New York City's Mayor- Elect Zohran Mamdani's Middle Name "Kwame" Is From West Africa

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about New York City's Mayor-Elect Zohran Kwame Mamdani's name, with a focus on the meaning of his West African middle name.

The Addendum to this post showcases a YouTube video about how the name "Kwame" is pronounced.

The content of this post is presented for onomastic*, socio-cultural, historical, and political purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the producer and publisher of this showcased YouTube video.

Congratulations to Zohran Kwame Mamdani for his historical win in the November 4, 2025 mayoral election in New York City, New York,
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*onomastic= "the study of the history and origin of proper names, especially personal names".

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EXCERPT FROM ZOHRAN MAMDANI'S WIKIPEDIA PAGE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohran_Mamdani
"Zohran Kwame Mamdani[c] (born October 18, 1991) is an American politician and mayor-elect of New York City. A member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, he has served as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 36th district since 2021, representing the Queens neighborhood of Astoria.

Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, both of whom are of Indian descent. After spending three years in Cape Town, South Africa, when Mamdani was five to seven years old, the family moved to the United States, settling in New York. Mamdani graduated from the Bronx High School of Science before receiving a bachelor's degree with a major in Africana studies from Bowdoin College in 2014.

After working as a housing counselor and musician (known as "Young Cardamom" and later "Mr Cardamom"), Mamdani entered local New York City politics as a campaign manager for Khader El-Yateem and Ross Barkan. He was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020, defeating five-term incumbent Aravella Simotas in the Democratic primary. Representing Astoria, Queens, he was reelected without opposition in 2022 and 2024.

In October 2024, Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City in the 2025 election. Mamdani campaigned on an affordability-focused platform in support of fare-free city buses, universal public child care, city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on rent-stabilized units, additional affordable housing units, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030. He also expressed support for LGBTQ rights, comprehensive public safety reform, and tax increases on corporations and those earning above $1 million annually. He won the Democratic primary in June 2025, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo in an upset victory, and was elected mayor in the general election later that year. He is set to become the city's first Muslim and Indian–Ugandan mayor."...

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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ZOHRAN MAMDANI'S WIN IN THE NOVEMBER 4, 2025 ELECTION
From https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceq01l8reqlo "'Mandate for change': Zohran Mamdani wins New York City mayoral election" By Madeline Halpert, November 5, 2025, New York City
"Zohran Mamdani, 34, has won New York City's race for mayor in a contest that rallied young voters and sparked debate about the future direction of the US Democratic Party.

Ugandan-born Mamdani, a Democrat, beat former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, to become the youngest person in over a century to lead the largest city in the US.

"My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty," the self-described democratic socialist told the crowd during a victory speech.

Democrats also won governor races in Virginia and New Jersey, while in California voters backed a proposition to redraw the congressional electoral map ahead of next year's midterm elections.

Mamdani made affordability the central message of his campaign, pledging to expand social programmes paid for by new taxes on high earners and corporations.

In New York, he was a relatively unknown member of the state assembly until his campaign gained online momentum a few months ago, propelling him to victory in the Democratic primary contest over the summer.

Mamdani has become the first South Asian and Muslim to lead the city. In his victory speech, he spoke of a "new age".

"For as long as we can remember, the working people of New York have been told by the wealthy and the well-connected that power does not belong in their hands," Mamdani said.

"The future is in our hands," he said, pledging to create a government that works "for everyone".”…

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INFORMATION ABOUT ZOHRAN KWAME MAMDANI'S NAMES
from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/125127467.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst "The Meaning Behind Zohran Kwame Mamdani,when your name carries many worlds. By TOI (Times of India) Lifestyle Desk, November 6, 2025
"Zohran Kwame Mamdani, mayor- elect of New York City carries a name rich with meaning.’Zohran’ symbolizes light, ‘Kwame’ connects to Ghanaian heritage and resistance, and ‘Mamdani” denotes a legacy of scholars.  His name bridges  Africa and Asia, showcasing a layered, multicultural identity. His name represents resilience and rebirth, inviting understanding of complex origins.

Some names carry a melody, a memory, or a family story. then there are names like Zohran Kwame Mandami that carry worlds. They hold pieces of history migration, language, and love. They stretch across continents and time zones, blending cultures that might once have seemed far apart but now meet beautifully in one person.

[…]

Zohran: A name that means 'light'

The name Zohran comes from Persian and Arabic roots, meaning ‘light, ‘radiance’, or ’brilliance’.  It shares linguistic DNA with words like Zohar, which in Hebrew mysticism represents spiritual illumination and divine wisdom.

[…]

Kwame: 'Born on Saturday', rooted in Ghana

The middle name Kwame traces back to the Akan people of Ghana. In Akan culture, children are traditionally

named after the day of the week when they were born.  ‘Kwame’ means “‘born on Saturday” and carries more than a timestamp, it symbolizes identity, ancestry, and a link to community.

But there’s another layer here.  The name Kwame has deep political resonance thanks to Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s founding father and one of Africa’s greatest independence leaders. For many across the African diaspora, the name stands for, resistance, freedom, and pride in one’s heritage.

When combined with Zohran, Kwame creates a linguistic bridge between Africa and Asia, showing how culture can coexist without boundaries.

Mamdani: 'A surname of scholars and storytellers'

The surname Mamdani is of East African and South Asian origin, historically connected to families of Indian descent who migrated to Uganda, Kenya, and  Tanzania during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. The name has roots inArabic, likely referring to a tribal or ancestral connection (from the clan of Mamdan) .

It's a name that carries academic weight, too, most famously through Mahmood Mamdani, a globally respected Ugandan scholar and father of Zohran Mamdani. The Mamdani name has become synonymous with intellect, social justice, and critical thought. So when you put it all together
Zohran (light), Kwame (Saturday-born), and Mamdani (a legacy of knowledge). You get a name that practically hums with meaning.”…

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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NAME "KWAME"
ARTICLE EXCERPT #1
From https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Akan_names.html [retrieved November 9, 2025]
"Akan names

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. These "day names" have further meanings concerning the soul and character of the person. Middle names have considerably more variety and can refer to their birth order, twin status, or an ancestor's middle name.

This naming tradition is shared throughout West Africa and the African diaspora. During the 18th-19th Century, slaves from modern day Ghana in the Caribbean were referred to as Coromantees. Many of the leaders of slave rebellions had "day names" including Cuffy or Kofi, Cudjoe or Kojo, and Quamina or Kwame/Kwamina.

Most Ghanaians have at least one name from this system, even if they also have an English or Christian name. Notable figures with day names include Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah and former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

[...]

The Ashanti people system of giving names to their children is unique.[4][5] Unlike the Europeans, each child is given his/her own first and sur-names irrespective of the surname of the father.[4][5] The first names are always derived from the day a child was born.[4][5]

For an example a boy born on Monday is called Kwadwo/Kojo derived from the day Monday which is called Dwoada in Ashanti language and Ashanti Twi, the language of Ashantis.[4][5] An Ashanti girl born on Monday is called Adwoa.[4][5]

Here are the rest of the days and their various names:

Tuesday/Benada - Kwabena for Ashanti boys and Abena for Ashanti girls,

Wednesday/Wukuada - Kwaku for Ashanti boys and Akua for Ashanti girls,

Thursday/Yawoada - Yaw for Ashanti boys and Yaa for Ashanti girls,

Friday/Fiada - Kofi for Ashanti boys and Afia for Ashanti girls,

Saturday/Memeneda - Kwame for Ashanti boys and Amma for Ashanti girls

and finally Sunday/Kwasiada - Kwasi/Akwasi for Ashanti boys and Akosua for Ashanti girls.[4][5]

[...]

Day names

Sunday's child is the general leader, sensitive to family situations and warm member of the family.[4][5] He/she tends to be shy and likes to keep to himself/herself, but is very aware of his/her surroundings and usually is the secret keeper of the family.[4][5]

Monday's child is the father or mother in the family; nurturing in nature, dependable and organized, and protective of his/her family.[4][5]

Tuesday's child is the problem solver and planner of the family.[4][5] They are structured in nature, neutral in all matters and never take sides.[4][5]

Wednesday's child is fully in control of every situation, does not want to be told what to do, knows it all, is spontaneous, vibrant and cordial.[4][5]

Thursday's child is quiet in nature and incredibly observant.[4][5] They are generally listeners, not talkers, and analyzes situations very well.[4][5]

Friday's child is a leader, not a follower.[4][5] He/she is very temperamental but has a big heart. Generally the instigator of everything.[4][5]

Saturday's child likes to take control of family situations. He/she runs the show and make the rules, but will go out of his/her way for others any time.[4][5]"
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I reformatted this article excerpt to increase its readability. 

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ARTICLE EXCERPT #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwame
"Kwame is an Akan masculine given name among the Akan people (such as the Akuapem, Ashanti, Akyem, Bono and Fante) in Ghana which is given to a boy born on Saturday.[1] Traditionally in Ghana, a child would receive their Akan day name during their Outdooring, eight days after birth.[2][3]

According to Akan tradition, people born on particular days exhibit certain characteristics or attributes.[2][3] Kwame has the appellation "Atoapoma" or "Oteanankannuro" meaning "combat ready".[2][3]

The day naming tradition in Ghana extends to folk characters such as Anansi and deities. Traditional Akan religion states that God created himself on Saturday and is therefore also named "Kwame".[4] .

[...]

Male variants of Kwame

Variant spellings include Kwamé, Kouamé, Kwami, Kwamena, and Kwamina, according to the various Akan subgroups.[8][3] It is spelt Kwame by the Akuapem, Akyem, Bono and Ashanti subgroups, while the Fante subgroup spell it as Kwamena or Kwamina.[2][8]

Female version of Kwame

In the Akan culture and other local cultures in Ghana, day names come in pairs for males and females.[2] The variant of the name used for a female child born on Saturday is Ama.[2][3]

Notable people with the name

The most well-known bearer of the name was Kwame Nkrumah, President of Ghana and a founder of Pan-Africanism – mainly due to whom the name spread also to non-Ghanaians"...
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This page includes a list of notable people with the name "Kwame" including New York City's Mayor-Elect Zohran Kwame Mamdani.

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ADDENDUM -VIDEO:HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE NAME "KWAME" 

 How to Pronounce Kwame (Real Life Examples!) 

American Pronunciation Guide, May 26, 2020
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Here's this YouTube video's auto-generated transcript:

0:01

The American Pronunciation Guide Presents "How to Pronounce Kwame"

0:09

He's just a sweetheart, Kwame Alexander,

0:17

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander recently won The Newberry,

0:25

and Kwame Dawes. And please, here is something you must reserve. Please reserve sometime

0:33

and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and

0:41

Kwame Coleman, a jazz pianist and musicologist,

0:49

Stokely Carmichael-- later Kwame Toure-- and Charles Hamilton

0:57

I'm working on a picture book that Kwame Alexander wrote.

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Here's how the name "Kwame" is pronounced (in the USA, if not elsewhere) = QUAH-me"

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Visitor comments are welcome. 

The Influence Of Christianity And Colonialism On Personal Naming In Africa (Excerpt Of A 2003 Namibian Book)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a brief excerpt of a 2003 book by Minna Saarelma-Maunumaa. That book is entitled Edhina Ekogidho – Names as Links: The Encounter between African and European Anthroponymic Systems among the Ambo People in Namibia.

Pancocojams visitors are encouraged to read this entire online book.  

The content of this post is presented for onomastic and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Minna Saarelma-Maunumaa for this research on and writing about African names.
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Minna Saarelma-Maunumaa wrote:
“Edhina ekogidho”, the title of this book, is a common saying among the Ambos in Namibia. The noun edhina means ‘name’ and ekogidho ‘joining, connecting permanently together’. Hence, this expression means that personal names serve as links between people; they connect people together.

This book on Ambo personal names, [...] is based on my Ph.D."...
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The forward to this book also indicates that it is "A digital edition of a printed book first published in 2003 by the Finnish Literature Society."

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BOOK EXCERPT: EDHINA EKOGIDHO: NAMES AS LINKS...

[Pancocojams' Editor's Note: The page number that is given at the end of each page refers to the content above that number.] 

library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/29745/9789522228161_edhina_ekogidho.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

..."Chapter One: Personal Names And Cultural Change 

[...]

The Influence of Christianity and Colonialism on Personal Naming in Africa
European influence, and the influence of Christianity, started to change African cultures on a large scale when the colonisers and missionaries from various European countries settled in different parts of Africa in the 19th century.113 In little more than a hundred years, the number of  Christians in Africa increased to over 160 million, and this massive conversion corresponded with a rapid sociocultural change in African societies (Ikenga-Metuh 1987, p. 11). Beside Christianity, Islam also spread to Africa, particularly to the northern and western parts of the continent.114 It has been noted that religious movements tend to spread most quickly in times of rapid social change when people search for answers to new problems (Peil & Oyeneye 1998, p. 163–164), and this is how the “African conversion” has been explained too.115 Akinnaso (1983, p. 155) describes the sociocultural changes among the Yoruba people in Nigeria as follows:

Basic changes in kinship, economic, and political organization, in the modes of communication, in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and indeed in the entire social structure and “worldview” of the Yoruba are due largely to the spread of literacy, the concomitant diffusion of Western cultures and technologies, and the conversion of most Yoruba to Christianity or Islam. Though these processes began more than a century ago, their effects have never been so seriously felt as in the last three decades. Seriously affected are attitudes toward indigenous cultural traditions, especially toward traditional ritual performances.

When the Europeans came to the African continent, they were generally filled with the spirit of cultural and racial superiority, which encouraged them to condemn indigenous cultural practices. All over Africa, Christianity became identified with European culture, and conversion into this new religion typically meant abandoning the African identity. (Boahen 1990, p. 222, 336.) However, this did not lead to a total abandonment of traditional beliefs and practices. Among many other things, ancestor worship and polygyny continued to persist in many parts of Africa, even if they were usually opposed by the missionaries (Peil & Oyeneye 1998, p. 165). On the other hand, many African traditions were accepted by the missions (Hastings 1976, p. 38).

What happened to African personal naming in this process? Meeting with European naming systems and Christian name-giving practices led to exceptionally rapid and thoroughgoing changes in African naming systems. Together with many other African cultural practices, indigenous names were often condemned by the Europeans. To become a Christian usually meant that one had to be baptised and assume a new name (Boahen 2

[page 57] 

1990, p. 336). It has been pointed out that this was done not only because African names were regarded as “pagan”, but also because of the missionaries’ ignorance of indigenous names. As foreigners, they often had serious difficulties trying to pronounce African names.116 Hence, meaningful African names were replaced by European and biblical names such as George, Peter and Esther, which had no meaning to their bearers. (Mtuze 1994, p. 95.) It was also a new custom for many Africans to choose names from a limited stock, e.g. the Bible, and this struck at the core of traditional name-giving (Dickens 1985, p. 68). 

The adoption of European culture, including European names, was regarded as “an outward sign of the inward transformation from the ‘pagan’ to the Christian state” (Ayandele 1979, p. 243). Gradually, European and biblical names also became fashionable, and often non-Christians adopted them as well (Beidelman 1974, p. 291; Ndoma 1977, p. 90). As Moyo (1996, p. 13) puts it, “it was considered old-fashioned and educationally unprogressive to have an African name only”. Altogether, it seems that foreign names were adopted eagerly by many colonised Africans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: To have a new and foreign name ... was a sign of changes from primitive to modern world. And the new and foreign name signified this process. This attitude was implanted into people’s mind to the extent that even the people (Africans) themselves were not willing to be baptized into the new religions without having new and foreign names accompanied by the act of conversion. (Omari 1970, p. 68–69.)117

In general, the Protestants in Africa favoured biblical names, whereas the Catholics named their children after saints.118 Specifically Catholic names are for example Cosmos, Ignatius and Pius for men, and Agnes, Francisca and Monica for women (Dickens 1985, p. 63; Ekpo 1978, p. 280).119 The popularity of biblical names among African Christians is not surprising, considering that the Bible is the most widely translated and read book in tropical Africa (Mugambi 1995, p. 142). The vogue for naming children after biblical characters may also be due to the traditional belief that children will adopt the good qualities of the persons they are named after (Mohome 1972, p. 173).

Many Africans were also named after European missionaries and immigrants. This led to the adoption of ordinary European names such as Albert or Alice. Many names adopted by the Africans during the colonial period also referred to various aspects of Western civilisation, e.g. Businessman, Caesar, Doctor, Napoleon, Philadelphia and Shakespeare. (Dickens 1985, p. 71–75, 87–89, 92.)120 European influence was notable in indigenous names as well, as these examples from Rwanda show: Mubirigi ‘Belgian’, Ngomanzungu ‘European government’, and Kadage ‘little German’ (Kimenyi 1989, p. 45). Sometimes African names were made to resemble European ones in spelling too. For example, the Ibibio name ´Ndi ‘I am coming’ has been anglicised as Andy, Àmá has become Amah and Àkàn Akanson. (Essien 1986, p. 75–76.)

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In Africa, European and biblical names also have domesticated forms, as they were adapted phonologically to the local languages. Among the Kaguru people, Moses has thus become Musa, Noah Nuhu and Pius Pusi (Beidelman 1974, p. 291), and the Zulus have made Albert Alibheti and Alfred Alufuledi (Dickens 1985, p. 75). A Naro child named after Dr. Guenther in Botswana became Ganda (Visser & Visser 1998, p. 230). Sometimes the original name is very difficult to trace. Among the Bakongo people, the Portuguese name Dom Fransisco has become Ndofula, Dom Sebastiao Ndombasi and Eduardo Ndualu (Ndoma 1977, p. 93–94). In Rwanda, Père Blanc ‘white father’, which refers to the early missionaries of that area, became Terebura and Père Busch ‘father Busch’ Terebushi (Kimenyi 1989, p. 44). Even if foreign names usually have Africanised forms, the foreign form of the name was often retained when the person wanted to stress his or her religious affiliation (Ryan 1981, p. 162) or impress outsiders with a sophisticated name (Beidelman 1974, p. 291). Educated Africans have thus favoured names such as Joseph Pythagoras (Ayandele 1979, p. 257).

Some Christian missions, however, encouraged the use of indigenous African names with Christian meanings since the very beginning of their missionary activities in Africa (Omari 1970, p. 69). This is the case with the Leipzig Mission (die Leipziger Mission), for example, which started to work among the Chagga people in Tanzania in 1893. African names became popular in that region. Of the 4,070 people baptised in the Mamba congregation during the years 1898–1929, more than half (2,402) received African names, the first one of them being bestowed in 1899. These names were typically new formations which reflected Christian beliefs, e.g. Ndeamtso ‘I am awaken’ or Ndeenengomoo ‘I was given life’. (Fritze 1930, p. 3, 23, 26, 42–43.)121 In traditional African societies, names including the element ‘God’ were quite common in pre-colonial times, but after the advent of Christianity they became even more popular in many places (Mbiti 1991, p. 94). For example, names such as Nsengimana ‘I pray to God’ and Nduwimana ‘I belong to God’ became common in Rwanda and Burundi when people embraced Christianity, together with clearly Christian names such as Mujawayezu ‘the servant of Jesus’ (Kimenyi 1989, p. 47–48). 

Also in South Africa, Bishop Colenso suggested African names for Zulu converts in the mid-19th century (Dickens 1985, p. 69), and many more examples can be found. Usually these early missionaries were willing to accept indigenous names provided that they had no heathenish connotations (Ayandele 1979, p. 244; Lehmann 1969, p. 180). However, as European names were generally considered modern and fashionable by the colonised Africans, the idea of African baptismal names did not usually appeal to the converts. A good example of this can be found in Nigeria, where the decision of the Anglican Mission (Church Missionary Society) in 1883 to favour African names for converts created a sensation. Some families left the Anglican community when the local pastor refused to baptise children with other than African names, and many threw off these African names immediately after the baptism. 

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Some Nigerian Christians also worried that African baptismal names would make them lose their new-won prestige among the “pagans”. The missionaries also had different opinions on the matter. Some of them defended foreign names because they could protect the converts from being enslaved, and because they created national unity among Christians coming from different tribes. (Ayandele 1979, p. 244.) The general idea among the missionaries seems to have been that an African could not be a Christian without a European “Christian” name. Therefore, the priests typically insisted on the use of biblical or saints’ names at baptism. (Dickens 1985, p. 69, 120.) 

Many Africans who did not convert to Christianity received European names at school or from their employers. Often the name was chosen without any consultation with the person in question. (Herbert 1996, p. 1224.) Thus, Africans were given names such as Jim, Joe, Brandy Bottle, September, Tin-can and Jackets – almost any name coming to mind seems to have been suitable (Kidd 1906, p. 36).122

All over Africa, the adoption of European names has led to the use of indigenous names at home and in traditional contexts, and European names in official contexts such as school, church, the workplace, government offices and mission hospitals. The distinction between European and African names thus reflects the distinction between the public and private sectors in the individual’s life. (Herbert 1999a, p. 223; Moyo 1996, p. 13; Neethling 1995, p. 958.) Amin (1993, p. 38) describes this phenomenon in Ghana:

Thus here we have a pupil who was obviously given a “Christian” name by the church, and his father’s name was added on as a surname to fit the school requirements. He then bore the combined names of “Patrick Owusu Benefo” only one of which was recognized in his home environment! The other are school or church imposed names, which made him lose his own identity in the bizarre environment of the school and the church. At the western dominated school and church he had one set of names, while in his own cultural and traditional setting, he had a completely different set of names.

Many urbanised and educated Africans also chose to give exclusively European names to their children.123 This practice was common after the Second World War and before the advent of the African nationalist movements in the late 1950s. (Herbert 1999a, p. 223–224; Kimenyi 1989, p. 48.)

All in all, it seems that there are big differences in Africa with regard to the depth of the influence of Christianity and Europeanisation on personal naming. Okere (1996a, p. 141) has characterised the influence of Christianity on Igbo personal names as follows:

In fact, the only noticeable impact of Christianity on names is the systematic imposition of the names of foreign saints at baptism. But the baptismal name was always an additional name, coming some time later, at times years after the naming ceremony. Moreover, this ceremony was an out-of-church affair of the extended family, well beyond the influence of the missionary church. 

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The Revival of African Names and the Adoption of Surnames

The revival of African names is a trend which has characterised personal naming all over Africa especially since the 1960s, following the advent of African nationalist movements. In this process, European names have increasingly lost favour, and churches have come to accept African baptismal names as well.124 (Herbert 1999a, p. 224.) However, there are also much earlier examples of this phenomenon in Africa. In Nigeria, the cultural nationalists achieved their first successes at the end of the 19th century, and some educated Africans assumed African names at that time.

One of the leading figures in the nationalist movement, for example, changed his name Joseph Pythagoras Haastrup to Ademuyiwa Haastrup. (Ayandele 1979, p. 256–258.) Ayandele (1979, p. 258) has noted some of the reasons behind this phenomenon:

Most of those who cast off alien names did so because these names reminded them of the days of slavery when their fathers were given the names, a history they wanted to forget. Others did so because alien names separated them in feeling from their own countrymen, encouraging to make them ‘strangers in our own country’. The most important factor that made them decide to assume African names was that they saw themselves bearing meaningless names in a society that attached a great deal of importance to names.

Despite these early name changes, European names became increasingly popular in Nigeria at the beginning of the 20th century, and it was only in the 1940s that there was a tendency to use African names again (Wieschhoff 1941, p. 221–222). In Tanzania, where the cultural renaissance took place much later, mainly in the 1960s and 1970s, the reasons for name changes seem to have been more or less similar. African names were adopted to get rid of “one aspect of colonial mentality and heritage” and to show other people that the name-bearers were true Tanzanians or Africans. (Omari 1970, p. 69.) It has also been pointed out that African names could become popular again because they were no longer attached to traditional beliefs (Koopman 1987b, p. 156).

In some newly independent African countries, indigenous names were even made compulsory by their African leaders. Probably the most striking example comes from Zaïre, where President Mobutu Sese Seko insisted on the Africanisation of personal names and threatened to prosecute Catholic priests who refused to baptise people with African names in 1972. As a result, millions of Africans in Zaïre abandoned their baptismal names.125 (Gregersen 1977, p. 163; Hastings 1976, p. 37.)

Even if African names were adopted eagerly in many places, this did not mean that people necessarily returned completely to their traditional naming patterns. Many European elements were retained and new ones adopted into African naming systems. In particular, European-type surnames became common all over Africa.126 Just as in Medieval Europe, the adoption of surnames in African societies was due to the demands of

[page 61]

administration, i.e. colonial bureaucracy (De Klerk & Bosch 1995, p. 71; Herbert 1997, p. 4). In different parts of Africa, different kinds of traditional names were used for this purpose. Sometimes customs vary within one ethnic group as well. Of the Kaguru people, for example, some use their father’s personal name as a surname, some use their welekwa (paternal kin) name, some have their African personal name as a surname and a European name as a first name (Beidelman 1974, p. 291–292).127 Many groups in Africa also use clan names as surnames.  This is the case with the Zulus, for example (Koopman 1986, p. 54–55). Xhosa surnames, on the other hand, seem to have four main sources: ancestors’ names, names referring to places, names referring to occupations, and nicknames. (Neethling 1996, p. 33–36). Herbert (1997, p. 5) lists clan names, praise names, patronyms, eponyms, place names and colonial surnames as possible sources for the surnames of Africans.128 Elsewhere he also makes a distinction between cases in which the surname system was based on an indigenous system of “second names” and those in which it was created ex nihilo (Herbert 1996, p. 1223).

Among the Hereros, the name of the father or an illustrious ancestor serves as a surname (Otto 1985, p. 126, 131). This is a general practice in many other African cultures as well (Madubuike 1976, p. 16). In Nigeria, the father’s name was adopted as a surname, even if traditionally the name of the father was held so sacred that younger people could not mention it, not even after his death (Ayandele 1979, p. 259). Women in Nigeria also started to abandon their maiden names and adopt the husband’s name after marriage, which is contrary to the local traditions (Essien 1986, p. 83). The same has happened in many other countries. 

The surname system has often been considered alien to African cultures, and it has also been criticised strongly (e.g. Kimenyi 1989, p. 48). On the other hand, surnames, and especially those based on ancestors’ names, have preserved many traditional African names for coming generations (Hallgren 1988, p. 159). Ayandele argues that the people who adopted the surname system in Nigeria actually made a cultural synthesis which includes both African and European elements. His analysis could well be applied to other peoples in Africa:

They retained parts of indigenous culture that were deemed valuable and borrowed judiciously from the European civilization they so much execrated. Realizing that complete cultural independence was impossible, they evolved a new synthesis which was neither reactionary traditionalism nor European imitative but sufficiently African in appearance to satisfy their race-pride and sentiment. Moreover their new synthesis was a product of their own interest. Adoption of surnames was compatible with British law of property and inheritance in the Lagos colony which they had accepted without questioning. It fitted in well with the individualism towards which each Christian family was groping – the idea of a man, his wife and children in place of the extended family. (Ayandele 1979, p. 259.)

[page 62]

Contemporary Trends in African Name-Giving

As we have seen, some traditional naming customs have survived in Africa, some have disappeared, and some have new forms.129 All over Africa, the contact between European and African naming systems has resulted in a dynamic synthesis, and this process is still going on and creating new forms. Let us look at this development from a systematic viewpoint.

Dickens (1985, p. 4; see also Herbert 1996, p. 1224) has divided the development of the Zulu anthroponymic system into four stages, which may well be applied to other African naming systems, even if the dates given below obviously differ in different systems. Roughly speaking, the first stage is characterised by traditional naming and name uniqueness, the second by the popularity of biblical names, the third by the increased use of other European names, and the fourth by the revival of African names:

1. The period before the arrival of the White man (pre-1840)

2. The period of intensive missionary activity (1840–1899)

3. The period of increased Westernization (influence of education,
    industrialization, urbanization, etc.) (1900–1949)

4. The period of “Black Consciousness” (1950–1982)

As Dickens wrote her thesis in 1985, her presentation naturally ends in the 1980s. Because of this, a fifth stage needs to be added to her list: the post-apartheid period in South Africa, which started in 1994. Herbert (1999a, p. 223–224) looks at the same development from a structural viewpoint. According to him, the development from a system of a single name to that of two given names in anglophone southern Africa, i.e. in Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, has gone through four stages:

1. AN African name (often unique)

2. AN + EN African name + English name

3. (EN + EN)130 English name + English name

4. AN + AN African name + African name

In southern Africa, the rejection of English names has been stronger among urban residents in recent years, whereas the rural population more typically maintains the pattern of bearing both African and English names. Herbert (1999a, p. 224) also rightly points out that the last stage (4.) does not mean returning to the traditional naming pattern, even if its elements are completely African. Even if colonial names are today rejected, the Western pattern of two given names and a surname is retained.

South African onomasticians have also found other interesting trends in urban name-giving. Firstly, there is a clear shift from negative to positive naming in indigenous names, which means that traditional names which include negative social comments are disappearing, whereas names

[page 63]

reflecting positive emotions have become more popular.131 Secondly, there is a decrease in name uniqueness, as names are more often chosen from a repertoire of fashionable African names.132 Many popular names are also related to Christian beliefs. Hence, names such as uBongani ‘thanks’, uLindiwe ‘awaited’, uSibusiswe ‘blessed’, uSipho ‘gift’ and uThembani ‘hope’ have become common among urban Zulus. These changes have been explained by the nuclearisation of the family in the urban context and the important role of the church in the social life of many people. (Suzman 1994, p. 266–268, 270.) In a study of six ethnic groups in southern Africa (Northern Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Zulu) it was noted that the dominant name type in urban centres was that type which was linked to Christianity by a praise, thanks or some other message (Herbert 1996, p. 1226).

There are also signs of the weakening of ethnic boundaries in personal naming: a Zulu child may receive a Sotho name, for example (Suzman 1994, p. 270). It seems that more and more people also choose names which they find pleasant-sounding, which is a new phenomenon in African personal naming (De Klerk & Bosch 1995, p. 79; 1996, p. 185). Clearly, the changes in South African name-giving are rapid, and Suzman (1994, p. 271) states that in a generation, traditional naming practices among different cultural groups may even become insignificant. It is reasonable to suggest that similar developments do and will characterise name-giving in other African societies, which are experiencing rapid urbanisation as well, even if they have not been researched as systematically as those in the South(ern) African context. 

All in all, it seems that African personal naming has come to resemble modern European naming in many respects, despite the fact that the names themselves are increasingly African. On the other hand, the criterion of name meaningfulness continues to distinguish these two systems (Herbert & Bogatsu 1990, p. 14), even if there are also signs that the importance attached to the lexical meaning of the name is decreasing. "...
-snip-
This is the end of Chapter 1, except for Notes]

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2005 Journal Excerpt: "Zulu Nicknames Within a Wider World Context" by Nobuhle Purity Ndimande-Hlongwa

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a brief excerpt of a 2005 journal chapter about Zulu Nicknames that was written by Nobuhle Purity Ndimande-Hlongwa.

Pancocojams visitors are encouraged to read this entire online chapter.  

The content of this post is presented for onomastic and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Nobuhle Purity Ndimande-Hlongwa for her research on and writing about Zulu nicknames.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/06/excerpt-of-1999-thesis-about-zulu.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Excerpt Of A 1999 Thesis About Zulu Nicknames (Lawrence Molefe, University Of South Africa)".

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ARTICLE EXCERPT

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277132423_Zulu_Nicknames_Within_a_Wider_World_Context/link/5563169e08ae8c0cab335c38/download

Zulu Nicknames Within a Wider World Context

May 2005 Nomina Africana Vol. 19((2)):57-79

Authors: Nobuhle Purity Ndimande-Hlongwa

University of KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

In this article I examine Zulu nicknames (or izidlaliso -dlalisa ‘amuse’) as they are known in the isiZulu language) devised by the Zulu people for their family members and friends with whom they live. The nicknames were collected during a series of interviews with local Highflats inhabitants especially members of the Ndimande Clan. Some were collected using questionnaires followed by interviews with some Zulu students at the then University of Durban-Westville. Some of the nicknames collected refer to males and some to females. The nickname itself, the nickname giver, and the bearer of the nickname are all equally important facets of the study. The article will look at general overview of nicknaming among the Zulu people in South Africa, and in other countries like Britain and India. The article looks at the functions as well as the derivation of Zulu nicknames. There are various derivational categories of nicknames, such as those derived from people's behaviour, complexion, animal names, English words as well as body appearance. From the response of informants and in the analysis of nicknames it seems clear that nicknames have by and large replaced personal names in the Zulu society. This means that nicknames are used more often than personal names in such a way that names play a secondary role or are not used at all. The analysis of nicknames also reveals the creativity of the coiners.

[…]

Introduction

The study of nicknames has been undertaken by several onomasticians. Among them are Ewen (1931), Morgan et al (1979), Turner (1992, 2004), Leslie & Skipper (1990), De Klerk (1997 and 1998), Neethling (1994), Prabhakaran (1999), Molefe (1999) and  Koopman (2002).

A nickname is a name a person has thrust upon him/her by colleagues, playmates, friends and family. It represents that person as others see him/her. Nicknames can serve not only as thumbnail character sketches, or illustrations of quirks of personality and physical appearance, but as capsule histories too. A nickname can be derived from some internal manipulation of the language (Morgan et al, 1976:56).

Leslie and Skipper (1990), in defining nicknames, say that they express our sense of the significance of names and have a powerful influence on behavior. According to De Klerk (1997:1) nicknames are acquired informally and offer a rare example of people using language creatively, free from the normal phonological and semantic constraints pertaining to other aspects of language use.

Ashley (1989) in Molefe (1999:4) defines nicknames by saying:

Today our nicknames are eke (extra) names given in derision …. or out of affection …. sometimes they are informal versions of forenames …. or of surnames …. and they can replace either forenames or surnames….. (1989:47)

Koopman (2002:12) also says that the term “nickname” is derived from an older English form “an eke name”, where “eke” means “additional”, “added”. He continues to say that nicknames tend to be “unofficial” and are seldom recorded on an individual’s official documents, such as birth certificates, school certificates, driver’s licences, and so on. Morgan et al (1979:37) argue that nicknaming is one of the most important features of children’s autonomous social worlds and is perhaps the more striking for its independence of influences stemming in any direct way from adults. They say that nicknames are invented by children for children and show an elaborate subtle systematicity. This does not mean that nicknames are only invented by children because De Klerk conducted a study where she examined the phonological characteristics of nicknames which were devised by Xhosa–speaking people for the English-speaking white people. These nicknames were for adult persons in authority of some kind in their domains.  

Morgan et al (1979) go on to say that a fundamental distinction in all naming systems is between internal methods of formation whereby a name is generated by some feature of language, such as alliteration or rhyming, and external methods of formation where matters of history, appearance, family relationships, local culture and so on are involved in the genesis of the name.

The researcher has found that many people have more than one nickname. In the Middle East, especially in Arabia, more or less everyone has a nickname in childhood, usually created at school, and often confined within the school or amongst friends. In villages, nicknames last for a lifetime, although acquired and fixed in childhood. Only local villages use these nicknames (Morgan et al, 1979:124). The researcher has found from the literature that nicknames seem to be used in the Middle East in as much the same way as they are used in Britain, South Africa and India and, indeed in similar fashion in societies around the world.

Nicknames are derived from many sources. These include: physical characteristics, disabilities, appearance, personal and social characteristics or bad character, good personality characteristics and miscellaneous. The researcher will now briefly look at the origin of nicknames in Britain, in India among the Kashmiri Hindu, and in South Africa among the Xhosa and the Zulu people.

Data Collection

A total of 75 questionnaires written in IsiZulu were distributed for data collection in 2002 to both males and female people in Highflats. At the university of Durban-Westville these were distributed to mother-tongue Zulu students who were studying isiZulu. Students were coming from diverse areas including townships and rural areas. Follow up interviews were conducted to verify the data and elaborate on the information already provided through

questionnaires. The data analysis assisted in the discussion of the derivation of Zulu nicknames.

[…]

Zulu Nicknames

The Zulu speaking people are part of a wider linguistic group known as Nguni, which includes Xhosa, Ndebele and Swati. Their anthroponymic systems are also similar to that of the Zulu people and a few examples from the Xhosa language group will be given.

The researcher has found that Zulu names are overshadowed by Zulu nicknames.  There are people who are known for their entire life by their nicknames instead of the official names which appear on their identity books. Molefe (1999:16) in his research found that among the Zulu people male nicknames outnumber those given to females. The majority of Zulu people have accepted their nicknames; essentially they are acknowledged by their nicknames instead of their official personal names.

It is a very common phenomenon for soccer players to have nicknames. Among soccer players there is Siyabonga Nomvethe, his nickname is Bhele, a short form of his clan name Mbhele. Nicknaming has also extended to soccer coaches, e.g. Mushni Ertugal, former Kaizer Chiefs coach. His nickname is Mshini, a Zulu name for a machine.

Nickname givers normally group together as friends and that is where nicknames originate. Among the Zulu people, nicknames are acquired during

the early stages of childhood, at school and also when people come of age as well. Nicknaming allows speakers to express themselves about the way in which they feel about the name bearer. Zulu speakers enjoy playing with sounds and meanings of words, and situations arise where speakers of isiZulu language employ words which they have borrowed from other languages to coin nicknames.

Functions of Zulu Nicknames

According to McDowell (1981:5) in De Klerk (1998:2), nicknames act as “tokens of positive identification” and serve to establish an informal relaxed atmosphere. Many nicknames are regarded as powerful symbols of disapprobation and subtle criticism. Nicknames are universal practice. They are accorded to someone by his or her friends, relatives, enemies and neighbours (Prabhakaran, 1999:88). In South Africa public figures are known to the public more by their nicknames than by their first names, e.g. the late Ukhozi fm presenter Cyril Bongani Mchunu was known to all as Kansas City. He was known as Kansas City because it was the title of a song he used to play often on the radio station. He used to say “Kansas City, Kansas City, here we come”. It eventually became his nickname and he was known throughout his entire life by it.  Another public figure who is in the music industry is known as Zola but his real name is Bonginkosi Dlamini. He has named his show Zola 7 deriving from his nickname. Zola is the name of the township where he grew up. The use of nicknames is more comprehensible when you listen to the Ukhozi fm programme, when they call out the names of deceased people. They would call the name and the surname of the person and emphasized that he/she was known as so and so referring to the nickname, thereafter you will recognized the deceased person.

The Nickname Givers and the Bearers

Anybody, prominent or not, can get a nickname. The givers and the bearers act as active agents in the process of nicknaming. There are many categories of givers and bearers. Nickname giving occurs in informal settings like at home by family members, in the sport fields by fans and colleagues, at the church by fellow christians, at school by teachers and friends, in the music industry by fellow musicians, by ordinary people in the street. In many cases nicknaming by adults is common. Mostly adults use a modified version of their clan names or clan praises as their nicknames, e.g.:

          Dlamini                 >       Dlams

          Mbhele                  >       Bhele

          Mkhize                  >       Khizo

Mthembu              >       Thembo

This is common among the Zulu people. In the process of nicknaming there must be an individual to be nicknamed. Molefe (1999:62) points out that the victim will have something striking that will arouse an impulse to nickname in the giver. The nickname-giver or the user just applies the nickname without any permission from the bearer. In the process of nicknaming we have a giver, a bearer and a user. In case of radio announcers, the giver is usually the bearer who then uses the nickname to refer to himself or herself.

