Monday, October 15, 2007

What’s in a name?

Nebuchadnezzar, Congestina,Undertaker, Magenta, Gentries, Referendum, Hummer, Morphine??………..do you know that people have such names.

Mode of naming children in Kenya and possibly other parts of the world is unbelievable.

The other day ODM Presidential candidate Raila Amollo Odinga, his Vice President Musalia Mudavadi and sacked Health Minister Charity Ngilu visited Pumwani Maternity hospital. It was said a child born while they were there was named after Raila Odinga.

This is very common during campaigns for elections, people will name newborn babies after their favorite Presidential candidate or their area member of Parliament, but the latter is not as common and the former.

Because all Presidential candidates are men, it will be mainly boys who get named after them. Girls will not get a chance to be named after Presidential candidates because there is no woman running for presidency. Unless parents choose to name them after presidential candidates wives, female running mates like Prof. Julia Ojiambo or any female MP they admire.

I didn’t realize that there could be a possibility of a baby girl being named after a politician in this campaign season, until I talked to a friend who informed me she got a niece and the baby has been named Pentagon. This is interesting and also funny!

It is more funnier in Southern Sudan. A good friend of mine told me they have names there like Repent Sunday, Spinner Only, Spider million, forest Garden, Good Moon etc

Surely what are we trying to achieve when naming? Is it any word or person that we come across or the meaning of a name?

This is unbelievable.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Funny names in Southern Sudan and that one of Pentagon.

Unknown said...

Its not a brilliant idea naming kids after politicians and parties. What if they grow up and reject the name or if that politician or party gets unpopular later?

Anonymous said...

Those names from Southern Sudan don’t sound real, can't believe you friend named their kid Pentagon. Hope you are not fabricating a story.

Jamii said...

This is not a fabricated story, actually I got the names from a friend working in Southern Sudan. About the baby named after ODM Pentagon, it is very true. I wish I could give tell you her full name and her parents contacts to confirm but sorry I can't.