Like in most cultures, naming a child is pretty important. In Kenya, as in most African cultures children are named after their grandparents. It’s all about ensuring the family legacy. It’s heritage; the eldest son will most often be named after his paternal grandfather, the first daughter after her paternal grandmother, the second son after his maternal grandfather and the second daughter after the maternal grandmother and so on and so forth.
I was named after my maternal great grandmother, apparently my mother tells me that my late (may her soul rest in peace) great grandmother came to her in a dream. And thus I was named Rosebella. I have a cousin named after my late (may his soul rest in peace) maternal great grandfather Samuel. What normally happens once the immediate grand parents names have been allocated, it’s now free for all. The remaining relatives’ names are splashed on the children or at times each child is blessed with their own name.
Now when it comes to names, I am convinced that some Kenyan parents really don’t think through. What’s more damning is when your family name (Surname) is just off. Like the name Nyang’au or Ukalulu. Now Nyang’au is an insult; to put it kindly it means idiot! Then Ukalulu translates to a Clown. So how about that, Joe Clown or wait.. Suzy Idiot! Well family names go down generations maybe back in time it probably didn’t mean that. But the individual names Kenyan parents give their children, Lord have mercy!
I come from a community that is notorious for naming their children on a whim! Generally other than adopting names of relatives, Luos generally name their children after seasons. So we have more than one name. Fish around, the average Luo has two English names and one ethnic name and if they were named after a relative they’ll have another stash. You need to see my passport to believe me. I kid you not my initials, if I am to use what I have, on my passport are; R.A.A.O.O. See I told you!
Back to the matter at hand; the notoriety of Luos is horrendous. As long as there is a major event, global or national a child is a named as such. Let me start on the milder cases. The 1998 world Cup; the Brazilian soccer star; Ronaldo was the star and children born in June of 1998 where aptly named Ronaldo. That is ok right?
Then on August 7th there was a terrorist attack in Nairobi; children born around that time were aptly named ‘Bomblast’ so and so. Then you have the pop icon President Obama. Well what can I say; there is a whole stash of boys whose names are not just ‘Barack Obama’ but ‘President Barack Obama. And the little girls were not left out either. In late 2008 when the election results where announced in a local maternity hospital a whole batch of Baby girls were named Michelle Obama. Wow! So if you think my initials are bad enough, wait till you hear what other names these children have. There’s a boy somewhere named Senator Barack Obama Peter. Imagine what his nickname is; Seni or something like that.
Wow! If you thought Jane, Rachel or Horace where questionable names how about being named Dashboard, ‘Post election violence or worse ‘Referendum’. I know you may think I am exaggerating, but don’t mess with some Kenyans. How do you think names like Petronilla, Assumptor, Redempter (I went to school with a girl with that name), Abscondita, Expendita came about. Unbelievable, but I am not making this up, ask any Kenyan you know! I am not making this up! And I don’t know why the girls get the nasty names.
But most of the middle class Kenyans are naming their children with more ethnic and Swahili names. Purely but no English names so you’ll have your Onyancha, Aluoch, Mwikali, Kabura, Arufeni, Pendo. Don’t get me wrong I love these names (guess which one is mine). I think it is just an awakening to cultural pride. That’s what being Kenyan is all about!
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