African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

African Americans 579
after the death of a sister, the difference being that, in the second option, the name given
to a girl is Njoki, meaning “the one who has returned.”
If a child is born outside marriage and the man responsible refuses to marry the girl,
the child is named after its relations from the mother’s side according to the above
formula. If the woman later marries, it means that her parents or relations will be named
before those of the husband, and any one conversant with the Gĩkũyũ naming customs
will know that the children were born out of wedlock.
The Luo of South Western Kenya
Among the Luo, there is a traditional naming of children, based on the time of birth and
sex. Generally, names starting with the letter “O” refer to males and those starting with
“A” refer to females. A child born in the early morning is named Omondi or Akinyi. One
born in midmorning is called Onyango or Anyango. One born in broad daylight is called
Ochieng’ or Achieng’. A child born in the evening is named Odhiambo or Adhiambo.
One born at night is Otieno or Atieno, while one born at mid-night is named Owuor or
Awuor. Other Luo names correspond to the place where one is born. One born by the
roadside is Oyoo or Ayoo. One born in the bush is named Olum or Alum. Twins are
Apiyo and Adongo and Opiyo and Odongo, depending on whether they are boys or girls.
Their follower is named Akelo or Okelo, depending on sex.
Naming systems in East Africa portray the diversity of African culture and the
richness of its folklore. Names remain a fairly stable category of African oral traditions.
Although East Africans were forced to take European names as a mark of Christianity
during colonialism, European names have never achieved meaning in the naming
systems. African names continue to carry lineage, tribal, and cultural meanings. They
remain an integral system of the African oral traditions.
References
Lo Liyong, T., eds. 1972. Popular Culture of East Africa: Oral Literature. Nairobi: Longman
Kenya.
Nandwa, J., and A. Bukenya. 1983. African Oral Literature for Schools. Nairobi: Longman Kenya.
MICHAEL WAINAINA
See also Linguistics and African Verbal Arts