One of their traditional music and dance styles (albeit a fairly modern one) is kpanlogo, a modernized traditional dance and music form developed around 1960. In addition to being known for its lush . Some foreigners are known to have been buried in Ga-styled coffins.[13]. The name for boys born on a Sunday is Kwasi. Most of the Ghanaian names have their foundation from the ethnic akan names. January Baby Names: Top 50 Names Boys and Girls Born in January 5 Interesting Facts about December Born Baby Names | Christmas Baby Names Millet was formerly the staple food, but more common crops now include cassava, yams, corn (maize), plantain, cocoa, and palm oil. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Such names which refer to filthy or nasty things are believed to prevent such children from dying. According researcher and author Priscilla Akua Boakye, "[Dipo] was a form of vocational training for young women in which they were taught generally how to assume their roles as responsible women." Heres your need-to-know guide. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The Akan people use the Kwa language groups system of timekeeping, which is based on a six-day week (nnanson), with the seventh day inclusive. Vote for Your Favourite Ghanaian Women 1 Akosua Busia (Actress) 9 4 Birthdate: December 30, 1966 Sun Sign: Capricorn Birthplace: Ghana 2 Jackie Appiah (Actress) 8 4 Birthdate: December 5, 1983 Sun Sign: Sagittarius Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada 3 Yaa Asantewaa (Queens Mother) 98 11 Birthdate: 1840 AD Birthplace: Besease A first born can be recognized by the first name Piesie . Adwoa (Ghanaian origin) means "one born on a Monday". Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. The name Ankrah is traced to the Otublohum family of Otoo street in what was then known as Dutch Accra. Their original homeland is in Goshen city, Egypt. JOE METTLE. Only people with the appropriate status are allowed to be buried in these types of coffins. Traditional names in Ghana vary by ethnic group. AKWELEY AND AKUOKOR. They commemorate the creation of the sun, the moon and the stars. 2011 - 2023 MomJunction Private Limited. The 27-year-old, who calls himself Kweiku, is . If, for example, a couple has a desired a child after a long time, the name Nhyira , which means Gods blessing, is not uncommon. Joseph Oscar Mettle, the only Gospel Artist to have won the prestigious VGMAs overall Artiste of the Year, has become a household name when it comes to Gospel music in Ghana. After reading an article by Gilbert Nii-Okai Addy, a writer and guitarist, about Adedainkpo (old Accra), I joined Accra Archive Fellow Akotowaa Ofori to interview him about Ga history, ethnicity, naming patterns and more. So when you hear a female Ga girl called AKWELEY it means she is a twin. Click to reveal AKOSUA means descent. As Gas, we should not forget the origins and meanings of our names and the names of our ancestors. Ghanaian names (or personal names in Ghana) consist of several given names and surnames based on the language of ethnic groups in Ghana: including Akan, Mole-Dagombas, Ga, Ewe and Nzema. View. View. Mzansi QUIZ: 10 Questions every South African must be able to answer, Meet the naked tribes of Nigeria where people wear leaves and little to nothing. Trading is generally in the hands of women, and a husband has no control over his wife's money. They mainly live in the Greater Accra region. [6], The Ga people were organized into six independent towns (Accra (Ga Mashie), Osu, La, Teshie, Nungua, and Tema). At the durbar, greetings are exchanged between the chiefs, libations are poured and declarations of allegiance are made. Ghana has been inhabited for at least several thousand years, however, little is known about its early inhabitants. A postgraduate in Human Resources from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, she likes understanding An angel sent from heaven to spread peace and love, Old Welsh - White; Fair; Blessed; Holy; Smooth; Soft; A variant spelling is Jenifer, Hebrew - God Beholds; Foresight; God's Gift; God's Grace; A variant form is Jessi. . List of Ghana baby names, Ghana babies names, Ghana baby names and meanings has been compiled from various resources. Abam Used predominantly in the Akan and Ghanaian region, this name means the second child after twins'. The use of these fantasy coffins is explained by the religious beliefs of the Ga people regarding their afterlife. Together with James Town, it is the place of origin of many people of the Ga ethnic group, which Gilbert and I belong to. . Surname Prominent name personalities: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan ("Kofi" = male for "born on a Friday") Ghana's First President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah ("Kwame" = male for "born on a Saturday") Writer Ama Ata Aidoo ("Ama" = female name for "born on Saturday" and "Ata" shows that she is a twin) Like this: Loading. The Wor-Lumor, told host, Naa Oyoe Quartey, that their great grandparents who fought to establish the Osu lineage had names which have been passed on for several generations. The Akan kanguage has some beautiful names with meanings. Chief Priest of Osu Nadu/ Klottey, Wor-Lumor Nuumo Noi Sekanku Kpenuku II, who gave more insight into this, on GhanaWeb TVs People and Places show explained that as Levitical people, it is customary, that every child born is given a name in accordance with the Levitical nomenclature. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. It is an expression of the numerous thoughts and the endless conversations I have with the community I have nurtured in my head. Before the birth of a Ga child, one of their names is known irrespective of the day of birth because the order of birth and settlement into which they were born forms part of the Ga naming system. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Many people in Africa have several. This is just a form of friendly gesture to say hi to you (as they obviously dont know your name). Ansan stands for Guinea Fowl, the bird which is obviously displayed in a color-blocking pattern on the fabric. Cuts are made on the faces of such children. Pick a name that reflects how your baby signifies hope and new beginnings in your life. If you want to impress a local, learn your day name because Ghanaians love it when you introduce yourself with your actual name, followed by your day name. The tribe in Namibia Who Swap Their Wives And Offers Sex To Guests. Some of the other sources I have used for this article are Kweku Darko Ankrahs article on A Look at the Ga Mantse and Gbese Stool Family Lines, Ga Naming Pattern on Ghanaweb and What You Didn't Know About Ga Names And Their Sabla by Naa Oyoo Quartey; Like other ethnic groups in Ghana, newborn Ga babies are given names with peculiar patterns and meanings, which may include the day of birth. They are many a times you will hear Atswei- foi, meaning , small Atswei or Atswei junior, what then it means is that, there is a probability the man has a first child already name who is also Atswei , so when he marries again and gets another baby girly with the new wife , that child will also be Atswei . KWADWO & ADWOA: both mean Lord of Life Firmament day, KWABENA: means Lord of Lifes Land Day.. Ankrah,2016, https://blakkpepper.com/2016/12/a-look-at-the-ga-mantse-gbese-stool-family-lines/, [6] Ghanaweb,2021, https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/tribes/ga_names.php, John Evans Atta Mills High Street, Accra, Ghana | @Accra_Archive, What You Didn't Know About Ga Names And Their Sabla, https://blakkpepper.com/2016/12/a-look-at-the-ga-mantse-gbese-stool-family-lines/, https://www.naaoyooquartey.com/ganyobinaa/2013/09/what-you-didnt-know-about-ga-names-and.html, https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/tribes/ga_names.php. Writing for me is more than just a profession or a means to an end. So whenever you hear a female ga girl called Ashami it means she is the sixth female child. Now every first born child has it own name, so as the second child , third child , forth child and it goes on and on. Shikha is a writer-turned-editor at MomJunction, with over seven years of experience in the field of content. Other popular surnames in Ghana are Asare, Yeboah, Tetteh, Adjei, and Asante. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}53516N 00559W / 5.5877N 0.0996W / 5.5877; -0.0996. In the old bygone era, it was said that a Ga man would die for his name [[6]], but presently, it looks as though newer Ga generations have forgotten the houses that bore and bred their forefathers. So, what if several siblings are born on the same day of the week? 2. Yao (male) Yaa (female) the day on which various life forms (plants, animals, etc ) were created. After Fofo comes Ashami. If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform. These names he explained, must be revered in honour of the first persons who bore them, reason every such name is prefixed with a Nii or a Naa, depending on the gender of the person. Page 1 - Find Ghanaian Baby Names in NEW Database of 10,000+ baby names, boy & girl names, Traditional, Cute, Nature names, Unique and Rare. 2. It takes place in August every year and is celebrated by all the Ga clans. 7. So whenever you hear any girl with the name Ayokor it means she is the second baby girl of her parents. These names can be derived from circumstances surrounding the birth of a child, the parents faith, pronouncements made about the child, and many other reasons. Kwame (male) Amma (female) Gods Rest Day.. That Nii or Naa in our names is a reverence given to the elderly because our names emanate from our Great Great Grandfathers. This is what is known as "Nyuu lubu". It is not unusual for a single coffin to cost $600. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The oral tradition, recorded by N. A. Azu, is that the people migrated from "Same, an island situated south-west of River Ogun", which may in reality have been a kingdom in Nigeria. In Ghana, the most common names throughout the different tribes centre either on the day a child was born or using tribal names that are more unique in flavour. Yaaba One who is born on Thursday Akuba Oral traditions state the Ga came from the region of Lake Chad and reached their destination in the 16th century. Not a problem, then simply numerical or sequential words are integrated into the name: Annan Kwame, for example, would be the fourth son born on a Saturday. Basically, the Ga-Adangbe people live across the plains of Accra. To complicate matters, the ancient Lamisi, Gyakie, Cina Soul, Freda Rhymz and Amaarae. Other Tribes include Ga-Adangbe, Twi, and these Ghanaian Female names can be used interchangeably by some of these tribes. Finding the right name for baby should be a stress-free experience, and choosing by origin is often a great way to eliminate . Take our weekly Africa Quiz and test your knowledge on Africa and its culture, countries, tribes, history and so much more. Apparently, this family were smiths by trade and had an excellent reputation. Many coffin shapes also evoke proverbs, which are interpreted in different ways by the Ga. Design coffins have been used since around the 1950s, especially in rural Ga groups with traditional beliefs, and have now become an integral part of Ga burial culture.