IGBO NAMES: Forms & Foundations
M. O. Ené
PREAMBLE
Igbo names are a very personal phenomenon as well as popular vehicles through which generations advance and pass on cultural creeds and Igbo linguistic legacy in all their rightful ramifications. They are a linguistic legacy of Igbo people, Ndiigbo, their extensive experience as a nation, reflective religiosity, social sophistication, and a tribute to their traditional tenets. Igbo names encapsulate the philosophy of a proud people; they tell stories of life experiences from time immemorial, of human experiences, and of beliefs in the realms beyond our world, the hereafter. Therefore, Igbo names must not only be meaningful they must reflect on certain circumstances and experiences of human sojourn on earth or border on the child’s conception, birth, and societal expectations. Igbo names tell stories of happiness, joy, sorrow, death, travels, prospects, potentials, and even belief in the seemingly impossible.
There can never be a complete compilation of Igbo names. In giving or taking names, Ndiigbo are very free to choose and pick. Which raises the question, why compile some of the better-known names? Simple: to advance the legacy of Igbo names. Due to the worldwide dispersion of the Igbo race, some people now name their children after close friends or family members, or follow dictates of adopted religions. Some simply use foreign names that are deemed en vogue. In addition, the adoption of short versions of Igbo names and subsequent Anglicization of these modern forms do not help the linguistic legacy and creeds the names are designed to advance. Whichever way we look at it, the most important thing is maintaining the essence of Igbo names; hence, there lies the need to compile as many existing names as possible and render their possible meanings and existing versions.
In some Igbo communities, some people have taken “originality” to curious levels. Hence we have such names as NENA, CHICHI, KECHI, NIKI, OKEY, MEKUS, etc. These are all forms of Igbo names pruned and presented for the easy pronunciation of the mainstream communities in which Ndiigbo thrive. In Igboland proper, migration into urban areas has led to the adoption of all kinds of criteria for naming a child. Some no longer remember what Igbo day it is their children are born. Consequently, the popularity of such names as OKORIE or OKOYE, OKONKWO, MGBEEKE, MGBAAFO, etc. has declined drastically. In fact, some adults today bear such names as FRIDAY, MONDAY, and TUESDAY! Of course, SUNDAY (SUNNY OR SONNY) became a given at some point for every male born on a Sunday. The name UKAAMAKA has now become the female version of “SUNDAY” -- for those born on Ubochiuka [Sunday] -- even though, originally, uka had absolutely nothing to with the Christian calendar or church service: Uka means “dialogue”; hence UKAAMAKA (or UKAMAKA) should espouse the virtues of dialogue, not glorify the goodness of Sundays.
INTRODUCTION
This compilation is not an attempt to standardize Igbo names. It is an attempt at reawakening our people to the underlying philosophy of names. Some people are stuck with Euro-Christian names either because it is not easy to change names late in life or because the Igbo prefer not to bother non-natives with correct pronunciations of their names. Besides it is hard to dump a name you grew up with and, frankly, it is not as if it makes you a better person, right? Wrong. We do not name ourselves. Some people do not know the true meanings of their names and or the circumstances of their birth the names reflect. Therefore, this compilation may encourage parents to document why they choose particular names for their children and make parents/adults to start asking the elders why they chose certain names.
This is an attempt more to compile the names and give possible meaning than analyze their meanings. A lame attempt will be made to explain some of the names, but almost all the names are broken down to reveal their roots to the best of my ability. It is left to the name-givers to select the names for a child as they deem fit. There are no strict rules, but name-givers must think about the child growing up with a name designed to say something that may not be valid in ten short years. Hence we never hear of a child named ADAOGBENYE [Daughter of the poor]. As the New York Lotto ad has it: “Hey, you never know.” Besides, the Cinderella story does happen much more often than we care to recollect. Therefore, it is important to consult elderly and or friendly folks before settling on a particular name.
