The Akan people of Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Togo frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. These "day names" have further meanings concerning the soul and character of the person. Middle names have considerably more variety and can refer to their birth order, twin status, or an ancestor's middle name.
This naming tradition is shared throughout Akan-speaking countries as well as the wider African diaspora. During the 18th–19th centuries, enslaved people in the Caribbean from the region that is modern-day Ghana were referred to as Coromantees. Many of the notable leaders of slave rebellions had "day names" including Cuffy, Cuffee or Kofi, Cudjoe or Kojo, Quao or Quaw, and Quamina or Kwame/Kwamina.
Most Ghanaians have at least one name from this system, even if they also have an English or Christian name. Notable figures with day names include Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
In the official orthography of the Twi (Akan) language, the Ashanti versions of these names as spoken in Kumasi are as follows. The diacritics on ⟨á⟩, ⟨a̍⟩ and ⟨à⟩ represent high, mid, and low tone (tone does not need to be marked on every vowel), while the diacritic on ⟨a̩⟩ is used for vowel harmony and can be ignored. (Diacritics are frequently dropped in any case.) Variants of the names are used in other languages, or may represent different transliteration schemes. The variants mostly consist of different affixes (in Ashanti, kwa- or ko- for men and a- plus -a or -wa for women). For example, among the Fante, the prefixes are kwe-, kwa or ko for men and e-, a respectively. Akan d̩wo or jo (Fante) is pronounced something like English Joe, but there do appear to be two sets of names for those born on Monday.
Day names Day born Ashanti Variants Root Assoc. Fante namesNeita, Lance, "So what's in a name?", Jamaica Observer, 29 August 2014. Male name Female name Ndyuka Sunday(Kwasiada) Kwasi Akosua, Kwasi, Siisi, Akwasi, Kosi;Akasi, Akosi, Akosiwa, Kwasiba, Awusi, Asi, Ese Kwasi, Kwasiba Asi Universe Kwesi, Quasheba, Esi, Siisi Monday(Dwoada) Kwadwo Adwoa Kodjó, Kojo, Kwadwo, Jojo, Cudjoe;Adjua, Ajwoba, Adwoba, Adjoa, Adjo, N'adjo, M'adjo, Adjowa, Ajao Kodyo, Adyuba Dwo Peace Cudjoe, Kojo, Joojo, Adjoa, Ajuba, Juba Tuesday(Benada) Kwabena, Abena Komlá, Komlã, Komlan, Kabenla, Kobby, Ebo, Kobi, Kobina;Ablá, Ablã, Abenaa, Araba, Abrema Abeni Bene Ocean Kobina, Abena, Ewurabena Wednesday(Wukuada) Kwaku Akua Kukuuwa, Kwaku Koku, Kokou, Kwaku, Abeiku, Kaku, Kuuku, Kwaku;Akuba, Akú, Ekua Wukuo Spider (Sky) Kweku, Abeiku, Yooku, Kukuuwa, Cooba Thursday(Yahwada) Yaw Yaa Yao, Yawo, Yawu, Yawa, Ayawa, Kwaw, Ekow, Kow;Yaa, Yaaba, Yaba, Aaba, Abina Yaw, Yaba Ya Earth Ekow, Quao, Aba, Yaaba, Baaba Friday(Fiada) Kofi Afua Fiifi, Yoofi;Afí, Afiba, Afia, Efua, Efe Kofi, Afiba Afi Fertility Fiifi, Yoofi Cuffee, Afiba, Fiba Saturday(Memeneda) Kwame Amba, Ama Kwami, Kuw-ame, Kw-ame, Kwamena, Kw-amina, Komi;Ame, Ami, Amba, Amma, Ameyo Kwami, Amba Amene God Kwamina, Ama
Naming for twins There are also special names for elder and younger twins.
The word Panyin means older/elder. Kakra is short for Kakraba, which means little/younger one. The definition/description below for the meaning of younger and an elder is backwards or vice versa.
