A
ABALIHI [Aba(la) n’ihi = Never enters into sin]
Interpretation: This name is highly dialectical [Oru area]. In the mainstream, it should be “a(naghi) aba n’ihe ojo” [Never enter into temptation] In fact, that “ihi” means “sin” or “bad deed” will be news to many mainstream native speakers.
ABAZU
ABIAZIEM [Abiazie m = I arrived well.]
Interpretation: It is likely the child arrived when the parents are pretty set in life; the older brethren could take care of things and there are little worries.
DWV: ABIAZIE
Gender: Male
ABUCHI [A bu Chi? = Who is God?]
Interpretation: No one should play God to another.
DWV: BUCHI
Gender: Both
ABUMCHI [A bu m Chi? = Am I God?]
DWV: ABUMCHUKWU
ACHOMUBA [Acho(ro) m uba = I want wealth]
ACHOONYE [Acho onye = Who is being sought?]
DWV: ACHONYE
Gender: Strictly male
ACHEBE [A(ni) chebe anyi = May the Earth protect] See also ANICHEBE
Interpretation: This form of the name is better associated with Africa’s foremost writer and father of modern African novels, Chunua Achebe. Without his explaining the etymology of the word, many people would probably find it hard to make the connection with the Earth deity. His other name [See CHINUA] is equally a shortened version that nearly obscured its rich roots. The names, therefore, encapsulates the enigma that the man is.
ADA ["Ada" = daughter, not always only the first daughter] ADA is a very popular Igbo name for females. Even when a girl is not named ADA, it is not uncommon to address her as "Ada anyi" - our daughter. ["Ada anyi nwaanyi" is oxymoron, but you still hear people use it: Ada is a female; there is no need to use nwaanyi (woman). In fact, "Ada" is Igbo for "Ms." Many names are rooted in "Ada":
ADAAKU [A girl born into wealth--acquired or expected]
ADABEKEE [A very light-complexioned girl, probably near-albino]
ADACHI [Daughter of God]
ADAEGO [Daughter of money/wealth]
ADAEZE [Princess Royal]
ADAIGWE [Serene Princess]
ADAMMA [Pretty/Precious]
ADAMMADU [Daughter of man]
ADANNA [Daddy's Daughter]
ADANNE [Mother's Daughter]
ADAOBI [First daughter of a (new) lineage]
ADAOGARANYA [Daughter of a wealthy man]
ADAOMA [Darling Daughter]
ADAORA [Daughter of the community]
ADAUGO [Daughter of an eagle/esteem]
ADAUWA [Everyone's darling daughter]; etc.
ADIEZEMMA [A di eze mma? = Who does the king consider good?]
Interpretation: Another name that emphasizes the republicanism of the Igbo. Kings are not looked upon as democrats; they are tyrans who do not consider anyone as good as them.
ADIIKE [A di ike? = Who is strong?]
Interpretation: Definitely a shortened version of a much longer name, this names again shows why we must endeavor to leave the double consonants.
ADIUKWU [A di ukwu? = Who is great?]
Interpretation: Humility. Amazement at the wonders of nature.
AFAMEFUNE [Afa m efune = May my name never be forgotten] This names pleas for a the male child to continue the lineage by passing on the name to generations yet to come.
DWV: AFAM, AFAMEFUNA, EFUNA, AFAMEFULA, AFAMEFULE
Gender: Strictly male
AFOOMA [Afo oma = Good womb]
Interpretation: This name says a lot more than anyone can fully explain. If it refers to the mother, then she has a womb through which good girls pass. If to the child, it might be she passed through and left a good mark.
DWV: AFOMA
Gender: Female
AFONNE [Afo nne = Mother’s womb]
Interpretation: This name is similar to Afooma. Motherhood is held in very high esteem in Igboland; a good womb sure produces good girls.
Gender: Female
AFULUKWE [A fulu (e)kwe = Seeing is believing]
DWV: ONYEFULUKWE = Who saw and believed?
AFULUENU [A fulu enu (igwe)? = No one has seen the heavens]
DWV: FULUENU
AFULUEZI
DWV: AFULEZI
AGWU [Agwu is "alushi" a deity; the trickster deity that leads humans who deviate from the path of destiny further away from reality.] There are many reasons why people take this name. Maybe the family is of priests who manipulate the deity for those afflicted until they can straighten themselves-hence, a family of psychotherapists. Maybe a forefather who was very rascal in his younger days was nicknamed after the deity. Maybe the family's forefather brought the concept of Agwu to the clan. Only those who bear the name can rightly answer how their name came to be that of a deity. [See also KALU/KAMALU and AMADI.] The importance of this deity and the legend of the most notorious of all deities the Igbo had to navigate and manipulate are beyond the scope of the compilation.
