The Akans and their names

[Oluko Obadele]

The Akans and their names

Written by

Baafuor Ossei-Akoto

Akan system of giving names to their children is very unique. Unlike the Europeans, each child is given his/her own first and sur - names irrespective of the surname of the father. The first names are always derived from the day a child was born. For a example a boy born on Monday is called Kwadwo/Kojo derived from the day Monday which is called Dwoada in Twi, the language of Akans. A girl born on Monday is called Adwoa. Here are the rest of the days and their various names: Tuesday/Benada - Kwabena for boys and Abena for girls, Wednesday/Wukuada - Kwaku for boys and Akua for girls, Thursday/Yawoada - Yaw for boys and Yaa for girls, Friday/Fiada - Kofi for boys and Afia for girls, Saturday/Memeneda - Kwame for boys and Amma for girls and finally Sunday/Kwasiada - Kwasi/Akwasi for boys and Akosua for girls.

Sometimes a baby boy born on Wednesday might be called Kofi instead of Kwaku because the person after whom he is named was a Kofi and not a Kwaku.

The surnames are always given after close relatives and sometimes friends. Since the names are always given by the men if a couple receives a son as their first born-baby he is named after the father of the husband and if the baby is a girl she will be named after the mother of the husband. As a result if a man called Osei Kofi and the wife gives birth to a girl as their first born the girl might be called Yaa Dufie even if she was not born on Friday. The reason is the fact that the mother of the man Osei Kofi is called Yaa Dufie. We usually give these names so that the names of our close relatives might be maintained in our families to show how we cherish the love for them.

In the olden days it was a disgrace if a man was not able to name any child after his father and/or mother because that was the pride of every home. Most of the names given to boys could also be given to girls just by adding the letters "aa" to form the female names. Some of these surnames can be given to both boys and girls without changing or adding anything. However there are others that are exclusively boys names whilst others are exclusively girls names. Here are some few examples:




Some of the names that have their female versions:

Aboagye becomes Aboagyewaa

Boateng becomes Boatemaa

Danso becomes Dansoaa

Frempon becomes Frempomaa

Gyamfi becomes Gyamfiaa

Kwaaten becomes Kwaatemaa

Minta becomes Mintaa

Owusu becomes Owusuaa

Poku becomes Pokuaa





Some of the names given to only boys with no females versions:

Oware

Dua

Gyima

Gyambibi

Odum

Afram


Prempe

Sintim

Soadwa

Kyerematen

Budu

Nti
Kyereme





Some of the names given to only women without their male versions:



Pinaman

Dufie

Abrafi

Frema

Bema

Birago

Afra

Afrakoma

Akyeaa

Akyeamaa

Gyaama

Dwiraa

Aso

Nyanta

Adwubi

Ode
Obiyaa
Nsuoyaa






Some of the names given to both men and women without any changes:

Anto

Boama

Tawia

Nyankomago

Nkansa

Fordjour

Dankwa

Konadu

Donkor

Afriyie

Agyeman

Nsia

Nkroma

Badu

Bonsu

Brenya

Bronnya

Ghana

Kyem

Abeberese

Nsonwaa

Amoa

Gyamera

Adoma

Dapaa

Fofie

Fokuo

Addai

Bio

Nimo

Nyamekye

Konto

Domfe

Pensan

Dwomo

Bona

Adiyia

Amoabeng

Ampoma

Abeyie

Ampadu

Nyame

Kuma

Nsuo

Sika

Kra

Obuor







Some of the surnames and their accolades or Mmrane as we call them in our language:


Some of these names have the same accolades for both men and women and others have different accolades for each gender.


Aboagye - Amoa Aboagyewaa - Domena

Abrafi - Okoto

Addai - Mmununkum

Adomaa - Okyerekuaa

Adomako - Forobuor

Adu - Bofuo or Brempong

Adutwuwaa - Mmorosa

Adusei - Krobo

Adwubi - Kete

Afrakomaa - Kusiwaa

Afirifa - Yamoa

Afriyie - Saaw

Afoakwa - Sikafuo

Agyei - Okyeni/Asafoakaa Agyeiwaa - Kodie

Agyeman - Opambuor

Agyare - Mensa

Agyapong - Ntahera Agyapomaa – Osafo or Otuo

Akomaa - Ahwenie

Akoto - Esie or Apensakyi

Aku - Sika

Akyeaa - Oyiakwan

Akyeamfuor - Baa

Akyeampong - Owoahene

Amankwaa - Opam

Amoa - Okoromansa

Amoanimaa - Ekuo

Amponsa - Okurubi Amponsaa - Saamoa

Amoako/Amoakowaa - Ogyampa

Amo - Piesie

Ampofo - Twumasi

Ampadu - Daadua

Anima - Tutuaa

Ansa - Sasraku

Antwi /Antwiwaa - Boasiako or Nyame

Anokye - Obirikomfuo

Appia - Kubi or Kusi

Asamoa - Kokote or Omono

Asante/Asantewaa - Krobea or Kotoko

Asare - Bediako

Asenso - Okofo

Asiama - Toku

Asiedu - Bodom

Ata - Kurufi Ataa - Ataafi

Asubonteng - Asuoayiripebre

Baa - Siakwan

Baawia - Bonsamfo

Boadi - Akonim

Boadu - Ayeboafo

Boahen - Anantuo or Akai

Boakye/Boakyewaa - Yiadom

Boaten/Boatemaa - Agyenim

Bona - Adanse

Bonsra - Abu

Bonsu - Oboronsuo or Dansuom Kokyereahene

Daako/Daakoaa - Ampem or Aboraa

Danso - Abeam

Donkor - Bagyina

Domfe - Gyeabuor

Dufie - Ankra

Dwamena - Akenten

Frema - Otaatuo

Frimpon - Manso or Kotroka Frempomaa - Kotobre

Fofie - Bayerebone

Fosu - Bofuoanwoma Fosua - Odianwoma

Gyamfi - Okumanini Gyamfiaa - Amonu

Gyasi/Gyasiwaa - Ekuoba

Kodua - Tweneboa

Konadu - Yiadom

Kumi - Kwaa

Kusi/Kusiwaa - Oboadum

Kyei/Kyeiwaa - Osem

Kwarteng - Amanin or Oduro Se

Kwaakye - Adiefe Kwaakyewaa - Abora

Mensa - Aborampa or Opia Mansa - Gyasi

Nkansa - Dwamena

Nkroma - Adasa

Nsia - Poodo

Ntiamoa - Mpoansa or Amankuo

Ntim - Gyakari

Nyaako - Kusi Nyaako/Nyaakoaa - Aboronommaa or Awere

Nyame - Otwediampon

Nyantakyi - Akosommo

Owusu/Owusuwaa - Akyaaw or Aduomi or Ansa

Opoku - Tenten or Aduse or Katakyie Opokuaa - Kontonko or Aduse

Safo/Safoaa - Kantanka

Sarpon - Kumankama

Serwaa - Ampaafro or Brakatu

Takyi - Abeam

Tawia - Adwera

Tutu - Opemsuo

Twomasi - Ankra

Obeng - Aduasare

Obiyaa - Kyenaka

Ofori/Foriwaa - Amanfo

Okyere - Siabuor or Ampadu

Oppong - Kyekyeku

Osei - Abiri or Hweekoo

Oti/Tiwaa - Awere

Prempeh - Agyeman

Wiafe - Akenten

Yaamoa - Ponko

Yeboa/Yeboaa - Asiama/Asiamaa or Kodie

Asonaba Nana Yaa Asantewaa - Queenmother of Edweso