What is in a name? A name encompasses a wide range of meanings, from simple identification to revealing one’s origin, a tongue, a shield, a blessing, a purpose, emotions, envisioned future, a legacy, and the list goes on. 

There has been a tendency and deliberate efforts to eliminate African traditional names in the African diaspora by the colonisers, as they were perceived as not “holy” or difficult to pronounce. 

An example is South Africa’s late President Nelson Mandela. 

The name Nelson was given by his teacher for the same reasons. 

His birth or traditional name is Rolihlahla, which means troublemaker or shaking the tree branch if translated into English. 

It is also observed that newly born babies are named after European and Western film stars, soccer stars, musicians, etc., due to factors such as interracial marriages, influenced colonialism and the development of democracy by the West, among others. 

It is further observed that many of the newly-born babies are a combination of the two parents’ names (portmanteau), e.g. David and Emily’s baby becomes Davily, and Joe and Annie’s baby becomes Joanne, which are simple identifications and do not necessarily have any specific meaning, except that they sound nice to suit the foreigner’s ears. 

This is done through online tools and resources that assist in generating these processes. 

Chinua Chebe once wrote: “People say that if you find water rising to your ankle, that’s the time to do something about it, not when it’s around your neck”. 

As Africans, we must consciously strive to revive and embrace our African culture and heritage. 

This includes preserving our African names, which remind us of our footprints. 

Not all African names are universally appealing, and some may present pronunciation challenges or carry negative connotations, leading some Africans to feel pressured to adopt foreign names. 

However, we should strongly resist this trend. History reveals that some African names were adopted out of disappointment, expressing pain or hope for the future. 

For example, names like ‘Ndasuunje’ (meaning ‘I’m discouraged’) can carry negative connotations, potentially leading individuals to abandon their names and feel a disconnect between their names and their true identities. 

Conversely, some names are religious and express gratitude, such as ‘Ngundjizuva’ (meaning ‘Jesus is the one who hears my prayer during difficult times’) in the Otjiherero, or ‘Tanga Omwene’ (meaning ‘Praise the Lord’) in the Oshiwambo. 

We also have family clans that describe the types of clans, their strength, cultural value, group dynamics, community ties, etc, for example, Ovakwanambwa, Aakwambahu, Ovakwanadi, Ovakuenambura and Ovakuendata. 

Some names are carefully selected because they carry cultural weight and deep meaning, an intrinsic value that is believed to give hope and shape a future or destiny, as mentioned in the first paragraph. 

Our late Founding President Sam Nujoma’s name ‘Shafiishuna’ means ‘looks dangerous’, a narrative that he caused trouble for the colonial masters and was not to be trifled with while protecting his own people. 

The name that is attached to self-determination, bravery and fearlessness. 

Nujoma was an undefeated champion in the fight for Namibia’s struggle for independence. 

Some of the former presidents of South Africa who fought against Nujoma and Namibia before Namibia’s Independence died one after the other, leaving Nujoma fighting for decades until Namibia gained independence. 

Rest in power, our hero! 

While some names symbolise lineage, for example, someone named after their grandparents, some names are said to be chosen due to strategic purposes, such as an individual’s status in society, their quality of life, hoping for future provisions to the namesake or out of friendship as a way to strengthen the bond and value the relationship. 

Some names are attached to a person’s character, talent or describe a person’s prominent traits, such as combat names of Namibia’s People’s Liberation Army of Namibia fighters: Kapitaholo (Bulletproof) or Katanga Kakukutu (Hard ball) in Oshiwambo, a narrative of tough persons. 

Feminine names like Kasiku (night) in Rukwangali describe a birth circumstance – being born at night. 

We also have other notable leaders across our African continent who have embraced their African traditional names. 

These include leaders such as Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, Hage Geingob, Nkwame Nkrumah, Mwalimu Nyerere, Muammar Gaddafi and other prominent figures such as the late King Mandume Ndemufayo Nehale lyaMpingana, Chief Katjikururume Hosea Kutako and Kavizeva David Meroro. 

I am aware that Africa faces challenges with some foreigners and even people among us pronouncing certain African traditional names incorrectly. 

Some names, if pronounced incorrectly, can lead to unintended meanings. 

There is a story of a lady who wanted to impress at a wedding by showing she knew how to speak Oshiwambo. 

Instead of calling the bridesmaids to join the table with ‘iinkumbi ileni’, she called them ‘iinkumbu’ with a silent ‘n’ ileni, which translated into something else – ‘onghulunu ou uditeko nale’. 

Therefore, with our creative industry, I call upon technology innovators to develop practical online tips and guides for correctly pronouncing African names. 

Just as we learn to pronounce other foreign languages, this should also apply to our African languages. 

We should embrace our African names in art, music, literature and other forms of expression. 

This phenomenon of adopting foreign names is said to have started with colonialism, Western and European civilisation, globalisation and cultural assimilation. Some historical events, such as genocide, are linked to the suppression and erasure of African traditional names. 

Some farm workers were forced to adopt foreign names of their masters. 

Understanding this is critical to reclaim and preserve African heritage for the generations to come. 

Maintaining them will help to maintain a connection to our ancestral roots and traditions. Preserving our African names will also bring about African unity as we better relate to each other as Bantu and Khoisan, among others. 

Every generation has a purpose, and ours is to know our history, the truth, and to correct the reality. 

“Writers are human. I shudder to think how I must appear to others”- Wole Soyinka. 

I continue to say let us preserve Alkebulan’s culture and heritage. 

One Namibia, One Nation. One Africa, One Voice – One Destiny 

*Toini Ndeshihafela Sam writes in her own capacity