Gender: Strictly Male
AHAOMAKAEGO [Aha oma ka ego = Good name is better than money.]
Interpretation: Good name is better than silver and gold. See also NWAKAEGO. The Yoruba has a similar thought in "OMOBORIOWO."
DWV: AHAOMA, AFAOMA, AFOMA, KAEGO
Gender: Both
AHUNNA [Ahu nna = Body of father] This is probably a statement of the fact that the child is a part of the father. Though an obvious fact, the Igbo have a way of stressing facts and repeating words to make sure there are driven home to the audience.
DWV: Arunna
Gender: Strictly female
AGBAUWANKITI [A gba uwa nkiti.... = If the world is ignoreD.…] The world here may mean “people”; thus, if you ignore people, they would most likely not leave you alone. So the name-giver may want to give back as much as he gets no matter whose goat is slaughtered. [See Gbauwankiti]
Gender: Male
AJULUCHUKWU [A julu Chukwu/A julu Chukwu? = God was asked/Was God asked?]
DWV: Ajulu, Ajuluchi, Juochi
Gender: Male
AKACHUKWU [Aka Chukwu = The hand of God]
DWV: AKACHI, AKAOLISA, AKAOLISE
Gender: Male
AKAERUNGAUCHERULU [Aka eru(ghi) nga uche rulu = The hand does not reach where the mind reaches.]
DWV: AKAERU, AKAELUEBEUCHERULU
Gender: Male
AKOBUIJE [Ako bu ije (uwa) = Wisdom is travel (through life)]
DWV: AKO, AKOBUIJEUWA, AKOBIIJE, AKOBIJE
Gender: Male
AKOBUNDU [Ako bu ndu = Wisdom is life]
DWV: AKO, BUNDU,
Gender: Male
AKOBUISHI
DWV: AKOBISI
AKOMA
AKUABATA [Aku abata = Wealth has come in]
AKUABIA [Aku abia = Wealth has come.]
AKUBUEZE [Aku bu eze = Wealth is king]
Gender: Male
AKUBUISI [Aku bu isi = Wealth is supreme]
DWV: AKUBISI
Gender: Male
AKUCHUKWU [Aku Chukwu = Divine wealth]
DWV: AKUCHI, AKUOLISA
Gender: Male
AKUEZUMKPA [Aku ezu(ghi) mkpa = Wealth does not all solve problems]
DWV: AKUEZU, EZUMKPA
Gender: Male
AKUJIEZE [Aku ji eze = Wealth (prosperity) keeps a king]
Interpretation: This philosophical piece restates the egalitarian republicanism of the Igbo people. A king in the midst of poverty is a recipe for anarchy. When everyone is prosperous, a king can reign for as long as he wants... as long he does not reap where he does not sow.
Gender: Male
AKUKALIA [Aku kalia.... = If wealth is abundant....]
Interpretation: A complete version could be, "Aku kalia, o rute onyeobuna" (If wealth is abundant, it shall reach everyone.
DWV: AKUKARIA
Gender: Strictly male
AKUNNA [Aku nna = Father's wealth]
Interpretation: The name is given by a dotting father to a baby whom he considers much more than just a daughter but also a precious wealth from the great beyond.
Gender: Female
AKWAEKE [Akwa eke = Python's egg]
Interpretation: The python's egg is considered rare and precious. In societies where the boa is revered, the egg is priceless. Hence, this name could only mean Precious or Priceless Possession.”
Gender: Female
AKWAUDENE [Akwa Udene = The egg of vulture]
Interpretation: Although the vulture is not highly regarded, as the hawk and kite, its egg is something of a mystery, a precious package that mother vulture guards well. So the name, though not popular, is used by some as title names.
Gender: Male
AKWAUGO [Akwa ugo = Eagle's egg]
Interpretation: The eagle's egg is considered rare and precious. In all Igbo societies, to behold an eagle is to behold a rare beauty. Therefore, the name could only mean Precious or Priceless Possession.”
Gender: Female
AKWOROAKA [Akworo aka = Hands were washed (prior to molding the child)]
Interpretation: This is a very creative concept. In Igboland, hands are washed before communion, before eating, and before any sacred ritual is performed. Hence the saying: "No one washes hands to feed chickens.]
DWV: AKWOAKA
Gender: Female
ALARAAZU [Alara azu = Don't step backwards] The name stresses the importance opf never going back on one's word, hardwork, and never looking back at the bad times. In short, one should not despair at the first sign of temptations.
DWV: ALALAZU, ALARAZU
Gender: Male
ALOZIE [A lozie..... = When ones thinks well....]
Interpretation: Only the name-giver knows what s/he has in mind.
AMADI: [Amadi means a freeborn; one not born into a social caste or in bondage. Hence, nwa amadi is used frequently as a praise-name. Amadi is also short for Amadioha, the deity of thunder and a very important oracle in Igbo traditional creed. [See Kalu/Kamalu]. The importance of oracle and the legend of the most popular of them all -Amadioha Umunoha-are beyond the scope of the compilation.
Gender: male
AMAECHI [See ONYEMAECHI]
DWV: AMECHI, MAECHI, MEECHE, MECHE
AMAECHINA [Ama echina = May the lineage never end] This name clebrates the birth of a male child into a family with mostly female members. In the strictly patrilineal Igbo society, the preservation of a lineage rests on the availability of a male child.
DWV: AMAECHI, AMECHI, ECHINA, MEECHE
Gender: Strictly male.
AMAEFUNE [Ama efule = May my lineage never become lost.]
Interpretation: This is a prayer for the preservation of the species.
DWV: AFAMEFULE, AMAEFUNA, EFUNA, NKEMEFUNA, IKEMEFUNA, KEMEFULE
Gender: Male
AMAOGECHI [A ma oge Chi = No one knows God’s time.]
DWV: AMAOGE, AMOGE, AMAOGECHUKWU
Gender: Female
AMAMCHUKWU [Ama m (uche) Chukwu? = Do I know God's wish?]
DWV: AMAMUCHECHUKWU, UCHECHUKWU, AMAMCHI
Gender: Both
AMAUCHE [Ama uche (Chi/Chukwu) = No one knows the wish of God]
DWV: AMAUCHE. AMUCHE, AMAUCHECHI, AMUCHECHUKWU
Gender: Female
AMARA [Amara (Chukwu) = (Divine) Grace]
DWV: AMARA, AMALA, AMARANNA, AMARACHI
Gender: Female
AMAZU [Amazu (uwa/ilo) = No one knows (it all/all enemies]
DWV: AMAZUILO, AMAZUUWA, AMAZUIBE, ONYEMAZU
Gender: Male
ANAGAMONYENKEYA: [A naga m onye nke ya? = Whose share am I demanding?
Interpretation: Ndiigbo are strong believers in equity. No one should seek that which belongs to another. In asking this question, the parent must be addressing a specific event that happened before the child was deliver.
DWV: ANAGAMONYE
Gender: Female
ANAAYOCHUKWU [A na-ayo Chukwu = We pray to God.]
DWV: ANAYO, KANAYO,
Gender: Both, mostly male.
]
ANAAZOGINI [A na-azo ginii? = What are we fight for?]
Gender: One of those names only the giver could explain.
DWV: ANAZOGINI, ANAZONINI, ANAZO
Gender: Male
ANAENECHUKWU [A(nyi) na-ene Chukwu = We look up to God.]
See also KAANENE]
DWV: ANENE, ANII, ANNY
ANAMELECHI [Ana m ele chi = I am looking up to God.]
DWV: ANAMENECHI, ANAMENECHUKWU, ANAMELE, ANAMENE
Gender: Male
ANAENECHI [A na-ele Chi = Let's look up to God.]
DWV: ANENE, ANENECHI, KAANENE, KANENE,
Gender: Female
ANICHEBE [Ani chebe (anyi/ndu) = May the Earth protect (us/life)]
Interpret: Without the
DWV: ACHEBE, ANICHEBENDU
ANIEBONEM [Ani ebone m = May Mother Earth spare me.]
Interpretation:
DWV: ANIEBONAM, ANIEBO, ANI, EBONEM, EBONAM
Gender: Male
ANIKWE [Ani Kwe = If the Earth Deity agree.]
DWV: ANAKWE
ANIKWENZE
DWV: ANAKWENZE
ANINEEDU
DWV: ANIEDU, ANINEDU
ANOSIKE [A nosi ike = One sits securely.]
Interpretation: In translating this name, we must go beyond the above spelling. It is probably that in a rush to shorten, a few vowels were left out. In “A nosie ike (o di ka uwa amaka)” [When one sits securely, it appears the world is beautiful] we see a more deeper meaning than offered by the popular written version. This is why this compilations favors the more vowel intensive version of Igbo names.
DWV: ANOSIEIKE, See also ALOZIE
AÑULI [Añuli = Joy /Happiness] See also AÑULIKA
Gender: Female
AÑULIKA [ Añuli ka (uba) = Happiness is better (than prosperity).]
