A naming ceremony in Africa — Travel Blog
Circumstances behind birth
Some African ethnic groups choose names according to the events that occurred during the time of birth of the child, be it negative or positive.
For example, “Ayodele” is a Yoruba name meaning “joy has come home”. It is a unisex name for a baby whose birth brought joy and happiness to their Yoruba parents in Nigeria.
The Hausa also have a name, “Ajuji”, which means “born on a rubbish heap”. This is given to a baby when there have been so many child deaths before them. Essentially, the name is a disguise to ward off evil spirits from the child. An example among the Kalenjin ethnic group in Kenya are the names “Kiptanui” and “Cheptanui” often given to babies whose mothers may have suffered extreme difficulties during childbirth.
Similarly, in Zimbabwe, there are names like Yananiso which means “bringing the family together”.
