ike | (Child) is of strong lineage / this person is strong/ Child warrior/hero |
| Nwaeze/Nweze | Nwa + eze | Child of the king |
| Nwaigbo | Nwa +Igbo | (Child) of the Igbo people |
| Nwaigwe/Nwigwe | Nwa + Igwe | (Child) of the king |
| Nwaike | Nwa + ike | (Child) of strong lineage |
| Nwakali | also Nwakala/Nwakani | A child dedicated to Ali/Ala/Ani (earth goddess) |
| Nwakuba | ||
| Nwamadioha | Nwa + amadioha | Child/ people |
| Nwamdi | ||
| Nwaneri | Nwa + na + eri | A child shall eat |
| Nwaogu/Nwogu | Nwa + ogu | (Child) of war |
| Nwaokocha | Man of the people | |
| Nwaokoha | Man of the people | |
| Nwaokolo/Nwaokoro | Nwa + okoro | Child of a young man |
| Nwaokpara | Nwa + okpara | Man/Child of the first son |
| Nwodoh | ||
| Nwogu | Nwa + ogu | The child of the ogu ? |
| Nwokeabia | Nwoke + a’bia | The man has come |
| Nwokeoha | ||
| Nwokoye | Nwa + Okoro + Oye | Son born on the Oye market day. Similar to Ok(afor) Child son born on the Oye market day |
| Nwosu | Nwa + osu | A child devoted to a specific god |
| Nwozuzu | ||
| Obah | ||
| Obasi | God (name for God varies per region) | |
| Obi | Heart | |
| Obiajunwa | ||
| Obiajurumobi | Obi + juru + m +obi | I am consoled (with the arrival of this child) |
| Obiaka | No home is greater than another | |
| Obiakaeze | A home is not greater than the king (or the person that owns it) | |
| Obiakaraije | A stranger who has come to stay permanently in a new place (An immigrant) | |
| Obiako | Short for Obiakolam | May I not lack a family/home |
| Obiakolam | May I not lack a family/home | |
| Obiakpani | Obi (chief/leader) + Akpani – shield | Chief warrior ? |
| Obialom | My heart is now rested – no more in suspense | |
| Obialor | ||
| Obianagha | Obi + agha | He came to fight |
| Obilaso | obi la so | (Happy) obi (heart) (courage) ? |
| Obimma | Obi + mma | |
| Obinna | Obi + nna | “father’s heart” |
| Obiochije | ||
| Obioma | Obi + oma | |
| Obiyo | Calm down – to calm the heart ? | |
| Odigwe | O + di + igwe | |
| Odinlo | Odi + nlo | It’s soft/easy |
| Odoemena | ||
| Ofoegbu | Ofo + egbu | The Ofo is the an object historically used to settle disputes and to bestow judgement. The Ofo staff can not kill |
| Ofor | The Ofo is the an object historically used to settle disputes and to bestow judgement. | |
| Ogbonna | Father’s confidant | |
| Ogbonnaya | His father’s confidant | |
| Ogeri | Ogu + eri | War wont kill me? |
| Ogu | Similar to the ofo, ( Ogu-na-Ofo) an object historically used to settle disputes and to bestow judgement. | |
| Oha | Oha (type of vegetable leaf) / society? | |
| Ohuruogu | Oha + ruo + ogu | When people gather to go to war |
| Ojukwu | Palm kernel (sometimes used to cleanse the body from enchanted food poisoning) could denote a strong person. | |
| Okafor/Okoroafor/Okorafor | Okoro + afor | Child son born on the afo market day. |
| Okeke/Okoreke | Okoro + eke | Child son born on the eke market day. |
| Okonkwo | Born on Nkwo market day | |
| Okonkwo | Okoro + Nkwo | โYoung man of nkwo-day.โ f. Nkwo is the name of one of the four |
| Okonma | Okoro + nma | “Good man” |
| Okonokwo | days of the week. The name indicates that the boy was born on that day. | |
| Okoro | the child of the freeborn man/ young man | |
| Okorocha/Okocha | Oko + ncha | Fair complexioned male child |
| Okoronkwo/Okonkwo | Okoro + nkwo | Child son born on the nkwo market day. |
