Customer Reviews

The African Book of Names: 5,000+ Common and Uncommon Names from the African Continent

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book presents more than pages filled with names and their meanings. It's a part of the lesson about African Americans' history and heritage that has been lost due to oppression and separation of over 400 years. I have read the book, front to back, and it is absolutely inspiring. The research provided has an intrinsic value to the African Diaspora. This book could also be used to become culturally aware of Africans and African Americans' uniqueness.

A lot of writers use baby name books to help them find interesting and meaningful monikers for their characters, but this one belongs on the desk of any writer even considering including African or African-American characters in her work. It is quite simply the best-organized one I've ever encountered -- and believe me, I've thumbed through a lot of them.

Or, to put it another way: when's the last time any of us saw a baby name book that was actually interesting enough to sit down and READ cover to cover?

What makes it so much better than most? THE AFRICAN BOOK OF NAMES is so intelligently put together, treating both the reader and the subject matter with respect. Unlike the vast majority of baby name books out there, it's not just a straightforward list of names and meanings -- which, let's face it, is fairly readily available on the Internet, if you're looking for only common names -- but a thoughtfully-constructed examination of the significance of naming in various African and African-American cultures.

Yes, there are indeed lists, but such lists! Arranged by categories of meaning, the names are also presented by region of origin and circumstance under which a particular name might be applied. And we're not just talking about names that translate as Daisy or Strong One here -- names like the Azanian Nothango (one who forms a buffer against the enemy), the Ugandan Nangila (born while the parents were traveling around), and the Camaroonian Akam Bowho (one who does not have a problem) abound in this book.

This is a powerful resource for writers, in short; I highly recommend it. You'll never run out of fascinating name choices.

Askhari Johnson's The African Book of Names addresses the complexity and cultural sensitivity of descendants of enslaved Afrikans in the western hemisphere who are in process of re-discovering our ancestral heritage. Since the 1960, African descendants have renamed ourselves or given our children Afrikan designations. Johnson's work is a tremendous resource as it not only provides names but offers context for such decisions. Her book will contribute to reconnection and community-building throughout the Afrikan World.

For the last thirty years I have performed New Afrikan naming ceremonies for new borns, students and comrades choosing to adopt Afrikan names. Johnson's text is the best source in print that I have seen.

In Askhari Johnson Hodari's book, she reveals that enslaved African-Americans often had two names, the ones their masters gave them and the secret names "derived from African words" that family members called them. Those secret or "basket" names gave black people in bondage a chance to control at least a part of their lives.
Hodari's book would break new ground even if it merely listed the meaning and origins of more than 5,000 African names. However, by the time you finish her book you'll have learned more than that Latifah means gentle in East Africa, that Bamua means "Daddy is tired" in Cameroon, that Chika means "God is great" in Nigeria or that Nefertiti means "The beautiful one has arrived" in Egypt.
You'll have learned something about the many African cultures and experiences these names reflect. You'll also know why singer Gladys Knight named her daughter Kenya, why actor Danny Glover called his daughter Mandisa, why Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali and why basketball player Lew Alcindor became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971.
Hodari is an educator and writer who has studied and collected African names for more than two decades. I enjoyed her book not only because she had the good sense to arrange her names by meaning and to include instructions for naming ceremonies.
There is something almost intoxicating about saying words like Zalimba, pronounced zah-LEHM-bah, which means "It is difficult" in Malawi or Kambihi, pronounced Kahm-Bee-hee, which means "whirlwind" in Zambia. Hodari says she embraced African names because they "feel elegant to my ear and enthuse my tongue." So they do.

If you've ever wondered about the meaning of your name, desired to change your name, or agonized over choosing the perfect name for your precious little African prince or princess, there is a new resource that celebrates the naming ways of Africa. The African Book of Names: 5000 Common and Uncommon Names From The African Continent, by Askhari Johnson Hodari, Ph.D. is that resource.

Hailed as "the most current and comprehensive book on the subject of African names," The African Book of Names examines and defines wonderful and mysterious names from 37 African countries and 70+ ethno-linguistic groups. Dr. Hodari's passion for her subject shines as she helps her readers choose names based on a variety of themes, including religion; birth order; physical and/or spiritual characteristics; beauty, courage, bravery - whatever is most important to the researcher at the time of the search. She even offers a checklist of do's and don't's to consider when choosing a name, and teaches her readers how to conduct their own African-centered naming ceremony.

The African Book of Names is a necessary and timely resource, especially at this moment in history, when we with loving arms embrace our first African American Commander-in-Chief. Writers, researchers, adults seeking to re-invent themselves, parents in search of the perfect names for their newborns...even readers who simply want to know the meaning behind the glorious name of Barack Obama, will all benefit from this goldmine of information.

Hats off to you, Dr. Hodari, and your wonderful contribution to African American literature.

By Rita Lorraine Hubbard, Reviewer
YA Books Central
<http://www.yabookscentral.com>

I'm glad she wrote this book. The next edition will have an index. The book allows African Americans or anyone from the African Diaspora to choose a name based on their personality, interests and traits. It unfortunately has a kiddie cover.

This was a great book to read for insight into the meanings of African names. The book is very well organized and there are a variety of names for each section heading.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for creative names that will instill meaning in their child's life or others if conducting a naming ceremony.

This is by far THE BEST book of African Names I've seen. I work with a lot of African descended kids and we've looked at names over the years as part of cultural discovery--being able to search by meaning is priceless. The writing in the intro is also thoughtful and relevant. Really makes me want to discover the meanings of names in my own family. Great book!

This is one of the best Afican Name books that I have read. You can tell a lot of authentic research has gone into the book and the fact that it is broken down by categories is unique and creative. Having information on how to do a naming ceremony is invaluable.

With the election of an African American President who obviously embraces his heritage both in his name and actions, more awareness has come to the way we choose names. But, the questioning didn't just begin. From as early as the 60's, some have personally asked what does my name say about me, my family, my beliefs and my heritage.

In THE AFRICAN BOOK OF NAMES: 5,000+ Common and Uncommon Names from the African Continent, Dr. Askhari Hodari takes readers through a brief history of how African Americans received their names in U.S. history. They are basically names associated with family names of slave owners. These names say nothing of our African roots like those associated with Jewish, Greek, and Italian cultures for instance. Dr. Hodari goes into detail about the African naming conventions, the do's and don'ts, the patterns and the ceremonies. According to Dr. Hodari, "African names link African people to the ethnic groups, a place, a time, or circumstance." She also indicates the African naming practices should give one the opportunity to learn more about the beliefs, culture, and philosophy of Africa. Just like in the Bible, your name says alot about you.

Dr. Hodari provides a naming resource for a parent that is also a history lesson for anyone wanting to know more about the African naming practices. As much as this is a good source for the parents, it is also a great guide for those wishing to change their names to a more suitable African one. Unlike many of the other books of names, THE AFRICAN BOOK OF NAMES lists over 5,000 names by theme and in alphabetical order. Each name offers the pronunciation, the meaning, origin and gender. This is comprehensive a book of names and a guide to help you choose the right African name whether it be for a new birth or someone desiring to get closer to his/her African roots.

Reviewed by Brenda Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers