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Nworah's Journal
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The Mythology of Igbo Names
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by
Uche Nworah
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I am  now used to getting quaint reactions from people,
whenever I tell them my name, it does not matter if they are Igbos or not. Their typical reaction is usually some
kind of contorted facial exclamation, indicating surprise that even a man will bear the name, uche. Their surprise
may be as a result of their previous encounters with females who also bear the name. The issue for me has now become
more interesting especially with my partner's name also being uche, such that people (non-Igbos mostly) do think
we are joking when we both announce our names and introduce ourselves to them. My interest and curiosity in the
name (uche) led me to probe deeper and in the process, I discovered other variations. There is uchenna, uchechukwu,
and uchechi which a man or woman can bear.
Igbo names like most other names (non-Igbo) have symbolic meanings. These different versions of uche all mean the
wishes or heart of God, As some people may think, uchenna does not mean the wishes or heart of the father of the
child, Nna in this sense means God Almighty, if it meant the former, then feminists would argue and demand for
the naming of children uchenne (the wishes of the mother). While there is no reason not to, I am yet to encounter
nor hear of anybody bearing it, a task for modernists and feminists then, you may say.
My little investigation also indicates that in Igboland, certain
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names appear to be reserved only for males or females, while some others can be given to both a male or female
child. Considering the chauvinistic nature of the Igbo society in pre-colonial times, at a time that manhood was
usually associated with the detest for feminine characteristics in a man, such detestation I presume may also have
been directed at men bearing women's name (assumed female only names).
To understand the strength and magnitude of such detestation, recall Okonkwo's character in Chinua Achebe's Things
Fall Apart, how Okonkwo drew his machete and cut off the head of Ikemefuna, a boy that calls him father. This was
despite the warnings of the oracle, Okonkwo chose to disobey the gods and risk a life of exile, rather than be
called a weakling like Unoka, his father.
So it may be quite interesting to know how such males who shared similar names with females fared at the time.
Although the Igbo society is still predominantly chauvinistic, the correctness of giving males assumed female names
and vice versa may not so much be a big issue in modern times, this is because any such demeaning distinctions
and name calling will be against the spirit of current global clamour for equal opportunities between men and women,
and the desire to protect both human and gender rights, including the freedom and right to be given (by parents)
or called by whichever name one pleases, wishes or inherits at birth at naming ceremonies.
In pre-colonial times, these names were favourites amongst the fathers and heads of clans, Igwe (sky, heaven or
steel as the case may be),
Igwe ka ala (the sky that is greater than the earth), Okonkwo (son of nkwo, nkwo being a market day) Okoro (signifying
a male), Okafor (son of afor, afor being a market day), Okorie (son of orie, orie being a market day) or okoye
(son of oye, oye being a market day) - oye and orie are market days but are dialectic variations of the same word.
At the time, Christianity which was later introduced by the white missionaries hadn't yet gained currency, and
so the practice was to eulogize the maker (Chukwu or Chi) by praising his works and creations through names.
It may be therefore, as a result of the fear that the Igbos have of their maker or the awesomness of his creations
that informed their need for an intermediary through which they could reach out in thanks, praise and worship of
the Maker, they therefore carved representative wood figures (okpesi, alusi, ogwugwu), to which they poured libations
and also sprinkled animal blood before consuming the slain animals.
The Igbos did also name their children after these wooden figures, deities and gods, In today's Igbo society, some
people still bear names such as Nwaogwugwu (son of ogwugwu, ogwugwu signifying a god or deity), nwalusi (son of
alusi, alusi meaning shrine ala okija) and also alusi (deity, shrine or god) etc.
I do wonder however, if present day events, knowledge and religious beliefs (The Igbos are largely and predominantly
Christians) have not put into question the continued usage and bearing of such names, even with their un - Christian
denotations.
On their part, women at the time bore names such agbonma (epitome of beauty), adaku (a daughter born into wealth),
obiageli (she or he who has come to enjoy), ugboaku (source or vehicle of wealth) etc.
it may seem these names are also feminine verbs and should rightly be borne only by females, this is true to some
extent especially as regards the other names I mentioned, with the exception of obiageli.
In the Igbo language, obiageli could mean he or she who has come to enjoy, but surprisingly the name appears to
be exclusive to females, and so are the other latter day favourites amongst women, names such as ifeoma (something
good), chinyere (God's gift), ngozi (blessing) and amarachukwu (God's favour), with these latter names, there are
still lots of controversies over who should or who should not bear them, current preference and practice is for
women to bear them although there are few 'deviant' men who do, but rightly there is no reason why the men should
not bear such names.
There seems therefore to be lots of unresolved discrepancies and controversies surrounding Igbo names, these issues
border heavily on gender rights, masculinity and femininity. At the moment, there is no serious or concerted effort
at a resolution by Igbo scholars, this I think is sad as the apparent confusion on the rightness or wrongness in
a child's naming will be carried into the next generation.
The Mythology of Igbo Names
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