One very important thing to note in most Igbo names is the frequency of CHUKWU or CHI [GOD]. Depending on dialect and choice, EKE, OBASI, OLISE, OLISA, OSA, OSE, and more recently NNA, are used interchangeably. Chi has just one meaning in Igbo: GOD. However, the arrival of Christianity has somehow conferred two meanings: it is now short for Chi Ukwu or CHUKWU, the Almighty God, and it also means the godly guardian, chi, who accompanies every human being from the cradle to the coffin. The second meaning is slightly similar to the Euro-Christians concept of angels, but the Chi of Ndiigbo is a spiritual force, an aura of Eke, the Almighty Force of Creation cloaking the individuality of creation. This has led the belief in some circles of the duality of he supreme deity in Igbo theosophy.
Chi is not in the same league as worldly deities; ALUSI or ARUNSHI is Igbo for such so-called “gods.” The idea of “chi anaghi afu uzo” [gods that do not see] is derogatory proselytism conceived by early Christian converts and designed to put down the so-called “pagans.” The Igbo are staunch monotheists who believein the concept of one creator; they do not worship “oluaka mmadu” [the handwork of humans], “alusi apiliapi” [carved deities], etc. Actually the word “worship” does not appear in traditional Igbo creed. The Igbo pray and plead and negotiate with known and unknown forces. Chi is a personal godly guardian, a force. Everyone has one. But Chi acts in accordance with our desire: “Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe.” One’s Chi is therefore unlikely to intervene if a person succumbs to the influence of Agwu, the trickster deity and patron saint of schizophrenia.
Chi Ukwu [CHUKWU] is the Head Force of all the individualized godly representatives we do not see, but whose presence we feel. Chukwu is therefore God, but there is a difference: God in Igbo theosophy has no human attributes, no gender, and no images to which we can relate. Chukwu is the beginning, the present, and the end. Everything is from God, and everything we are has been divinely decreed. It is encoded on our palm. Hence the Igbo word for destiny is akalaaka [palm prints]. Therefore, the Igbo praise Chukwu for a wonderful world; they fear and revere the Presence, but they do not believe in blind worship of any deity under the Supreme Being.
This explains briefly the preponderance of CHI/CHUKWU in Igbo names. God is central to Igbo belief system. The use of NNA (literally meaning “father”) is a Euro-Christian colonial concept. In this day and age and as in such names as NNAEMEKA and NNAMDI, “nna” may be referring to the male parent of the child’s father (the grandfather of the child) or to the heavenly God. We must be careful here: Chukwu as a male is not a true Igbo concept. The church introduced the idea of “Chukwu Nna,” “Chukwu Nwa” na “Chukwu Mmuo Nso” (God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) -- the Trinity. Of all the original names of God, none connotes a gender because Chukwu is a supernatural force, a spirit (mmuo). In Igbo, “mmuo” is either good or bad; it has no describable gender! Liberals in the church are now moving away from the wrong notion of “the man up there” with all the Caucasian angels serving champagne and caviar for brunch. This said, I agree that “nna” may also refer to God, but we must not stick rigidly to it. In NNABUIKE, what stops the name from referring to a father-head of a household being the strength of the family unit?
GENDER
There are many gender-specific names in Igbo, especially those rooted in “Okoro” or “Okolo” [young man], "Agbogho" or "Mgbogho" [young girl] or "Ada" [daughter], “nwoke” or “nwaanyi,” etc. However, some names have become predominantly unisex. No Igbo person would now name a male "NGOZI," even though there are men who still bear the name. NGOZI (from Ngozi Chukwu ka meaning “God’s blessing is supreme”) has become the most popular Igbo name for girls. In some sections of Nigeria, every pretty girl and or every Igbo girl is "Ngozi"! Everyone called "Chuks" has CHUKWU in his name, and most definitely a male. This Anglicization of CHUKWU names are quite popular, and kicks in quite early in life amongst one's peers and family members.
