Kenyans are a peculiar bunch. How we do our things is normally just too unique to us. Like how our parents named us or the names we now pick for our kids this defines our peculiarity.
Kenyan parents love naming their children after familiar names. That is why you will find certain tribes favour certain names.
Here is a list of some names common with specific tribes.
Onesmus - Kamba
Wycliffe - Luhya
Urbanus - Kamba
Marsden - Taita
Tom - Luo, especially Nyakach area
Bonface - Luhya
Harrison - Giriama
Simeon - Kisii
Ephantus - Kikuyu
Praxedes - Luhya
Mathias - Luhya
Wynkista - Kisii
Junior - Kikuyu
Bosco - Kisii
Doreen - Meru
Leah - Kisii
Mercy - Kikuyu
Elizabeth (Lesobet) - Kalenjin
Duke - Kisii
Jamleck - Kikuyu
Beryl - Luo
Fancy - Kisii
Douglas - Kisii
Bigoty - Kalenjin
Patrick (normally or preferably paired with Lumumba) - Luo
Benta - Luo
Ezekiel ie Sacheli - Luhya
Janerose - Kikuyu
Domitila - Kamba
Genacio - Kikuyu
Purity - MeruMary - Kikuyu
Grace - Kikuyu
Elizabeth - Luo
Paul - Kikuyu
Jared or Charedi! - Kisii
According to BBC, Traditional African names often have unique stories behind them. From the day or time, a baby is born to the circumstances surrounding the birth, several factors influence the names parents choose for their children.
Whichever ethnic group you look at, these local names reveal a wealth of information about the bearer.
Here are nine different ways African parents name their children:
Events surrounding birth
Among several ethnic groups, picking out names can be influenced by positive or negative circumstances the family finds themselves in around the time a child is born.
Celebrity culture
The Luos in Kenya are known for adopting famous names for their children. Quite a number of mothers named their baby boys Obama in 2008 after Barack Obama, the son of a Luo man, was elected US president. And when he visited the country in 2015, one mother reportedly named her child Airforceone.
Order of birth
In many African cultures, there is no need for someone to explain whether they are the eldest or youngest of their siblings. This is because their names can reveal that much. This is especially true of twins.
Day-born names
Even before parents select a western or religious name for their child, the baby already has a name.
Faith-based names
Many parents express their religious beliefs through names but some this further than others.
Named after the ancestors
Respected elders of the family may be dead but they continue to live on through their grandchildren. Parents often name babies after senior members of the clan whether dead or alive.
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