I find it intriguing when people, especially those of black origin attach so much importance to the names they give to their babies. Choosing a name for baby is such a big deal amongst all tribes in Ghana since many believe the names has a major impact in the child’s life.
Some names are given in honour of a grandparent while majority of Christians, with recourse to the bible find the appropriate name that reflects the “holiness” of the original bearers.
Last year, I went to a naming ceremony at the invitation of a neighbour in a popular church in my vicinity. After the customary routine with Christians’ way of ‘outdorring’ a baby, the pastor requested the name of the child which has been boldly written on a piece of paper.
The pastor looked at the name and chuckled. He thereafter declared that unless the first name is changed, he may not go ahead with ceremony. In fact we were all dumbfounded.
‘Modern parents’ search the net for ‘classic’ names whilst others derive names from their favourite celebrities and stars of telenovelas. To them choosing a baby name is a matter of choice rather than tradition.
Other parents consciously give unique names accompanied with odd spellings, which to broader spectrum reveal the ‘level’ of the choosers. In order to unravel the mystique behind names and its associated influence-good or bad, I have explored how this subject is universally projected.