First names are given to children based on criteria, which may differ from one part of the world to the other. In Eastern, Arabic and Hebrew cultures names are chosen according to their meanings. In the West first names are given based on four criteria, which include the names' meanings, specific religion/culture, after affectionate someone or fashion (fad/popularity).
Meanings of First Names
Most first names connote some meanings, irrespective of what criteria that are at the root of their choice. First names are chosen to indicate some sort of connections to predominating events, places and/or circumstances around the dates of the birth of the children. Examples would include names such as 'Breeze' and 'Breezy', both belonging to the nature category and mean the same thing as wind. 'Onyx' is of colour/gem derivation, and means dark or black.
The African category is full of first names reflective of a wider range of things. These would include their market days, wealth, religion and prevailing socio-economic climate, to name but a few. For instance in the Ibo tribe of Nigeria, where their market days are named 'Eke', 'Orie', 'Afor' and 'Nkwo' the males could be named 'Nweke', 'Nworie', 'Nwafor' 'Nwankwo' or 'Okeke', 'Okorie', 'Okafor', and 'Okonkwo' whilst the females could be named 'Mgbeke', 'Mgborie', Mgbafor', and 'Mgbokwo'. An example of wealth/religion derived name in the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria is 'Olufemi', which can be for both male and female; for the former and latter, respectively it means 'wealth and honour favour me' and 'God loves me'. Another example of a religion based first name in the Ibo tribe of Nigeria is 'Chimaobim', which is abbreviated to 'Chima', and means 'God knows my mind'. A typical example of a first name based on the socio-economic climate in force at the time of birth of a child in the Swahili region of East Africa is 'Chuki', which means 'born during a time of hatred'.
Some of the first names with their meanings unknown include 'Blue', 'Air', 'Season', and all of them can equally be used by a male or female..
Similarities and Disimilarities of Meanings of First Names across Different Categories
As with 'Olufemi' cited above, under the American category, the first name 'Charly' is also used for both female and male.. When 'Charly' is used for a male it means 'manly', but on a female it would mean 'strong and womanly'. The name, 'Amadi' under Arabic category means 'Much Praised', but under the African category it means 'He is destined to die'.
Unisex (Androgynous) First Names
Names are gender specific, but not always. Names such as Breeze, Onyx, Olufemi, Charly and Chima cited above are all unisex names, which means that they can belong to both males and females. However, in comparison with male first names, most female names end in a vowel. Hence, in the UK, for example, 70% of the most popular English female first names end in a vowel, as against 20% of males. The implication of this phenomenon is that people in general on seeing any first name ending in a vowel automatically think the person associated with the name must be a female. Most mails to this writer are often addressed as 'Ms' or 'Miss' , even though the writer is a male, having a unisex first name that ends with a vowel.
Possible Complications of Unisex First Names
The phenomenon of thinking of first names to be gender specific can lead, sometimes, to using an inappropriate pronoun in describing a person involved in a social interaction. This may be trivial in everyday social interactions, but may not be the case in matters where accurate detailed notes are crucial, say for instance in the dispensation of justice, as has been witnessed by this writer. It was a family case, in which the police had visited the address umpteen times. The Judge of the case accepted that the frequent visits by the police to the address was indicative of problems in the family, but rejected the detailed notes of the police visits (which favoured the Defendant) on the basis that the notes described the child at the centre of the family dispute as a 'she', but the child was actually a male, with his first name being unisex and ending in a vowel. This could also happen with unisex names such as 'Charly' and 'Onyx' that do not end with vowels.
it is therefore very necessary that public officers in presenting their reports bear in mind the possible adverse implication of their misuse of pronouns when unisex names are involved.
Chinasa Anya - Chinasa (Chinny) C Anya has MSc in Metallurgy from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest Romania and PhD in Metallurgy from University ...
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