| Okoye/Okorie/Okolie | Okoro + oye/orie/olie | Child son born on the Oye market day. |
| Okwelume | ||
| Okwuosa | Okwu + Olisa (osa) | Okwu – word + Osa (Olisa) God [Anambra] |
| Omezi | O + mezie | To do well |
| Onochie | A person who acts as a substitute for someone else | |
| Onwumere | Onwu + mere | Curse of death (situational – where excessive death is seen) |
| Onyeachu | Onye + acho | The person they are looking for (denotes something wanted/special that was found) |
| Onyeji | Onye + eji | The person who holds |
| Onyekwere / Onyekwe | Onye + ekwe | May I (someone) permit/approve |
| Onyema | Who knows – usually who can predict the mind of God | |
| Onyemachi | Onye + mma | A good person |
| Onyeme | Onye + eme | A person who does well |
| Onyeneme | Onye + (na) + eme | A person who does well |
| Onyenewere | Onye – nwere | The person has |
| Onyewelu | Onye + welu | The person has |
| Onyewkwere | Onye + kwere | The person who agrees |
| Oparah/Okpara | First son | |
| Orendu | ||
| Orji | Iroko (a tree) | ๏ปฟMetaphor for a greatness |
| Osakwe | Osa(Olisa)+ kwe | If God permits [Anambra] – Osa – throat – if your greed(long throat) can agree. |
| Osondu | Oso + Ndu | To run for life (race for life) |
| Ovuworie | ||
| Ozoemena | Ozo – emena | We should avoid the recurrence or reoccurrence of another (event or situation). |
| Uche(Chukwu/Nna) | Thought of God or Father | |
| Uchelue | May good will/thoughts reach me | |
| Uchenna | Uche + nna | Fathers/Gods thought |
| Uderede | ||
| Udochukwu | Peace of God | |
| Uduike | Udu (clay pot to fill water) + Ike (strength) | It means fullness of power |
| Ugochukwu | Ugo + Chukwu | God’s honour |
| Ugwu | Respect, Reverence or Dignity | |
| Ugwuana | Respect, Reverence or Dignity from the earth goddess | |
| Ugwunauwa | Ugwu + | |
| Ugwushie | Ugwu + shie | To (overcome) rise above |
| Ujam | ||
| Ukachukwu | Uka + chukwu | Church of God / Word of God [Anambra] |
| Ukah/Uka | Church/Talk[Anambra] | |
| Ukegbu | Uka + egbu | Uka – church (place of worship) egbu – wont kill /Uka – variation of okwu = talk/discussion ? |
| Ukpabi | Name of a deity (Ibini Ukpabi – of Arochukwu) | |
| Umeh | An Ozo titled person of the Ume category. A distinguished person or a person of importance. | |
| Umunakwe | Umu + nna + kwe(re) | My people/my siblings agree |
| Umunna | Umu nna | Children of the father (Siblings)/Family |
| Unigwe | Uno (Ulo) + Igbo | Heaven (House of the sky) [Northern Igbo] |
| Uzoegbu/Uxoebgulam | Uzo + egbu + (m) | The road till not kill me |
| Wabaranta | Nwa + abara + nta | Child of the spirit |
Updated: 29/05/2023
Please contact for updates and corrections.
Also visit: myigboname.com for more
22 responses to “IGBO SURNAMES AND MEANINGS”
I love this! Great idea! I was just browsing through the list and found that Onyemachi was broken down into Onye+mma, and translated to “a good person”, when in fact the name breaks down to “Onye+ma+Chi” as in “Who knows God or Who knows the will of God. Thank you once again for this post and doing it for the culture!
Kedu,
Daalu maka correction!
We’ve included it!
Hi. I have a couple for you lol, AJAERO, OHONSI & OTUSI,
Hi Hanan,
It’s difficult to say with these, the following answers are guesses. Bear in mind they could also be names of gods or of specific things which have regional meanings.
