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From an author who adopted an African name as an adult, comes the most all-inclusive book of African names.

The African Book of Names: 5,000+ Common and Uncommon Names from the African Continent offers readers names organized by theme from 37 countries and at least 70 dissimilar ethnolinguistic groups. Destined to become a classic keepsake, The African Book of Names shares in depth clear or deep perception with regards to the spiritual, social, and political importance of names from Angola to Zimbabwe. The most far-reaching book on the subject, this timely, informative resource guide vibrates with the culture of Africa and inspires Blacks all over the world to assert their African origins by selecting African names. In addition to thousands of names from north, south, east, central and west Africa, the book shares:

• A checklist of dos and don'ts to consider when choosing a name

• A guide to conducting your own African-centered naming ceremony

• A 200-year naming calendar

'Askhari Johnson Hodari has put together an priceless resource book. . . . Inspiring and informative, it is a arousing and attention holding glimpse into an necessary share of African cultural traditions.'

--Pearl Cleage, author of What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day

About the AuthorAskhari Johnson Hodari, Ph.D., a practitioner of Black/Africana Studies, regularly studies and travels the African diaspora. Hodari received her bachelor of arts degree from Spelman College and her doctorate from Howard University. She is the coauthor of Lifelines: The Black Book of Proverbs (Broadway Books, October 2009); and the author of the Black Facts Calendars. Hodari makes her home in Birmingham, Alabama, one of the birthplaces of the Civil Rights Movement.

For more selective information with regards to The African Book of Names, or the author please direct your browser to: www.africanbookofnames.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction: Born Again
In the Beginning
The bird flies, but always returns to earth.
—Senegal, Gambia

I adore African names. They feel refined and tasteful to my ear and enthuse my tongue. I be grateful for their sounds and meanings, which are dissimilar from the names of North America. Each time a person calls me by my African name, he or she reminds me my origins are without doubt in Africa.

In the last twenty years, I have been blessed to have been consulted in the naming of hundreds of babies and in the renaming of hundreds of children and adults. Naming in African societies is more of a communal routine than in other societies; in fact, it is mutual for parents, young people, or adults to consult with community members or African Studies practitioners before bestowing a name upon an infant, or upon themselves.

In the case of a child born eight years ago, we named him Jasir Dia.  Each time a person speaks to Jasir, they are calling him a 'fearless champion,' and a 'winner.' We believe his name helps and influences Jasir's life, and we suppose him to become all that his name implies long after his parents and other family members have passed on.

Recently, we named an infant male Qadir Rai Lumumba. When we call to him, we are saying, 'competent, healthful one who is gifted.' In the case of a child born five years ago, we named her Zindzhi Niasha Nubia Haderah. When her family and friends call to her, they are saying, 'warrior with purposeful life,' 'I have seen it,' and 'lioness.' The circumstances surrounding her birth and desired characteristics influenced our choice of name for her. Zindzhi was born as her mother was leaving earth. So, while three of her names reflect desired characteristics, we chose one of her names, Nubia, to tie Zindzhi's birth to her mother, and to honor the unforgettable woman who passed on before us.

We named another man-child Mujasi Zibusiso, ('courageous fighter,' 'blessing.') In addition, as I write this, our community is awaiting the arrival of a girl child whom we will name Sadmia ('she suits me,' 'well matched'). The name that awaits this baby is the name of her maternal aunt, who passed on before us.

After Birth: Renaming Later in Life
Let each bird cry according to it is kind.
—Niger, Nigeria

Choosing an African name does not have to take place shortly after birth. Across the world, humans take on new names for the duration of the life cycle. In Mali, the Bobo persons characteristically give children as numerous as three dissimilar names for the duration of a life cycle. The Bobo give children a name seven days after birth, another name when they start out to walk, and another name when they finish an initiation or rites of passage ritual. (The Bobo use their second and third names for the duration of special or religious events). Many African persons receive new names when marrying, or when reaching an crucial milestone or achievement.

New names may represent new stages of development. Sojourner Truth, Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and El Haj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X) all took on new names as adults. I have helped a number of persons modify their names to African names later in life, because they believed the names they were given at birth were 'slave names' and that claiming an African name would link them to their motherland or ancestral home.