Some Igbo people have now adopted an unwritten rule of naming girls with "CHI" and boys with "CHUKWU. For example, OLUCHI is most likely to be a female; OLUCHUKWU, a male. The same applies to CHIMUANYA and CHUKWUMUANYA. This is not yet popular rule, but the trend is noticeable. For now, for example, OGOCHUKWU and CHINYEAKA are used for both genders, yet both names - with CHI and CHUKWU-- are leaning more toward the female gender. [OGOCHI is not a popular name; OGOCHINYERE or OGOCHUKWUNYERE, yes.] However, such names as AZUKA, CHIKA, CHINYERE, CHINAELO, CHINAASA, NKEIRU, etc. have gone to the domain of daughters of Igboland. At the same time, CHIKE, CHUKWUMA, CHUKWUEMEKA, OBI, NNAMDI, EJIIKE, UZO, etc. have become gender-specific, males names. The use of "Chi-boy" or "Chi-girl" never left closed circles--and there it must remain.
There is now a preference for specific alphabets beginning a name, and this has led to some innovations. It is not known if this is designed to set apart names for males and females. KAANAYO or KANAYO presents an interesting study. Many females are named ANAYO; majority of the men, KANAYO. Evidently some may try to use alphabets to establish gender-specific names. But not all "K" names are originally "K" names; some "K" names are actually derived by dropping the "N" in "Nke." For example, while KAANAYO or KELECHI is an original "K" name, KECHINYERE derives from NKECHINYERE [Nke Chi nyere m = the one that God gave me, and KEMNAGUM derives from "(Sooso) nke m na-agu" [I desire (only) that which is mine].
Because naming is very personal, many still defy conventions and turn naming ceremonies into political and personal statements that belong in the theatre of adult wrangling. These are called “aha ikpe.” They are designed to send messages, mostly of triumph over the foibles of folks. Someone called this "semantic overkill." But as long as the name has little chance of becoming a handicap to the bearer later in life, innovations should not be frowned upon. Many people these days simply chose names regardless of the trends in gender and the evolution of written Igbo. They drop as many letters as they deem necessary. Sometimes, the actual meaning of the name is lost to those unversed in vast array of Igbo dialects
In general, females are not likely to bear deep meaning names. This is probably designed not to encumber the marriage prospects of the girl. No one would want to marry a girl named NWAIKE [“a strong child”] or Adaike [“a powerful daughter”]. For a male, a name like DIKE (hero) this is a virtue; a man is supposed to be physically strong, not a woman -- even though women who turn out to be the backbone of families abounds. Of course, the girl may eventually take the title AGBARANWAANYI, if she so chooses and can sustain it but, if unmarried, no man is likely to come calling. Of course, the surname of a girl, for example NWADIKE (son of a hero), is a source of strength as long as she does not bear it as a given name.
BUYER BEWARE!
No one selects an Igbo name at random. In a clannish and unforgiving social setup, certain names are loaded with meanings that defy simple academic analyses. In a society where one's accident of birth into a socioreligious caste is irreversible, names might mean a lot more than an outsider can fully interpret. Some names are so loaded only those from the community or clan know the exact meaning. Others are subtle messages to detractors.
But many Igbo names are very innocent and lovely, and they are designed to praise and glorify rather than tell stories. For example, nothing could be as innocent as NGOZIKA, CHUKWUEMEKA, etc. The same could not be said of ANYAEGBUNEM, NKEMJIKA, OSONDU, etc. These names are loaded with stories from the parents experiences either before or during the birth of the child. Some names have become strictly last names, but they were once some parents' first names. Others have assumed short versions that obscure the source or full meanings. If your last name is AGU, AZI, CHUKWU, EDE, ENE, EZE, IBE, NEBO or NNEBE, to mention but a few, it is most likely a short version of a longer and more meaningful name of your ancestor.