Derivation of Zulu Nicknames

Among the Zulu people nicknames are derived in more or less the same way as in the Middle East, Britain, India among the Kashimiri Hindu and among the Xhosa people in South Africa. Schoolmates, family members and friends normally give nicknames. Since nicknames are regarded as names, it must be noted that names are not just arbitrary symbols; they signify status, achievement, privilege and meaningful social organization and unlike many other nations which bestow nicknames on people, amongst the Zulu people the majority of nicknames have meaning attached to them.

Nicknames are derived from more than one source. The researcher will now give examples of Zulu nicknames according to the morphological and denotative categories in which they are derived. According to Turner (2004:4) the denotative category deals with the reasons behind why a particular name is given to a person.

Nicknames Derived from Body Appearance

Physical features or body appearance may play crucial role in nickname- giving. Usually the size of the nickname bearer’s body appearance will influence nickname givers to coin a nickname that will describe the bearer. The researcher has observed that a person’s body is an easy target in the habit of nickname making.

1.       Befu ( the healthy one)              >       Nickname

Nomusa (mother of grace)        >       Name

Sex                                            >       Female

This nickname is derived from Nomusa’s body appearance. Ever since she was born she was a healthy child. Her grandmother use to say “akusibona ubukhulu bengane  lobu isibefubefu” (meaning that the baby is big and healthy) Thus the nickname Befu (the healthy one) came to being. It is actually a short form of the noun isibefubefu. Even today she is known as Befu instead of Nomusa.

2.       Siswana (tiny stomach)             >       Nickname

          Nozipho (mother of gifts)          >        Name

          Sex                                           >        Female

This nickname is derived from Nozipho’s stomach, which was very big when she was a child. Curiously, although the nickname refers to a large stomach, the name itself uses the diminutive suffix –ana.

3.       Madombo (one with big cheeks)         >       Nickname

          Bhekani (take notice)                          >       Name

          Sex                                                     >       Male

 This young boy had big cheeks like amadombolo (African food made of flour). He was given a nickname derived from the word “amadombolo”.

4.       Sgwili         (a rich person)                >       Nickname

          Zazi   (an intellectual, a thinker)        >       Name

          Sex                                                    >       Male

 This nickname is derived from Zazi’s body appearance, which resembles that of a rich man.

Nicknames Derived from Animal Names

In this category nicknames derived from animal names will be presented.

 

1.       Mbiba         (type of a mouse)            >       Nickname

          Sam                                                    >       Name

          Sex                                                     >       Male

This nickname is derived from the Zulu word imbiba.  When Sam was born his mother was worried that she gave birth to a small child.  She said “hawu ingane yami yaze yancane imbibana nje, meaning that the baby was as small as a mouse.

2.       Gundane (rat)                            >       Nickname

          Ntombizodwa (Girls only)          >       Name

          Sex                                            >       Female

This nickname Gundane is a Zulu word for a rat. Ntombizodwa was very small when she was young just like the rat. Her father nicknamed her Gundane. Whenever he calls her he will say “Gundane, come here”.  In addition to that, she is the youngest in her family.

3.       Qhelu (bird name)                    >       Nickname

          Ntokozo (happiness)                >       Name

          Sex                                           >       Female

Qhelu is a Zulu word for a very small cunning bird. Ntokozo acquired this nickname when she was just growing up. She had small legs which resembled that of Qhelu, a very tiny bird.

Nicknames Derived from People’s Behavior

1.       Mshini        (Machine)                               >       Nickname

          Nombuyiselo (mother of repayment)        >       Name

          Sex                                                            >      Female

Umshini is a Zulu word for a machine. This nickname is derived from Nombuyiselo’s actions. Whatever she was doing she used to do it quickly as if a machine was performing that duty. Then the nickname “Mshini” came into being.

2.       Mlomo (mouth)                        >       Nickname

          Mxolisi (to be apologetic)         >       Name

          Sex                                          >       Male

This nickname is derived from the person’s behavior. Mxolisi used to open his mouth regularly. Naturally he has a big mouth. Then his grandfather nicknamed him Mlomo.

Nicknames Derived from People’s Complexion

1.       Bhunu         (An Afrikaner)        >       Nickname

     

          Zamani (the one who tries)       >       Name

          Sex                                            >       Male

This nickname is derived from Zamani’s complexion which resembles that of  an Afrikaner.

2.       Mnyamana  (the black one)      >      Nickname

          Zonke (all the girls)                   >       Name

          Sex                                           >       Female

This nickname is derived from a skin colour that is very dark. Zonke is very dark in her complexion. This particular nickname bearer had such a negative reaction to her nickname the nickname is used in her absence.  Molefe (1999: 40) calls such nicknames “secret nicknames”. These nicknames do not reach the ears of bearers either because they are derogatory or because they refer to unpalatable incidents in the life of an individual.

 3.       Nesi (nurse)                                       >      Nickname

          Zamasomi (of the Msomi clan)           >       Name

          Sex                                                     >       Female

 Zamasomi was given her nickname immediately after she was born. When her mother came back from the hospital, she came home with a beautiful little girl and she was very light in complexion. Her grandmother said “makoti ubelethe unesi namhlanje” meaning the daugher in-law gave birth to a nurse, then the nickname came in to being.

English Nicknames
An example of a nickname from English, is one of my brother.  His name is Sbonelo meaning a person who is exemplary in his behaviour, and his nickname is Star. He was given this nickname by a family member. When my father was busy fixing his car he was working with Sbonelo. As they were working they were using screw drivers to loosen the bolt. Sbonelo took the star screwdriver and put it in his back pocket. When my father was calling for the screwdriver, it was nowhere to be found. In the long run Sbonelo remembered that the star screwdriver was in his back pocket, since then he was nicknamed Star, deriving from star screwdriver. Even today we call him by his nickname and he is known by this nickname within the family, and by neighbours and also friends in the workplace.

Another English nickname is cage. This nickname was given to the researcher by her relatives. According to Alswang & Van Rensburg (2000:107) a cage is a structure with wire or bars in which birds and animals are kept; or a lift in a mine.  When the researcher was growing up, she was fast in doing things just like a lift in the mine when it brings miners to the surface. When elderly people sent her to go to the shop she used to come back quickly like a cage. Even today she is still quick in her movements and actions. One diviner once said that she might be possessed by ancestral spirits.

