What is in a name? Numerous things

Communities in traditional Africa had interesting ways of naming children. In some societies, the choice of a baby’s name depended on the time, place or circumstances surrounding birth. In others, children would be named after their grandparents, elderly relatives or hallowed members of the community.

Some communities, however, did not give much thought to this baby-naming business, and this might explain why some children were named after birds, food, pests, trees or whatever else came to mind.