You folks make it seem like there's a problem with the 'chi' names.

The only problem lies with the tendency of some Igbo parents to recycle the common names and the erroneous belief that foreign names are more cool than Igbo names.

But I'm a fan of letting the 'ngozi', 'emeka', 'ify', 'amaka' names to rest a bit while the other rarely used names are kept alive(including the 'chi' ones)

This thread is enlightening. It's helped me with another thread i started last week on 'the origins of African slaves'.

In the search box of the site i referenced, i typed in some Igbo names i could think of but didn't get much results, not knowing that the names i searched for where too 'modern' like the ones with 'chi' in them. Surprisingly i saw Amara come up, but was wondering what an Amarachi was doing in Lagos in the early 17th century, as the slave ship left from there.

I should have searched for those names that carry the true essence of what it is to be Igbo. You know: names like Jideofor or Ofodille (typical Onitsha names i might add ), but for some strange reason, the only ancient Igbo names i could think of at the time were Okonkwo and Ikemefuna . Silly me.

I've searched with some of the names listed on this thread and got results come up, with the slave ships leaving from Bonny, so it all makes sense. I saw one 'Odeque' (i'm guessing that's Odekwe) that was on a slave ship that left from Bonny and the slaves were released in Havana-Cuba: the poor boy was only 10 years old .

Thanks to all that've contributed.

'emeka' and 'amaka' are chi names.

PROUD-IGBO:

This thread is enlightening. It's helped me with another thread i started last week on 'the origins of African slaves'.

In the search box of the site i referenced, i typed in some Igbo names i could think of but didn't get much results, not knowing that the names i searched for where too 'modern' like the ones with 'chi' in them. Surprisingly i saw Amara come up, but was wondering what an Amarachi was doing in Lagos in the early 17th century, as the slave ship left from there.

I should have searched for those names that carry the true essence of what it is to be Igbo. You know: names like Jideofor or Ofodille (typical Onitsha names i might add ), but for some strange reason, the only ancient Igbo names i could think of at the time were Okonkwo and Ikemefuna . Silly me.

I've searched with some of the names listed on this thread and got results come up, with the slave ships leaving from Bonny, so it all makes sense.  I saw one 'Odeque' (i'm guessing that's Odekwe) that was on a slave ship that left from Bonny and the slaves were released in Havana-Cuba: the poor boy was only 10 years old .

Thanks to all that've contributed.

Are you talking about the slave voyages website? I've found many Igbo people on there, it even mentions 'Aba', 'Bonny' and 'Ungua'!

http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/index.faces

Okereke

From Aboh

Okoroafor

Other names (there are hundreds).

An Okafor from Onicha.

People from Ngwa.

Umm? From "Isuamo".

More names (Isuamo). Can anybody tell what "Nichonecha" can be where an Ndubisi is from on this list?

The myth that the common 'chi' names of today never existed before the 20th century.

Igbokwe. And there hundreds more of Igbo names of re-captives.

ezeagu:

The myth that the common 'chi' names of today never existed before the 20th century.

Thanks. I wanted to comment about it as a response to proud-igbo's post. I think 'chi'(an igbo word for gods) should as old as the Igbo language. This can be further proved from the word 'chukwu'(from chi ukwu) meaning big God, refering to the christian concept of a more powerful 'chi' than the ones worshipped in Alaigbo.

ezeagu:

More names (Isuamo). Can anybody tell what "Nichonecha" can be where an Ndubisi is from on this list?

^^^ Cheers Ezeagu. Simply fascinating. The website you referenced seems to be even more comprehensive than the one i was refering to. LOL, did you see 'Obama' in the list of your number 43 post. You happen to know why they seem to link Kalabari with Igbo as place of origin of most of the Igbo slaves?

Imagine going today to places like Cuba and seeing a black there still bearing the Igbo surnames as they were mispelt in the manifest. You'd -in all likelyhood- be looking at the descendant of Igbo slaves; you could be looking at a blood brother.

Cuba will most definitely be my next holiday destination.

Check out post 37: Inoh . I had to do a double take. Now i know that's not short for Innocent.

PROUD-IGBO:

^^^ Cheers Ezeagu. Simply fascinating. The website you referenced seems to be even more comprehensive than the one i was refering to. LOL, did you see 'Obama' in the list of your number 43 post. You happen to know why they seem to link Kalabari with Igbo as place of origin of most of the Igbo slaves?

Imagine going today to places like Cuba and seeing a black there still bearing the Igbo surnames as they were mispelt in the manifest. You'd -in all likelyhood- be looking at the descendant of Igbo slaves; you could be looking at a blood brother.

Cuba will most definitely be my next holiday destination.

I think 'Calabari' is what the Spanish called the general Eastern Nigerian region, if these people were recaptured in Jamaica it would probably only read the town or 'Bight of Biafra'. I was surprised that many of these re-captives were in Cuba, and most of these people were men.

PROUD-IGBO:

Check out post 37: Inoh . I had to do a double take. Now i know that's not short for Innocent.

I thought it was short for Innocent for it as well, does anybody know what it means?

Ngwa people in the 19th century and their unnatural names. . I was told about this sort of thing before.

ezeagu:

The myth that the common 'chi' names of today never existed before the 20th century.

Wait, who said they never existed?

In a different thread, people were telling A.Chigozie that her ancestors name is fake because Chigozie didn't exist before the 20th century.

Let me name some.