Twin Male name Female name Variants Twin Attá Ataá Atta Firstborn ("elder"For the Akan, the first-born twin is considered the younger, as the elder is thought to have stayed behind to help the younger out. twin) Atta Panyin Attá Panyin Panyin Second born ("younger" twin) Atta kakraKakra, Kakraba AtaaBorn after twins Tawia. Born after Tawia Gaddo Nyankómàgó
Birth-order names There are also names based on the order of birth, the order born after twins, and the order born after remarriage.
Order Male name Female name First born Píèsíe Second born Mǎnu Máanu Third born Meńsã́ Mánsã Fourth born Anan, Anané Fifth born Núm, Anúm Sixth born Esĩã́ Seventh born Esuón Nsṍwaa Eighth born Bótwe Ninth born Ákron, Nkróma Nkróma Nkrũmãh Tenth born Badú Badúwaa Eleventh born Dúkũ Twelfth born Dúnu Thirteenth born Adusa Fourteenth born Agyeman Last born Kaakyire
Special delivery Children are also given names when delivered under special circumstances.
Circumstance Male/Female name Translation on the field Efum "The field" on the road Ɔkwán "The road" in war Bekṍe, Bedíàkṍ "war time" happy circumstances Afriyie/Afiríyie "good year" one who loves Adofo "the special one from God, warrior" great one Agyenim "the great one from God" after long childlessness Nyamékyε "gift from God" premature or sickly Nyaméama "what God has given (no man can take away)" forceful Kumi "forcefulness" after death of father Antó "it didn't meet him" father refuses responsibility Obím̀pέ "nobody wants" Yεmpέw "we don't want you"
Family names Ashanti people given-names are concluded with a family name (surname) preceded by a given name. The family name (surname) are always given after close relatives and sometimes friends. Since Ashanti names are always given by the men, if a couple receives a son as their first born-baby then the son is named after the father of the husband and if the baby is a girl then she will be named after the mother of the husband. As a result, if the man is called Osei Kofi and his wife gives birth to a girl as their first born, the girl may be called Yaa Dufie even if she was not born on Friday. The reason is that the mother of the husband (Osei Kofi) is called Yaa Dufie. The Ashanti people usually give these names so that the names of close relatives be maintained in the families to show the love for their families.
In the olden days of Ashanti it was a disgrace if an Ashanti man was not able to name any child after his father and/or mother because that was the pride of every Ashanti household. Most of the ethnic-Ashanti family name (surname) given to boys could also be given to girls just by adding the letters "aa". Some Ashanti family names (surnames) can be given to both boys and girls without changing or adding anything. However, there are other ethnic-Ashanti family name (surnames) that are exclusively male names, while others are exclusively female names.