Short versions of Igbo names must be avoided like a plague is in writing. Consider "IKE": In some quarters, it is now pronounced "Iyke"! This is wrong. We must keep "IKECHUKWU," not “Ike”; CHUKWUEMEKA, not "Emeka," etc. Before long, we will end up with "Emmy"! Now in the United States, London, Lagos and elsewhere in the ballooning Igbo diaspora you hear some lady say: "My name is Chichi." Hell no! "Onye gwara ya? [Who told her?] Her name is NOT "Chi-chi" or "Chichi"; it is CHETACHI, CHINYERENWA, CHIOMA, CHISOLUM, etc. CHICHI can be used as a pet name and spoken in family circles, but NOT in the presence of total strangers. It is a long battle though, if we look carefully at English names: ABE (Abraham), ART [Arthur), BILL (William), BOB (Robert), FRANK (Francis), MANDY (Amanda), NICK (Nicholas), ZACH (Zachary), etc.
In the same vein, I must say that naming a girl NGOZI should be discouraged; the name is "NGOZICHUKWUKA" or, if we must drop "CHUKWU" to conform with the modern trend, “NGOZIKA” [Blessing is supreme]. Of course, the lady can be called "Ngozi," "Ngo-babe," "Ngo-baby" "De-goozi," "En-gee Baby," etc., or any other innovative pet version, but we must have enough words to remember where we started. I say this because the blanket use of written CHUKS or CHUX in formal documents obscures the rich roots of its linguistic legacy: CHUKWUDI, CHUKWUEMEKA, CHUKWUGAASA, CHUKWUGAEKWU, CHUKWUKA, CHUKWUNAENYE, CHUKWUNONSO, EKENEDILICHUKWU, OGOCHUKWU, NWACHUKWU, SOPULUCHUKWU, etc.
TYPES
William Shakespeare definitely never heard about the Igbo when he opined that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Not to the Igbo nation: names to the Igbo have deep ritual and religious ramifications, social significance, and serious symbolism probably like to no other nation on earth. Names are not words plucked from just about anywhere; they are designed to celebrate life and to review constantly the reality of our position in the Cosmos.
There are seven types of names an Igbo might bear in a lifetime.
1. Aha Omumu [Birth name]
2. Aha Nna [Surname]
3. Aha Ogugu [Given Name]
4. Aha Ulo [Pet/Family Name]
5. Aha Njo [Reincarnation Name]
6. Aha Otutu/Aha Otu [Nick/Society name]
7. Aha Echichi [Title Name]
Of these seven, four are pan-Igbo: surname, given name, pet name, society name; the last being a unique name that may not receive the conscience consent of the bearer, but generally lasts the life of the person and probably onto the next life as reincarnation name, also known as aha njo.
My Igbo and Euro-Christian names combine to tell the story of my life. The details of the story a name tells vary from person to person, but the essence of existence for the average Igbo person is rooted in names. Whether we realize it or not, no Igbo escapes a meaningful name that either projects the parents wishes, tells part of the story of the circumstances of conception, or crowns achievements. This is why folks crave titles. It affords them the opportunity to experiment, to try out unique names that will ring a bell, a unique name that is unassailable. It s therefore no surprise that many tile names come with “ONE” attached to it. But no good name has been spared imitation, which, we must admit, is the highest form of acknowledgments of ingenuity.
Take Ikemba: it was not a name that turned heads, until the Biafran leader, General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu was given the name by his Nnewi community. Presently, it is a priced name and many cannot wait to take the title in their own communities. Suddenly, the previously one and only Ikemba becomes “Ikemba Nnewi.” Today, we have Ikemba taken as a title in many communities. So the man who made it popular moved on to the hitherto inexistent Ezeigbo [King of the Igbo]. Even when this is still bogged down by a curious cultural controversy, the title of Ezeigbo endures in diaspora communities, especially in northern Nigerian cities. This is surely an emulation of the Hausa diasporic communities, which have their “Seriki” or “Sarkin” (king). So in predominantly non-Igbo towns, Ezeigbo of the Igbo communities are beginning to emerge, and they raise less and less eyebrows. Moving along, the 'original' Ikemba has now become "Ezeigbo Gburugburu" (Worldwide King of the Igbo).
