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