1) Otusi (Otu + si) could be a short version of something if we break it down
Otu = one
si= could mean “come from” or “said”
“One said/spoke”
“One comes from”
It’s hard to know exactly what it means.
2) Ajaero = aja depending on how it’s pronounced could mean “Sacrifice or Sand” see here Aja
/รjร /1
Gender: m
Sacrifice.
/รjฤ/2
Gender: m
Sand. https://www.myigboname.com/entries/aja
Ero in Igbo is mushroom.
“E ruo” also means to arrive
So it could have a few meanings if we combine these, but there could also be missing context.
3) Ohonsi
I’m unsure.
hi I’d like to know what these names mean if u know them. AJAERO AND OTUSI
thanks.
Hi Jay, see reply for Hanan.
Hi, would like to know the meaning of Ogbuzulu. What’s the relationship between the Zulu people and Ndigbo? they seem to have the same traditions, way of life. They protect their culture, traditions and language with everything they’ve got, highly driven too.
Arukwe should also be on this list
Yes
Arแปฅ/Ahแปฅ = body
kwe = agrees
Arแปฅkwe = the body agrees
k
Asiegbu Asi+egbu Lies/allegations do not kill
Atuegbu Atu+egbu Machinations do not kill.
Diri Stay/live
Ehioma Ehi+oma Good day(mostly Mbaise/Imo/Abia dialect)
Ekezie Eke+zie Created well.
Ezemonye Eze+m+onye Who should I be wary of?
Ezeogba Eze+ogba King of the clan/group.
Igweze Igwe+eze King of the masses/people.
Isiguzo Isi+guzo The head stand(means staying alive/surviving)
Kanu/ Ka(ma)nu People’s will. Another name for the Igbo God of
Kalu Ka(ma)lu lightning and thunder(mostly in Abia and Rivers
states)
Manufor/ Manu+for Somebody is left/alive.
Madufor Madu+for
Mborie/ Mbe+orie(oye) On Orie/Oye day(Orie/Oye is the fourth of
Mgborie Mgbe+orie(oye) the four Igbo market days)
Ndukwe Ndu+kwe If life ‘agrees’/permits.
Ndunesokwu Ndu+na+ese+okwu Life is controversial/quarrelsome.
Nkwo The second Igbo market day(usually given
to a child born on Nkwo day)
Asiegbu should translate as hatred does not kill. ikpo-asi= hatred. Remember , Igbos of old hate lies and it will be inappropriate for them to give their children names that will edify lying, thanks. Chichi
Justin, my surname is also โAnukamโ! I have been trying to find the meaning of my surname but had no luck, what is the meaning of our surname?
Not too sure about Anukam but if you break it down to A nu ka m, it might me mean something like ‘to understand me better than… however I can’t say this with much confidence.
Do you know the meaning of Anukam?
i didnt see my name there. Nwanganga- child of pride. i would however like to know the meaning of Kanu
ONWUSAKA
EKENEDIRICHUKWU
At the moment I can’t make sense of Onwusaka, but แปnwแปฅ means death, saka sa? + aka (hand) or it could be saa (to wash) + ka (greater than).
Ekenedilichukwu/Ekenedirichukwu = Gratitude to God
Ekene (greeting/thanks/gratittue) + Chukwu (God)
Do you know the meaning of Azonye?
It could be a shorter version of a longer name. But Azu = back/behind, onye = person/who. It could be in reference to someone in the past e.g. who is behind [me].
It could also be azu (behind/past) o (it) nye (gives) which might mean something like: the past gives.
Pls what is the meaning of amako and onwuka and adarinma
Leo Kedu, Adarinmma is probably:
-The First daughter is good/beautiful
Ada = first daughter
ri/di = is (ri = Imo dialect maybe other places too)
mma = good/nice etc
Amako (maybe it might be another way of saying Amaka which means “very beautiful”.
But otherwise we’re not sure.
Onwuka is probably a shorter version of Okwukaeme (แปnwแปฅ-ka-eme) meaning something like “Death does the most”
Onwu = death
ka = suffix for “more than/much”
eme = to do