Named for the moment: day names, birth order and the circumstances of birth
In many cultures, the day, the hour or the way a child arrives suggests a name. A tour of some of the world’s most beautiful naming systems.
Most English-speaking families choose a name months before a baby arrives. In many parts of the world, part of the name waits for the birth itself, because the day, the hour or the manner of arrival answers the question.
These are living traditions, kept in different ways by different families. Here are a few of them, described as they are commonly practiced.
The day of the week
Among the Akan of Ghana, every child has a day name for the weekday of their birth. A boy born on Saturday may be Kwame and a girl Ama; Friday’s children are Kofi and Afua. Spellings differ between Twi and Fante communities, and the Ewe of Ghana and Togo keep their own set: Kossi, Kodjo, Komla and more.
Far away in the Himalaya, Sherpa children are also named for the day they were born: Nima for Sunday, Dawa for Monday, and on through Pasang for Friday and Pemba for Saturday. Each day belongs to a celestial body and, many families say, to a protector.
Kwame
“born on a Saturday”
>99% boys
Ama
“born on a Saturday”
>99% girls
Kofi
“born on a Friday”
99% boys · 1% girls
Afua
“born on a Friday”
>99% girls
Nima
“blessed by God”
55% boys · 45% girls
Pasang
49% boys · 51% girls
The hour
Luo names in Kenya and Uganda can tell you the time. Akinyi arrived at daybreak, Ochieng in the afternoon sun, Odhiambo in the evening, Otieno at night. Boys’ names begin with O and girls’ with A, so a girl born at daybreak is Akinyi.
The order of birth
In Bali, the first four children take birth-order names (Wayan, Made, Nyoman and Ketut) and the cycle begins again with the fifth. A personal name follows, with I marking a boy and Ni a girl.
The way a child arrives
Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, some names come with the child. Twins are Taiwo, “the first to taste the world,” and Kehinde, who arrives second but is honored as the elder. The child born after twins is Idowu; a baby born feet first is Ige.
A name that marks the moment of birth is a story told for the rest of a life.
A note on borrowing
These names are beloved far beyond their home communities, and many are wonderful to hear. If they come from your own heritage, the Finder can follow the tradition with you. If they don’t, it’s worth learning what the name says. Kwame means a Saturday-born boy, so the name tells everyone a little about the child.