Therefore, with my help, Cleve Bowie became Tahleb Obike ('seeker of truth,' 'strong household'); Chris Johnson became Kojo Ayinde ('unconquerable,' 'we asked for him and he came'); Tiffany Hawkins became Kimya Shekayo Amachi ('quiet passion,' 'who knows what God will fetch us through this one'); and Will Anderson became Jasiri Kafele ('fearless one,' 'worth dying for'). These people requested new names as they became more politically mature. We chose their names fundamentally for meaning, but likewise for aesthetic value. Tess McGhee became Aliyinza Ilizi Khanyiswa Myemyela ('she will be competent to handle it,' 'charm versus lions,' 'she reflects the light,' 'smile'). Aliyinza had a naming ceremony for the duration of her pregnancy. We choose a new name for her to guide her birthing traveling and to bless the way of the forthcoming child.

Everlasting Life: Why African Names?
If you grasp the beginning well,
the end will not disturb you.
—Ghana (Ashanti)

I advertize the use of African names for various reasons. First, the importance of African culture is often minimized, leading to the exclusion of African names from some name books. This negligence deprives parents, researchers, students, and other readers of the system of belief and wisdom of African societies. Also, since galore established and modern African societies tend to rely on and emphasize oral communication more than written communication, I want to bestow to as much of a written record of African names as possible, specially since Africans are no longer in one rather big area, but are scattered throughout the planet.

Numerous names in this book are based on my experience with, personal noesis of, and longtime, enthusiasti interest in Africana. I learned a great deal of names as I traveled to dissimilar places on the African continent. Other names I learned when I studied Kiswahili3. Still, other names came to me for the duration of the six years I was a professor of Black Studies at the university level. Naturally, I have also been collecting, studying, and gathering African names from books, novels, and literature. As a result of the richness of the African continent, my personal collection now surpasses 7,000 African names.

Each African name book I have studied has something to offer. Likewise, each book has vulnerabilities. Thus, The African Book of Names borrows best exercises from each name book to strengthen, not to compete with, extant African name literature. My goal has been to build upon the foundation other African name books have traditionalisti by creating a balanced and comprehensive text. However, an indepth text would require more than one volume because of the innumerable African names that exist, a good deal of in languages and from cultures with which I am not familiar.
If you're looking for an African name, you may choose one of the more than 5,000 names from a range of cultures and languages in this book. I celebrate Africa's cultural contributions by sharing a wide array of potential first, last, organization, and business names from at least thirty-seven African countries and at least seventy of Africa's ethnolinguistic groups.
While the birth of a baby is a joyous time that gives rise to a need to choose a name, The African Book of Names does not focus solely on baby names. Individuals of any age may hug this collection to select names for themselves, organizations, events, or other entities.
It has been my honor, privilege, and obligation to design The African Book of Names to guide, inform, instruct, inspire, and interest. Let it be known this book is guided by a spiritual, social, political, and academic recognition of Africa as the sheer birthplace of humankind. Indeed, The African Book of Names unapologetically celebrates Africa as a beating heart of the world.

Asante/Thank you,
Askhari Hodari, Ph.D.
Birmingham, Alabama

©2009. Askhari Hodari, Ph.D. All rights reserved. Reprinted from The African Book of Names. No percentage of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Most helpful client reviews

8 of 8 persons found the following review helpful.
Inspiring Work of Names
By Wilhelmina Moore
This book presents more than pages filled with names and their meanings. It's a part of the lesson regarding African Americans' history and inheritance that has been lost due to oppression and separation of over 400 years. I have read the book, front to back, and it is perfectly inspiring. The exploration provided has an intrinsic value to the African Diaspora. This book could also be used to become culturally conscious of Africans and African Americans' uniqueness.

7 of 7 humans found the following review helpful.
An worthful resource for fiction writers
By Anne Mini
A lot of writers use baby name books to support them find interesting and significant monikers for their characters, but this one belongs on the desk of any writer even taking into account including African or African-American characters in her work. It is rather merely the best-organized one I've ever came across -- and believe me, I've thumbed through a lot of them.

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