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HelpMalawian names #2
Here is some usage information from the first batch I posted: http://www.behindthename.com/bb/baby/4255029.
School children aged between 11 and 16:
Boys
Alexander
Austin
Joseph
Rodney
Rashid
Richard
James
Fred
Grem - pr. like Graham (GRAY-əm)
Leonard
Luke
Nelson
John
Innocent
Bright
King
Juliano
Rabson
Stanford
Amos - pr. AH-moss
Sherrif
Vincent
Charles
Martin
Clement
Elisha
Hender
Brazil
Manuel
Ibrahim
Emmanuel
Francis
Charles
Girls
Charity
Veronica
Beatrice nn Beaty :)
Janet
Grace
Lucia pr. like Lucy-uh
Deborah
Margret
Manes
Hannah
Eliza - pr. El-EE-zuh
Loveness
Emily
Esnart - pr. EZ-nat
Mercy
Flossy - pr. FLO-see
Flora
Rebecca
Carlo
Judith
Ivy
Nora
Eness
Prisca - pr. PRIS-kuh
Suzana - pr. same as Susanna
Mervice - pr. same as Mavis
Bridget
Triphonia - pr. Tree-FONE-ee-uh; sometimes adding a syllable: Tilly-FONE-ee-uh. Kinda rhymes with California
Sarah
Esther
Patricia
Mercy
Phalida - Fa-LEE-duh
Zione
Damaless
Salome
Praise
Stella
Gertrude
Vilet - same as Violet
Diana
Stellia
Mabel
Pamela
Doreen
and some from ages 4 - 6:
Boys
Haziwel
Blessings
Chiford
Promise
Robert
Heartson
Wester
Maxwell
Gerald
Simon
Henry
Evance
Girls
Jenifer
Celina
Lissie
Sera
Mary
Christina
Gladys
Sharon
Egry
Brenda
School children aged between 11 and 16:
Boys
Alexander
Austin
Joseph
Rodney
Rashid
Richard
James
Fred
Grem - pr. like Graham (GRAY-əm)
Leonard
Luke
Nelson
John
Innocent
Bright
King
Juliano
Rabson
Stanford
Amos - pr. AH-moss
Sherrif
Vincent
Charles
Martin
Clement
Elisha
Hender
Brazil
Manuel
Ibrahim
Emmanuel
Francis
Charles
Girls
Charity
Veronica
Beatrice nn Beaty :)
Janet
Grace
Lucia pr. like Lucy-uh
Deborah
Margret
Manes
Hannah
Eliza - pr. El-EE-zuh
Loveness
Emily
Esnart - pr. EZ-nat
Mercy
Flossy - pr. FLO-see
Flora
Rebecca
Carlo
Judith
Ivy
Nora
Eness
Prisca - pr. PRIS-kuh
Suzana - pr. same as Susanna
Mervice - pr. same as Mavis
Bridget
Triphonia - pr. Tree-FONE-ee-uh; sometimes adding a syllable: Tilly-FONE-ee-uh. Kinda rhymes with California
Sarah
Esther
Patricia
Mercy
Phalida - Fa-LEE-duh
Zione
Damaless
Salome
Praise
Stella
Gertrude
Vilet - same as Violet
Diana
Stellia
Mabel
Pamela
Doreen
and some from ages 4 - 6:
Boys
Haziwel
Blessings
Chiford
Promise
Robert
Heartson
Wester
Maxwell
Gerald
Simon
Henry
Evance
Girls
Jenifer
Celina
Lissie
Sera
Mary
Christina
Gladys
Sharon
Egry
Brenda
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Replies
Thank you, this is so interesting! And so many beautiful names. I'd really like to see some Chichewa names too if you get time. Out of curiosity, are English names the most common?
I really like:
Alexander
Joseph
Richard
James
Vincent
Clement
Elisha
Manuel
Ibrahim
Emmanuel
Francis
Charles
Promise
Robert
Simon
Henry
Evance - do you know anything about this one?
Charity - one of my favourite names when I was little, it has such a great meaning
Veronica
Beatrice
Grace
Lucia
Eliza - love this pronunciation, it's so graceful
Emily
Esnart
Mercy
Flora
Ivy
Nora
Esther
Mercy
Salome
Praise
Stella
Diana
Celina
Mary
Christina
I really like:
Alexander
Joseph
Richard
James
Vincent
Clement
Elisha
Manuel
Ibrahim
Emmanuel
Francis
Charles
Promise
Robert
Simon
Henry
Evance - do you know anything about this one?
Charity - one of my favourite names when I was little, it has such a great meaning
Veronica
Beatrice
Grace
Lucia
Eliza - love this pronunciation, it's so graceful
Emily
Esnart
Mercy
Flora
Ivy
Nora
Esther
Mercy
Salome
Praise
Stella
Diana
Celina
Mary
Christina
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Not sure on Evance, which bugs me.
