According to the dictionary, a name is a word or set of words by which a person or thing is known, addressed, or referred to.
As Africans, our names have meanings. They are spoken over us several times in a day. It is like a pronouncement made over us that we answer to and agree with.
As Christians we believe that our words have the power of life and death and we are advised to be careful what we say and what we allow to be said over us.
Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
Proverbs 18:21 MSG
When we were a lot younger, my siblings and I used to jokingly refer to ourselves as half-casts because we were all conceived by the union of an Ibo man and a Yoruba woman.
As the first daughter I was blessed with nine names 😁, one English name (Roselyne) four ibo names (Adaobi, Obiageli, Obianuju, NdidiAmaka) and four Yoruba names (OluwaFolakemi, OluwaFunmilayo, Omotanwa, Aina).
A Little over 20 years ago, God used my friends, unbeknownst to them, to alter the course of my life when they all decided to start referring to me as my middle name instead of my first name.
I was a jambite(fresher) making new friends and I honestly wish I remember the actual person who started it but it caught on really quickly with others. They all preferred the name Folakemi instead of Roselyne.
I must state here that Roselyne is a beautiful name of Latin origin 😍 which means rose or gentle horse 🐎 According to research, it makes a great choice for those who are inspired by nature.
I schooled far away from home, away from everyone I knew and everything I was used to, coupled with the fact that I was in a "lonely" season of life.
At that point in my life, all the nature I cared about was day, night, sun and rain!😅😅😅
I needed more, even though I didn't know it then.
I had just given my life to Christ a few months before but school separated me from my church family and that was the end of the weekly "milk" I had just begun to receive.
Unlike Abraham and Paul in the bible, my name change was rather unofficial 🤪, but as unofficial as it was, things started to change for me. It seemed like I was on a very different journey from that which had led me to the school. I started to enjoy a little bit more abundance than I previously had.
I received more favor. I felt at peace even in the midst of University activities. It felt like I had a force working to make things easy for me. Lack became a thing of the past. I noticed the difference, I enjoyed it and I started to embody my new name; OluwaFolakemi which means God pampers me with wealth.
I have lived out this name to the fullest because God has not only pampered me with material wealth but has blessed me with spiritual growth, abundance of health, love of a beautiful family, divine wisdom, amazing friendships and relationships to mention just a few!
I started to pay attention to the meaning of my names recently, and the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to how my names, with the help of God, have been working for me and directing the course of my life, positively.
Those that know me personally, know that I am truly living out the meaning of my names.
❤Roselyne - I am living out this name now with my new love for nature...beautiful sceneries, the clouds and skyline, plants and beautiful flowers 💐 etc
❤OluwaFolakemi - Nathaniel Bassey's song "this God is too good oh" lives rent free in my head. I believe in my mind that he wrote it for me 😅. God has been too good to me! He has been pampering me and He will never stop!
❤Adaobi - Daughter of a King. I am not only the daughter of the King of Kings 👸but the Apple of His eyes 🥰
❤ Obianuju - I was born in the midst of plenty. My father is the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills Psalm 50:10. He is my source and sustainer 💃🏻
❤ Obiageli - again...I was born into wealth. I have come to live a good life and a good life I am living!
❤Aina - I was born with an umbilical cord round my neck. That didn't stop me from living the life God wanted me to live because I am a force that cannot be stopped!
❤ Omotanwa - my parents were in search of a baby girl after 3 boys. I was an answer to their prayers like I am the answer to the prayers of the people that God places along my path.
❤ NdidiAmaka - It is good to be patient. God is still teaching me a lot about patience. The best part for me on this journey of faith is learning to trust God's timing 🙏
❤OluwaFunmilayo - it means God gave me joy(Ayo) My God sure has a sense of humor 😅 I'm not surprised that He actually gave me my own AYO all to myself 🥰 ❤(my husband's name is Ayo)
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
Psalms 139:14 NLT
I didn't give myself all these names but I am thankful that my parents did 🙏 Our world has changed and people are getting more creative with everything, names inclusive.
🙏 I pray that all young parents out there pay closer attention to the names being given to their children as it may have positive or negative effects on them.
🙏 I pray that as adults, God opens our eyes to understand a name is not just a name but an 'identity' that has the power to forge a path for the course of our lives. If it's not working for you, do the needful 😉
🙏 I pray that on this journey of faith, each time our names are being remembered, it will be for good.
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
Proverbs 22:1 NKJV
I enjoyed reading this piece Flakes. Very fluid and interesting. Allow me to add that some names can have a bad meaning in some languages and a good meaning in another. This makes me believe that we can give our names new meanings just as those who first formulated the names gave them meaning. So as the Bible says the power of life and death lies in the tongue, I also believe the power of meaning lies in with us as individuals too.
I totally enjoyed proof reading this as it captures what most of our parents pictured when giving us our names. And i also love Juice's take on giving our names new meanings. The summary altogether is for us to pay attention to what we are being called, words that we accept to be spoken over us as they carry power beyond that which we see.
Love it.
And below is my mum's comment. Hope you enjoying reading it.
This is very, very interesting, my Darling Obiageli.
Naturally, names have positive and negative meanings and consequences in people's lives. That's why a Yoruba adage says, "Ile la nwo ki ato s'omo loruko.
Meaning that you check your environment and circumstances before giving your child a name or names.
I am happy for you, OLUWAFOLAKEMI 👏👏👏
Adunni Adenike Otulana