I stated that the Ezeigbo title controversy is curious because the Igbo do not really find faults with what people call themselves. But, truth be told, a self-appointed “King of all Igbo-speaking people” is farfetched. Which reminds me, whenever I flipped and said what I would do or wouldn’t do, my mother would almost always and quickly let me have it: “Ezeigbo,” she would say. And what she meant here was: a megalomaniac, one who was so full of himself he would not only ignore good counsel but would also want to lord it over everyone. The ruggedly republican Igbo people are bound to dread a monarch, albeit a personal choice of title name, especially if the person is powerful and has noticeable ambitions. It is not actually the person who holds the title presently it is about the future, about one cranky “chief” believing in the idea of a pan-Igbo monarch, a king of kings. Scary!
NAMES FORMS: The Long and Short of Igbo Names
There is hardly any one Igbo name that has no short version. Unfortunately, the rush to shorten has led to the lost of the true meaning of words, the history and the rich linguistic items.
DIALECTICAL VARIATIONS
In writing Igbo, I try to respect as much as possible the four important factors in Igbo linguistics:
· vowel intensiveness
· vowel harmony
· no double consonants
· standardization
People frown at strict vowel intensiveness, and this is because they are used to the “convention.” It was no a convention; it was ignorance made to look right. This is why some learned Igbo people still use “Mazi” even when the argument for “Maazi” is compelling.
1. In this volume, I try as much as possible to accommodate every dialectical and written version, since this is more to compile rather than standardize. But there are areas where I will broker no compromise: Take the name Mbaamaonyeukwu: Without the double “a,” the name means “Foreigners know a prominent person.” Pray, how are they supposed to know a champion from another locality in the post satellite era? Interestingly, even when written “Mbamaonyeukwu” or shortened to “Mbama” Ndiigbo still pronounce it correctly: with a double “a.” But this is not good for a language designed to last. What folks read today might be different 100 years from now. [Mba ama (ghi) onye ukwu = Foreigners do not know a prominent person.]
In such names with double “i” [EJIIKE from “Ejighi ike (eme uwa)”] I will render the names as should be written and provide the popularly written version. But here I will make an exception, it seems the Igbo are all but agreed on not allowing two “i” to stand together in proper names. Even in such names as Chibuike, it is easier to say “Chibiike,” but before you turn around the double “i” is gone, and you have Chibike, which the urban lost now pronounce “Chi BYKE”!
2. Some names have become so popular, especially if a bearer became a top dog at some point. Take “Emeka”: the names is short for Chukwuemeka. But on breaking it down to its roots, we have “Chukwu emeke” How did someone slip in the “a” for a total disharmony. In some dialects, “Emeka” is a no-no. They use “Chukwuemeke” and Emeke. In fact, in the Ika area, where Olisa or Osa takes the place of Chukwu, the vowel harmony is maintained; Olisemeke, Osemeke, etc.
In concatenation, vowel harmony rarely holds. This is true. But there is not way any Igbo speaker would not know that Ijeoma came from two distinct words: “Ije” and “oma.” Replace “oma” (good) with “udo” (peace) and you have a perfect melodious match in Ijeudo. Therefore, it is nort what names applies, or what the person wants to convey, it how we put it across tso that generations to come will understand exactly where we are coming from.
3. No two consonants stand together in Igbo language. I guess some people just heard it and then went ahead and dropped of the second “M” is mmadu [humans] and mmuo [spirit]. This is wrong; “m” and “n” are not pseudo-consonants in Igbo. I will only reproduce the lost second-”m” names as dialectical/written version. True, two consonants do not stand together is a correctly written Igbo word, Anglicized or not, but “m” and “n” are exempt. There are already to many rules to take care of; this one should stay., or we will end up with “ne” for “mother” instead of “nne”; “na” for father instead of “nna.” Follow the trend of Mmadubuike = Madubuike = Mmadubiike = Madubike. I intend to stick with the original and correct spelling as much as possible.
I have said that it will be easy to standardize Igbo language: by listening to people speak it and choosing whatever appeals, take it back to the clinic of grammatical correctness, and we shall begin to understand what exactly is stopping standardized written Igbo from moving forward.
There are two main areas of conflicts in written Igbo: the so-called Onicha and Owere dialects. I see no conflicts; what I see is the inability of some scholars to jettison “have my way” mentality. Take Ifeanyi and Iheanyi: while Igbo tilts toward the use of “ihe,” name givers tilt towards “ife.” In that case, go with the flow: take ifeanyi: use “ihe” for “openness” daylight, etc. It will surely sell better that “ife” in that sense. Instead, some insist of making “ife” disappear: it won’t.
On Chukwu and Chi, Olisa and Osa, Obasi and Orisas, I try not to forge names. Whichever is known to be with any of the version of God names in Igbo will be used. But I will not try to use the names to satisfy dialectical or personal desires. As I have discussed in gender, Chi tends to apply more and more to women names, and Chukwu is now being restricted to men. If this carries, it will be a welcome development, but there are implicating gender issues to sort out before anyone rushes out to proclaim an Igbo naming standard. As my own addition to standards, I will be reluctant to use Orisa; Obasi occurs in one notable name. Otherwise, we have Chi and Chukwu to contend with; Osa is definitely Edo, and looks like it is short for Olisa. Even though Olisa sounds more Igbo than Osa, I prefer Osa because of its vowel harmony. The use of “Olise” will eliminate this advantage.
Another contentions issue is correct written Igbo is “Ani, Ala, Ana” I have found a way of putting all spelling variants to work. First Ani is the Earth Deity, Mother Earth or Earth Goddess. It is the force that hold the physical manifestation, which we know as “Ala.” Hence, I would rather say “Ala oma” to mean good land, and not “Ani oma” (we all know the Earth deity is a good mother.) As for “ana,” I use if for the “ground” - the immediate portion of the vast “ala” (land).
APPRECIATION
I present this compilation in an alphabetical order. I use the correct written version of each name, show the probable root, and then present other forms used. These other forms are either specific to a particular Igbo dialect or reflect the way some people write and use them, either due to variations in spelling or the influence of English language. [See “DWV”] I try to present prominent persons who bear these names [See “PP”]. This presentation is by no means comprehensive. It is a start. All mistakes in concept and spellings are clearly mine. I am by no means a Webster of names: Many people have helped so far to make this presentation possible.
My personal gratitude goes to ALL Igbo people and their numerous friends -- Nigerians and non-Nigerians, both inside and outside the Internet, who publicly or privately chipped in or supported this compilation. Special regards to Maazi Nwabu Nnebe, whose call for materials for Igbo Webpage led to this projects; Maazi Chinyeaka Okoli, who “elected” me without consultation and or opposition, to compile these names; Omenka Ejike Eze for his tireless promotion of written Igbo in “Mahadum Uwandiigbo”; Prof. MJC Echeruo for his encouragement; and, of course, all those who will read and contribute to the updating of this very important project.
This growth of this volume over three years (since 1997) actually owes its existence to the encouragement of Prof. M C. J. Echeruo, who asked me to give it another year and then put it in print. I had not intention of publishing this compilation; in fact, I had already told those who inquired about the use to my materials to go ahead and help themselves. Well, this was until from out the west coast of America sent me materials he has and also an original one-page compilation as his own contribution.
Immense thanks, my brethren. I am here because you are there.
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© M. O. Ené, 1997
Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.