Ghanaian day names: Why children are named after their birthday

Ghanaian day names are part of a fascinating naming tradition that connects a person’s name to the day they were born.

Among Akan communities in Ghana, children may receive a traditional day name based on their day of birth.

That means someone born on Friday can have a different traditional name from someone born on Sunday.

So, how do Ghanaian day names work?

What are Ghanaian day names?

The tradition of Ghanaian day names is particularly associated with Akan communities.

The Akan live mainly in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

In this tradition, each day of the week has names associated with children born on that day. Male and female names usually differ.

For example:

Spellings and forms can vary between Akan communities and languages.

A day name can form an important part of a person’s identity.

The tradition links a child with the particular day on which they entered the world.

Traditionally, different Ghanaian day names can also carry cultural associations linked to identity and character.

However, a day name does not have to be a person’s only name.

People may also have names connected to their family, circumstances surrounding their birth or other naming traditions.

Several Ghanaian day names have become internationally recognised.

One famous example is Kwame, a male name associated with Saturday.

Ghana’s first prime minister and president, Kwame Nkrumah, carried the name.

Another well-known example is Kofi, traditionally associated with a boy born on Friday.

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was also Ghanaian.

The tradition shows how a name can preserve information about a person’s birth and cultural background.

Names such as Kofi, Kwame, Yaa and Akua continue to be used today.

So, if you meet someone with one of these Ghanaian day names, their name may contain a small clue about the day their story began.