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ArchivesRe: In search of the etymologies of these names...
in reply to a message by Dawn
I found "Wangari" to mean "leopard" in enough places (not only questionable "baby names" websites) that I would trust this meaning, e.g. here (although in German):
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikuyu_(Ethnie)
Interestingly that page gives a meaning of "female singer" for "Wambui", and not "zebra".
Edit: Just found this:
"This name translated literally means 'of stripes' that is why the zebra in Kikuyu is called wambui micore (pronounced mishoore). So, it is thought that the name Wambui is derived from some name-link association with the zebra."
http://www.babynology.com/meaning-wambui-f37.html
That zebra is not simply "wambui", but indeed "wambui micore" can be seen on pages like the following one:
http://hubpages.com/education/The-Kikuyu-Language
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikuyu_(Ethnie)
Interestingly that page gives a meaning of "female singer" for "Wambui", and not "zebra".
Edit: Just found this:
"This name translated literally means 'of stripes' that is why the zebra in Kikuyu is called wambui micore (pronounced mishoore). So, it is thought that the name Wambui is derived from some name-link association with the zebra."
http://www.babynology.com/meaning-wambui-f37.html
That zebra is not simply "wambui", but indeed "wambui micore" can be seen on pages like the following one:
http://hubpages.com/education/The-Kikuyu-Language
This message was edited 3/19/2016, 9:55 AM
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Replies
Thank you so much for your response!
That is very interesting about Wangari and Wambui. I was told by a Kikuyu speaker that Wambui meant "zebra" as a shortening of wambui micore, so I am very interested to know that the literal meaning is "of stripes".
That is very interesting about Wangari and Wambui. I was told by a Kikuyu speaker that Wambui meant "zebra" as a shortening of wambui micore, so I am very interested to know that the literal meaning is "of stripes".
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