+Ethnic-Ashanti family names (surnames) # Ethnic-Ashanti family name # Ethnic-Ashanti family name # Ethnic-Ashanti family name 1 Abeberese 84 Baafi 168 Mensah 2 Abeyie 85 Baah 169 Mintah 3 Aboagye 86 Bafuor 170 Misa 4 Aboah 87 Baffoe 171 Mmorosa 5 Aborah 88 Baako 172 Mpong 6 Aborampah 89 Baidoo 173 Munuo 7 Abrafi 90 Barwuah 174 Narh 8 Abrefa 91 Banahene 175 Nduom 9 Acheampong 92 Bediako 176 Nimo Nimoh 10 Achamfour 93 Bekoe 177 Nkansa Nkansah 11 Acquah 94 Bemah 178 Nkrumah 12 Adade 95 Boadi 179 Nsiah 13 Addai 96 Boadu 180 Nsonwah Nsonwaa 14 Addo 97 Boahen 181 Nsor 15 Adiyiah 98 Boakye 182 Ntiamoa Ntiamoah 16 Adomah 99 Boamah 183 Ntim 17 Adomako 100 Boampong 184 Ntow 18 Adusei 101 Boasiako 185 Nuako 19 Adwubi 102 Boateng 186 Nkruamah 20 Afoakwah 103 Boatei 187 Nyamekye 21 Afreh 104Bonah 188 Nyantah 22 Afram 105 Bonsu 189 Nyantakyi 23 Afrane 106 Bonsra Bonsrah 190 Nyarko 24 Afrakoma Afrakomah 107 Brempong 191 Obeng Oteng 25 Afrifa Afirifa 108 Busia Busiah 192 Obuor 26 Afriyie 109 Cofie Cuffee Kofi 193 Oduro 27 Afful 110 Crentsil 194 Ofori 28 Ahinful 111 Daako Darko 195 Ofosu 29 Arkorful 112 Dankwah Danquah 196 Ogyampah 30 Agyapong 113 Danso 197 Ohemeng 31 Agyare 114 Dapaa Dapaah Depay 198 Ohene 32 Agyei 115 Diawuo 199 Okese 33 Agyeman Agyemang 116 Donkor Donkoh Dontoh 200 Okoromansah 34 Aidoo 117 Domfe 201 Okyere 35 Akenten Akenteng 118 Dorkenoo 202 Omenah Omenaa 36 Akomeah 119 Duah 203 Opambuor 37 Akomfrah 120 Dufie 204 Opare 38 Akosah 121 Duodu 205 Opoku 39 Akoto 122 Dwamena Dwamenah 206 Oppong 40 Akuamoah 123 Dwomoh 207 Opuni 41 Akuffo 124 Ekuoba 208 Osafo 42Akrofi 125 Enninful 209 Osam 43 Akyaw 126 Essien 210 Otuo 44 Amakye 127 Farkyi 211 Osei 45 Amamfo 128 Firikyi 212 Owoahene 46 Amankona Amankonah 129 Fofie 213 Owusu 47 Amankwah 130 Fokuo 214 Oyiakwan 48 Ameyaw 131 Fordjour 215 Paintsil 49 Amissah 132 Forobuor 216 Pappoe 50 Amoabeng 133 Fredua Freduah 217 Peprah 51 Amoah 134 Fremah 218 Pinaman 52 Amoako 135 Frimpong Frempon Frempong 219 Poku 53 Amoateng 136 Gyakari 220 Prempeh 54 Amofah 137 Gyan Djan Djansi 221 Quainoo 55 Ampadu 138 Gyamera Gyamerah 222 Quansah 56 Ampem 139 Gyamah Gyaama 223 Safo Sarfo 57 Ampofo 140 Gyamfi 224 Sakyi 58 Amponsah 141 Gyambibi 225 Sarkodie 59 Amponsem 142 Gyasi 226 Sarpei Yartei 60 Andoh 143 Gyeabuor 227 Sarpon Sarpong 61 Ankobiah 144 Gyimah 228 Sasraku 62 Ankomah 145 Inkoom 229 Siabuor 63 Ankrah 146 Karikari 230 Siaw 147 Katakyie 231 Sika 65 Anokye 148 Kenu 232 Sikafuo 66 Ansah 149 Koduah 233 Sintim 67 Apori Antwi 150 Kokote 234 Siriboe 68 Apau 151 Konadu 235 Soadwa Soadwah 69 Appiah 152 Koranten Koranteng 236 Sowah 70 Asamoah 153 Korsah 237 Tagoe 71 Asante Asantewaa 154 Kouassi 238 Takyi 72 Asare 155 Kufuor Kuffour 239 Tandoh 73 Asenso 156 Kumankama 240 Tawiah 74 Ashia 157 Kusi Kusiwaa 241 Tuffour158Kwantwi Tutu 75 Asiamah 159 Kwaata 242 Twasam 76 Asiedu 160 Kwakye 243 Tweneboa Tweneboah 77 Asomadu 161 Kwateng Kwarteng 244 Twerefuo 77 Asomaning 162 Kwayie 245 Twum Twumasi 79 Asubonteng 163 Kyekyeku 247 Wiafe WireduAssuminAssumingKyem 80 Ayeh 164 Kyereme 248 Yamoah 81 Ayensu 165 Kyerematen Kyeremateng 249 Yankah 82 Ayew 166 Kyerewa Kesewaa 250 Yeboah 83 Awuah 167 Mansong 251 Yiadom-
References
Additional references J. E. Redden and N. Owusu (1963, 1995). Twi Basic Course. Foreign Service Institute (Hippocrene reprint). Florence Abena Dolphyne (1996). A Comprehensive Course in Twi (Asante) for the Non-Twi Learner. Accra: Ghana Universities Press. Akan Teleteaching course Aukan Library (Ndyuka)
See also Ghanaian name