Ndibuisi
Somuayiro
Nsude
Ugwuodo
Orji
Amadi

As for Cuba I have long discovered that some people labeled Okun and co actually bore Igbo names and named Igbo towns as their place of origin but the spellings were confusing.An example is "Oquelle" which is actually spelt Okwelle to day.

Obama
Egbedama
Onyeama
Ikpeama

and several other Ama names were common in Igbo.

ezeagu:

In a different thread, people were telling A.Chigozie that her ancestors name is fake because Chigozie didn't exist before the 20th century.

Oh okay. I remember that.

Abagworo:

As for Cuba I have long discovered that some people labeled Okun and co actually bore Igbo names and named Igbo towns as their place of origin but the spellings were confusing.An example is "Oquelle" which is actually spelt Okwelle to day.

Obama
Egbedama
Onyeama
Ikpeama

and several other Ama names were common in Igbo.

Okun, isn't that Yoruba (or Yoruboid)?

ezeagu:

More names (Isuamo). Can anybody tell what "Nichonecha" can be where an Ndubisi is from on this list?

^^^ I'm thinking the bolded may be Nkwocha, but that's pushing it.

The ages of some of those poor brothers and sisters is what's really getting to me- no more than babies. And i've also noticed names that may have been unisex back in the day -like Chioma- are now for male or female only.

It's now beginning to make sense why the Cubans are so good in boxing .

http://books.google.com.ng/books?id=MjdFOUQBCEAC&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=ungua+isuama&source=bl&ots=wgb5d0xULG&sig=cYP6xbSWEiUzHNdhTy0dDNBCRKc&hl=en&ei=6cDeTa-qHYOAhQe03-G5Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=ungua%20isuama&f=false


Read this and you will be amused.These people have more precise record of us than we do.One thing that I have failed to understand is why the culture seems cross river while the names and origin are purely Igbo.

You know those Abakua still speak Efik, although they used to speak a language they called 'Suamo'.

Looking at some of those 'Ungua' names, I can say that I only recognize about 20% of them. The rest, I can postulate their pronunciation, because I recognize the sounds, but I've got no clue what the actual name is supposed to be.

ezeagu:

More names (Isuamo). Can anybody tell what "Nichonecha" can be where an Ndubisi is from on this list?

'Nike Onicha' (Nike Onicha people) maybe? (just a postulation).

Abagworo:

One thing that I have failed to understand is why the culture seems cross river while the names and origin are purely Igbo.

ezeagu:

You know those Abakua still speak Efik, although they used to speak a language they called 'Suamo'.

Maybe 'Suamo' is (or 'is related to') Isuama. . maybe.

ChinenyeN:


Maybe 'Suamo' is (or 'is related to') Isuama. . maybe.

Yes "Suamo" is Isuama and is a very awkward dialect of Igbo.I wonder why the early Igbo writers ever thought Isuama would be understood by other Igbos.Onitsha seems to be the most mutually intelligible Igbo to all Igbos.

ChinenyeN:

Looking at some of those 'Ungua' names, I can say that I only recognize about 20% of them. The rest, I can postulate their pronunciation, because I recognize the sounds, but I've got no clue what the actual name is supposed to be.

There are a few Okolie's. It's crazy to think that there was an Okon in 1835 Havana.

ChinenyeN:

'Nike Onicha' (Nike Onicha people) maybe? (just a postulation).

I was thinking maybe it was a village in Onicha, or maybe it's a misunderstanding of Nike by way of Onicha, seeing as these were Africans with no knowledge of Spanish and Nike was a significant source for slave back then.

ChinenyeN:

Maybe 'Suamo' is (or 'is related to') Isuama. . maybe.

Yeah, Suamo is Isuama.

Abagworo:

Yes "Suamo" is Isuama and is a very awkward dialect of Igbo.I wonder why the early Igbo writers ever thought Isuama would be understood by other Igbos.Onitsha seems to be the most mutually intelligible Igbo to all Igbos.

I would say the dialects around Northern Abia are.

Nice thread

I am in favor of giving the Chi and Chukwu names a rest. I think this should be encouraged so that sense of awe and deep respect which should be linked to anything that remotely has to do with our Creator is restored. Sometimes one shudders when one hears an angry parent calling their misbehaving child to order. Chibuzor, will you stop that nonsense! Nwachukwu shut up there! Although these types of names were given so as to honor or thank the Creator for the child, sometimes in everyday usage we etch away that sense that the names represent.

Anyways some non chi names

Aloefuna
Emenike
Nnennaya
Uwakwe
Enyiocha
Ezinne

ezeagu:

There are a few Okolie's. It's crazy to think that there was an Okon in 1835 Havana.

Are you talking about the 'Ocole' names up there? Ocole [Okolie] (as in Okorie)? Is that what you mean?

ezeagu:

I was thinking maybe it was a village in Onicha, or maybe it's a misunderstanding of Nike by way of Onicha, seeing as these were Africans with no knowledge of Spanish and Nike was a significant source for slave back then.

There's actually a village or people by that answer 'Nike Onicha' (said to actually be 'Nike Enu Onicha') though.

ezeagu:

Yeah, Suamo is Isuama.

Abagworo:

Yes "Suamo" is Isuama and is a very awkward dialect of Igbo.

That would explain why Abakua have Igbo names, and with the Efi and Efo surviving lineages (sound Efik/Ibibio-related to me), I can see how their culture would have Cross River culture.