Conclusion

This paper set out to address the important issue of naming and nicknaming as there exists a shift in practice where personal names are now substituted by nicknames. It reveals that nicknaming among the Zulu people in South Africa is not only a practice by them only, but also by all societies. Looking at functions of Zulu nicknames, the researcher found that in South Africa public figures are known to the public more by their nicknames than by their first names.  The study reveals that nickname-givers, users and nickname bearers work hand in hand because there are nicknames that are secretive; such names are hidden from the bearer. Nowadays nicknames have become more famous than personal names. The use of nicknames is increasingly gaining popularity as seen among soccer players, soccer coaches as well as radio presenters.

[...] 

List of Nicknames
Nickname    Meaning
USgede -This nickname is derived from body appearance. Her  grandmother used to call her “Sgede sikagogo” (meaning “grandmother’s fat girl”). 

USikhukhukazi -    This nickname is derived from the word isikhukukazi (‘hen, chicken’)

UDuzeneZulu -This nickname was given because the person was tall and also playing good netball because of her height:  duze means ‘near’ and izulu means ‘the sky’. This nickname is a compound noun.

USgansonso -  When he was young he looked like a powerful man, as he grew up he became fat and had a big body.  Zulu noun isigansonso meaning ‘powerful big-bodied person’.   [A new Zulu word not yet in dictionaries]

UThunuka -   She was burnt in the hand. Every time she was given a bath she would cry and say “musa ukungithunuka” meaning ‘do not hurt me’, then the nickname Thunuka came in to being.

UBhaliwe - This name was given to a little girl who did not want to eat a sweet unless it had a name written in it.  Bhaliwe means ‘having been written’.

USinqeqelele -  He was given this nickname because he had a big head. (cf Z  
means person with a big head’)

UKlabishi - He loved cabbage. (< Z  Iklabishi  ‘cabbage’)

UMthobas - Because he was humble. (<Z verb  thoba meaning ‘be humble')                              

UMngqayi -  He used to dream and say ‘mngqayi’.  Mngqayi is a hlonipha term for a policemen.

UMandoza -  This boy was given this nickname because he resembled the artist Mandoza.
                                             

UNgoqo -  This nickname was given to him because he used to ask for other people`s things but he did not want his belongings to be used by others  (Z adj. –ngoqo meaning ‘stingy’)

UMconjwana -   She had small legs. (< Z  umcondo meaning ‘thin leg’                                   + dim. –ana)

 

UMafutha  -mafutha meaning ‘fat’)

 

UMpisi-ause he was a thief/blunderer.  (< Z impisi meaning ‘hyena’)

 

UBhodwe -Because of the complexion which resembled that of a black three legged pot.  (< Z ibhodwe meaning ‘pot’)

 

USigebengu -He was a thief. (< Z isigebengu meaning ‘rogue’)

 

UNtoyakhe  -        He did not like the idea that other people wear his clothes. (< Z into  meaning ‘thing’ + yakhe ‘of him’)

UMziyonke  -      He hangs around with friends and does not stay at home. (< Zulu imizi  meaning ‘homesteads’ + yonke ‘all’ ; ‘every’)

 

UNkawana    -     He was ugly like a monkey. (< Z inkawu  meaning ‘monkey + dim. –ana)

 UNowe      -       As a child could not pronounce the name and use to say ‘nowe’ instead of Sneziwe. (A personal name)

 

UMagwegwe -    The nickname is derived from appearance. This boy had bandy legs. (< Z amagwegwe meaning ‘crooked, bandy legs’)

 

UMbovana      -    He had a light complexion.  (< Z adj. mbovana  ‘pink’)

 

UNdimbane    -     He was born at the time when there was a very good harvest. (< Z indimbane meaning ‘mass’; ‘abundance’)

 

UMaphihli   -    He was fat and he used to cry at all times.  (cf Z imphihlana: meaning ‘ugly person with sore, running eyes’)

 

UMkhokheli   -    A nickname given to a granny who was made umkhokheli at her Church. (umkhokheli meaning ‘female version of a deacon, a church leader’)

UGoje -This nickname given to a child who use to finish his bottle without taking a break. (< Z verb goja meaning ‘swallow at a gulp’)

UNtshisho  - This nickname is derived from appearance of the head which resembled the horns of the buck. (Word untraceable)

 

UMbhavuma - The nickname is derived from body appearance, which was fat. (< Z umbhavuma meaning ‘fat, flabby person’)

 

UNkinobho - This nickname was given to a tiny kid who was born at 7 months instead of 9 months as he was so tiny. When he came home his father said “inkinobho lena” trying to explain how small the child was (< Z inkinobho meaning ‘button’)

 UMbhadabhada   - She had big legs. (< Z ibhadabhada meaning ‘clumsy person with awkward gait’)

UNomzaciyane -    She had small/tiny body. (< Z verb zaca meaning ‘be thin’ +
 ideophone deriving suffix iyane)

 

UMangqezu  -  This boy was short. He was aggressive, worrisome and liked to quarrel.

                                                              

 UMambenya - Derived from the name Mbenya, a clan praise for the Jali                              clan.

 UMagangane -This nickname was derived from a naughty boy, normally male children
are worrisome and more problematic than female children. (< Z ganga meaning ‘be naughty’)

UKhansela -He had a big body – then they said he will grew up be a councilor. ( < Z ukhansela meaning ‘councilor’)

USdudla -              Body appearance, which was fat and it is still like she has maintaineded to sleep for a short period of time and then wake up. Then they said “This child does not want to sleep - she is Nogwaja (‘rabbit’)”, then it was shortened to gwajo.

 UZa -                    Tiny body, her mother called her ‘zazambane zambesi’, meaning a small stick. Then the nickname ‘Za’ came to being

 UNduna -              This nickname was given to Jabulani at school by a teacher because he was a school representative. (< Z induna meaning ‘headman’)

    

UMgcwalabhodwe - This nickname was derived from body appearance,  which was fat. The father of this child used to play with her and say  ‘gcwala bhodwe’ (‘get full,  pot’)  then it become a nickname.

 USgqemeza      -     It means the one with a big head.

 ULuluza   - The nickname was derived from the name Nolulama. (The syllable /lu/ is repeated and a meaningless suffix –za added)

USana - She was the only child at home. Usana means ‘a little child’

 UKwatela -  It is derived from the behaviour of always shouting and scolding. (< Afrikaans kwaad meaning ‘angry’)

UNjinifaya - It is derived from the behaviour of crying at all times. (< English engine fire reversal of ‘fire engine’)

Uxamu  -   She was given the nickname because he did not want to bath.   < uxamu meaning ‘monitor lizard; with mottled scaly skin’)

UNogwaja -A girl who had ears which resemble that of a rabbit. (< Z                               unogwaja  meaning ‘rabbit’)     

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