How I Got My African Name

Written by Azizi Powell

Note: I wrote this post on January 22, 2005 as part of this thread on the Folk & Blues discussion forum Mudcat.org: How did you choose your mudcat name? This post is presented without any corrections, additions, or updating.

In the late 1960s I was a member of a organization that focused on African culture. Like other members of that group, I wanted an African personal name. My male friend at that time, Zayd, said he would give me an African name. And because I just loved loved loved him, I said I would accept the name that he selected. So out of the kindness of his soon to be cheatin heart, Zayd gave me a choice of two names-either "Aziza": Arabic for "one who is rare & precious" or "Azizi": Kiswahili with the same meaning.

Back in those days {and now} a lot of female names given to African Americans from the Arabic language and other language sources {as well as names which are creatively 'made up'} end with the 'ah" sound, names like "Keisha", "Maisha", "Malika", "Fatimah", "Kadisha", "Aaliyah". I liked the idea of "Azizi" because it sounded more unique.

But in those days {and still today} there was also a brand of makeup called "Aziza". The REAL reason why I choose 'Azizi' instead of 'Aziza' is that I didn't want to give somebody the opportunity to look at me and say "Aziza, you forgot your make-up, girl."

So I've been 'Azizi' now for 37 years-and I try to live up to that name with or without wearing makeup.
-Azizi Powell

****
UPDATE 7/2/2012
Here's a response that I wrote to blogger's comment about a Nigerian man living in Poland who changed his name. (This comment is reposted with minor typographical corrections.)

From comments to http://afroeurope.blogspot.com/2012/07/in-2008-europes-minorities-saw-obamas.html

"It occurs to me that one of the reason that Chikama Onyekwere adopted the names "John" and "Godson" could be because of those English names' etymological meanings.

The meaning of the name "John" is "God is gracious" and/or "gift from God". The meaning of "Godson" is obvious.

Also, Chikama Onyekwere may have selected those English names because their etymological meanings might be similar to the meanings of his Nigerian names.

I haven't been able to find the etymological meaning for "Onyekwere" but I wonder if the element "Onye" might have something to do with the Supreme God. That element "Onye" is similar to the name of the Ghanaian/Ivory Coast Akan Supreme Deity Onyame ('Nyame). But this information may not be relevant since (if) "Onyekwere is an Igbo name or a Yoruba name, or some other Nigerian ethnic group name.

I had better luck searching online for the name "Chikama". http://www.onlinenigeria.com/nigeriannames/?page=47 gives this information & meaning for the name Chikaima: "Unisex; ibo; it is God we know"
and this meaning for the name Chikanma:
"Unisex; Igbo; God is the best".

Of course, this is just a guess, and doesn't address the implied question "Why isn't Chikama Onyekwere using his biological names or at least using those African names for his public persona?

In the USA, some African Americans -like me- changed our names (or, in most cases, at least our first name) to better reflect and celebrate our recognition of our African ancestry/heritage. But I think the opposite action ism't necessarily opposite.

In my opinion, if a continental African man or woman gives himself or herself non-African name/s, in addition to his or her African birth names or as a replacement for his or her African birth name/s, that doesn't necessarily mean that he or she doesn't still honor his heritage. [Of course, if an African American or other Black people from the African Diaspora doesn't change his or her name, that doesn't mean that he or she doesn't honor or celebrate his or her African ancestry/heritage. But giving those names to oneself or one's children can symbolize that recognition.]

Perhaps the reason why Chikama Onyekwere adopted English names for himself is that those names are easier for many Polish people to pronounce. I think it's interesting that he didn't choose Polish names (such as Ivan, Jan, Janusz, Janek, the Polish forms of the name John (which is an English form of a Latin form of a Hebrew male name). But I suspect that there are probably a number of people in Poland with English names, and I'm sure that English names -particularly "John" - are more widely used throughout the world than Polish names, so if a person decides to change his or her name, that factor might have also been part of the consideration."
-Azizi Powell, 7/2/2012

-snip-
As a point of reference, John Godson/Chikama Onyekwere was mentioned in the above linked Afro-Europe blog post because he recently became Poland's first Black member of Parliament.

****
RELATED LINK

http://www.cocojams.com/content/names-nicknames Cocojams.com Names & Nicknames

****
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-we-call-ourselves-african-american.html Why We Call Ourselves "African American"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome!