Message: "Barack as in Barack Obama"

Barack as in Barack Obama

by Pavlos

10/31/2006, 1:02 AM

I stumbled upon an article on Barack Obama, who may well be a candidate in the forthcoming US Presidency race.

According to Obama, his first name Barack means "one who is blessed. It means the same in Swahili as `Baruch' in Hebrew. Both have Semitic roots." (http://www.newhousenews.com/archive/tilove031804.html)

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- lac (guest) +1

10/31/2006, 9:48 PM

I realize that this is not the origin of Sen Obama's name, but Barak in Hebrew means "lightning", and appears in the Bible. I only bring this up because Barak and Barack are homonyms.

- Mar (X-Mar)

11/1/2006, 6:55 AM

That doesn't have mean that they have the same origin. When I read Barack, my first though was Barak "Lightning" too, but there are a-ling sounding names tghat have nothing to do with each other (example click on Naomi)

- Anneza +1

10/31/2006, 4:24 AM

There's also Mubarak, variously spelt, which is Arabic and means 'blessing' or 'blessed person'. It was the nickname or Arab name given to Wilfred Thesiger by the Marsh Arabs, back in the good old days when there were marshes for them; also Hosni Mubarak, who is (?was) an Egyptian politician.

It would be a simple loan word in Swahili, which is spoken on the coast of East Africa where Arab traders have been landing for centuries.

- Melodie (guest)

11/8/2006, 12:17 PM

Hi how about his last name? Obama?
Where is it coming from?
Thank you

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