By Uche Okoro
Genivieve Nnaji: Nnaji means it is with father or father has it.
Emeka Ike, fully pronounced as Chukwuemeka Ike: Chukwemeka means God has done well, while ike means power.
Kenneth Okonkwo: Okonkwo is a combination of two words – Oko and Nkwo. Oko can also be prolonged as Okoro, which means of a male, while Nkwo is one of the four market days in the Igbo calendar. Okonkwo can then mean male of Nkwo market days. Similar names are Okoafor, Okorie and Okoeke, thus bearing other market days.
Kanayo O. Kanayo: Kanayo is fully pronounced as Kanayochukwu, which means let’s keep praying to God.
Osita Iheme: Osita is fully pronounced as Kaositadimma, which means let it start being well from today.
Chinedu Ikedieze: The Chi in Chinedu is an abbreviation for Chukwu, which means God, with the remaining term, nedu, meaning ‘leading’. Chinedu therefore means God is leading.
Nkeiru Sylvernus: Nkeiru is fully pronounced as Nkeiruka, which means the one in the future is better
Nkem Owo: Nkem means mine.
Clem Ohamaeze: Ohamaeze means people know the king or the king is known by the people
John Okafor: Okafor means male of Afor market days – as indicated above under Okonwo.
What the above suggest is that all traditional Igbo names have meanings, only that many may not know the meanings of the words when they make use of them. Generally, African names are pregnant with meanings. Parents do not just close their eyes, open them and give names to their babies. Indeed, some of the nomenclatures have a history, heritage or circumstances tied to them.
It is also instructive to note that ‘Chukwu’, that is God, plays a major role in the naming of people in Igboland. This is as a result of the strong attachment people have to God, who is believed to be the giver, protector and director of lives. Another common and related term in this regard is ‘Chi’, giving us the likes of Chibuzor, Chidinma and Chima.
