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GINI BU AHA GI?
“When a person is given a name, his gods accept.” – Igbo proverb
Traditions like the naming ceremony demonstrate the importance of names within Igbo society. In Igbo, the ceremony is referred to as “Igu Afa”.
In contemporary Igbo culture, the custom is usually performed on the eighth day after the child is born. Two names are usually given to the child by each side of the family. However, only one name is retained for later life.
Within the diaspora and those in Nigeria who live outside of Igboland. The tradition and context of names can become a lost part of a person’s heritage.
Many of us living abroad bear surnames that feel alien to us, relics from a culture that has often not been explained or elaborated to us.
In the modern globalised world names can be a unique glimpse into a person’s history and origin. With surnames, in particular, being important indicators that map 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. Message us on okwuidteam@gmail.com or okwuid@outlook.com
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 let us know.
NAME (AHA) |
BREAKDOWN |
MEANING |
| Abara | Spirit | |
| Achebe | ||
| Acholonu | ||
| Adichie | ||
| Agughalam | Do not sideline/marginalise me | |
| Aguta | Countless/To have many | |
| Agwuegbo | The hardship is over | |
| Aku | Wealth | |
| Alaneme | Ala (land)+ neme (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 |
| 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 alot?? |
| 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 condolances) ? | |
| Awachie | ? | He has come to replace ? |
| Awujo | A wu ujo | To be quiet ? |
| Azuka | Azu + Ka | “The back is above.” m. Azu ordinarily means “the back” but it likewise refers to “the backer.” The family was poor, but since it had wealthy relatives, it was assured of social status. This fact is expresscd in the name. |