DWV: AÑURIKA, AÑULIKAUBA
ANYAEGBUNEM [Anya egbune m = May none of the jealousy of others impact me.] This name is loaded with meaning. The name giver sure has something to complain about.
DWV: EGBUNAM, EGBUNAM, ANYAEGBU
Gender: Male
ANYACHI [Anya Chi = The eye of God]
ANYAASO [Anya a(naghi) aso = The eye does not discriminate in what it sees]
Interpretation: This name implies that the eyes sees everything. It is a restatement of the fact that the leg that that walks fast, the eye that darts around will see it. [Ukwu na-eje walawala, anya na-afu walawala na-afu ya.] The name might also be losing “Chi,” as in Anya Chi aso = The eyes of God sees everything.
ANYAOGU
DWV: AYOGU
ANYANWU [Anya anwu = The Sun- the source of light and knowledge] The sun is a deity in Igbo mythology. It is the source of life itself. Everything revolves around the sun. This respect for the Sun is not extended to the Moon [*Onwa*], but is glorified for its beauty. The ancient Igbo were probably aware of that the Moon does not impact the earth so much as the Sun. Hence, while its lunar calendar refers to the lunar apparition, its annual calendar in referenced on Sirius, located outside our galaxy.
Gender: Male
ARAZU [A razu = No one has all it takes]
Interpretation: This name is highly dialect-specific and may refer to the inability of humans to solve all the problems of this world.
DWV: MMADUARAZU, ONYEARAZU
Gender: Male
ARIANNA: [Aria nna = Father's possession]
DWV: "Aria" is a general term used for mostly handy personal possessions, not lands and houses. It is a loving gesture for a father to consider her daughter a priced possession, and it should not be seen from the economic sense because "aria" has mostly sentimental values; folks won't part with their "aria" no matter the amount you offer.
Gender: Strictly female
ARINZE [Arinze (Chukwu) = Grace (of God)]
Interpretation: The name is native to the Onicha area of Igboland; it gives thanks to God for the divine gift of life. It is similar to Chukwuemeka. Though a popular last name (of Francis Cardinal Arinze of the Vatican), it is equally also a popular first name.
Gender: Male
ARUNNE: [Aru nne = The body of mother]
DWV: AHUNNE
Gender: Strictly female
ASHIAGWU [Ashi agwu = Gossip is over]
Interpretation: With the arrival of the child, most likely a female, the mother conveys that tittle-tattles are over. This is definitely a name designed to send a message: "aha ikpe" It simply says: "Go get a life; the deed is done."
Gender: Female
ASIKA ["A si ka...." = If it is said that....]
Interpretation: This depends on what the giver of this name has in mind. However, the simple form "ASIKA" is well-known, thanks to Ajie Onicha and former Administrator of East Central State of Nigeria, Tony Ukpabi Asika.
Gender: Male
ATUANYA [See also UBAATUANYA]
ATUEGBUNEM
AZIKIWE [Azu ka iwe = To turn one’s back is better than getting angry]
Interpretation: I doubt the above translation is the only one possible. Taking the words apart, “azi” means the “present period” [re: umuazi, which is used interchangeably with Umuazu = Children of today]. If so, then the names means that the present time is much more annoying that what we ever experienced. In which case, the names is saying that time heals everything.
DWV: This is the only known written form. Specifically from the Edo-influenced Onicha dialect of Igbo, this name was made very popular by the late and revered Dr. Nnamdi (Zik) Azikiwe, the foremost pan-Africanist and the father of Nigerian independence. True to his name, Zik was a bag of compromise. He would rather walk away from a potentially explosive situation than fight for the sake of power. His principle: “Compromise is a symbiotic experience. And this is exactly why I find my first interpretation more appealing.
AZUBUIKE
DWV: AZUBIKE
AZUKA
AZUNNA
Interpretation" Possibly born after the father’s death, or wish the father’s back be great. See AZUKA
AZUOGU [postwar]
Interpretation: The consequences of a war
AZUONYE [One’s back]
AZUKA [Azu ka = The hereafter is greater.] This name is wrongly interpreted in many circles. It is a plea for the name giver's "azu" (back)--when he/she is gone-- to be better than “iru” (face)--the present. It shows the Igbo belief in working today for the benefit of those coming AFTER or BEHIND us. Therefore, in Ka azu m kalu iru mma, [May my back be better than my face,] the name giver is pleading for a better future for the girl.. The name means exactly the same thing as Nke di n’iru ka [NKIRUKA = The future is greater]; or should be! Some interpret his name to mean that hindsight has 20/20 vision, but critics wonder why any parent would belabor a child with such strong philosophical statement.
Gender: Female.