English names are probably more common. Even in areas where English fluency of any description is really limited. In Muslim areas, along the lake, you'll find Arabic names (plenty of kids named Muhammad, etc). Sometimes kids have a Chichewa / Chitonga / Chiyao etc name and an English names. This is more common with noun/word names that translate easier. For instance, Chisomo ("grace") might go by Grace at school or something. Or Chikumbutso ("memory") might be nicknamed Memory if there's already a Chikumbutso in the family. But generally people with Chichewa FNs go by that name. I think English names are more popular because there are a greater variety of them! Chisomo is a super common name, on boys and girls. I know loads.
I made a list of names for Mike so hopefully they'll be in the African names database at some point. I gave him a list of 52. Here are some common ones:
Alinafe - God with us. From the prefix a- meaning “he”, -li- meaning "be", nafe meaning “with us”
Chikondi - Love (sometimes translated as Loveness)
Chimwemwe- Joy or pleasure (oooh my favourite neighbour baby is Chimwemwe, she is so cute!!)
Chinsinsi - Secret
Fatsani - Be meek. From the word –fatsa meaning “be meek” and the suffix –ni
Kondwani - Be glad. from the word –kondwa meaning “be glad” with the suffix –ni
Kumbukani - Remember. From the word –kumbuka, meaning “remember” and the suffix –ni
Madalisto - Blessings
Mavuto - Troubles or Problems. Sometimes written as Mabvuto. (sometimes twins will be name Madalitso and Mavuto)
Mayamiko - Praise
Mphatso - Gift
Phunziro - Lesson
Pilirani - Perservere or Endure. From the word –pirira, meaning “persevere” or “endure” and the suffix -ni
English names are probably more common. Even in areas where English fluency of any description is really limited. In Muslim areas, along the lake, you'll find Arabic names (plenty of kids named Muhammad, etc). Sometimes kids have a Chichewa / Chitonga / Chiyao etc name and an English names. This is more common with noun/word names that translate easier. For instance, Chisomo ("grace") might go by Grace at school or something. Or Chikumbutso ("memory") might be nicknamed Memory if there's already a Chikumbutso in the family. But generally people with Chichewa FNs go by that name. I think English names are more popular because there are a greater variety of them! Chisomo is a super common name, on boys and girls. I know loads.
I made a list of names for Mike so hopefully they'll be in the African names database at some point. I gave him a list of 52. Here are some common ones:
Alinafe - God with us. From the prefix a- meaning “he”, -li- meaning "be", nafe meaning “with us”
Chikondi - Love (sometimes translated as Loveness)
Chimwemwe- Joy or pleasure (oooh my favourite neighbour baby is Chimwemwe, she is so cute!!)
Chinsinsi - Secret
Fatsani - Be meek. From the word –fatsa meaning “be meek” and the suffix –ni
Kondwani - Be glad. from the word –kondwa meaning “be glad” with the suffix –ni
Kumbukani - Remember. From the word –kumbuka, meaning “remember” and the suffix –ni
Madalisto - Blessings
Mavuto - Troubles or Problems. Sometimes written as Mabvuto. (sometimes twins will be name Madalitso and Mavuto)
Mayamiko - Praise
Mphatso - Gift
Phunziro - Lesson
Pilirani - Perservere or Endure. From the word –pirira, meaning “persevere” or “endure” and the suffix -ni
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Wow, thank you so much! Hopefully your names will be added soon.
I tried looking up Evance and all I can find is that it's the French form of an obscure saint, Evantius, but it comes from that root I have no idea why it would be used in Malawi. I like it a lot though.
Chisomo, Alinafe and Talandira are beautiful. Names seem to be more obviously religious - I almost get a Puritan vibe from some of the English names you mentioned. These names have beautiful meanings, I like the meaning of Pilirani and Alinafe especially. Also I don't think I noticed it before Loveness is pretty great!
I tried looking up Evance and all I can find is that it's the French form of an obscure saint, Evantius, but it comes from that root I have no idea why it would be used in Malawi. I like it a lot though.
Chisomo, Alinafe and Talandira are beautiful. Names seem to be more obviously religious - I almost get a Puritan vibe from some of the English names you mentioned. These names have beautiful meanings, I like the meaning of Pilirani and Alinafe especially. Also I don't think I noticed it before Loveness is pretty great!
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Evance is really neat! Maybe it's a surname, or missionary-related. I honestly don't know, but I think yours is a fair enough guess. It's another of those ones that I really don't know about. They bug me! Esnart is bugging me at the moment. It's a popular girls' name in the region. I wish I had a Chichewa Bible because I'm starting to think it's related to Asenat, since they translate all the names in the Bible to be pronounced easier, e.g. Yesu for Jesus. Actually, I'd put money on Asenat / Asenath at the moment. That is totally where it comes from.
The population in general are pretty religious, or at least they go to church a lot. :P Modern naming trends are influenced by missionary presence from the 19C, so that's why.
And Loveness is cool! I feel so ashamed liking it, but it really is awesome.
My favourite names are Thokozani (to-ko-ZAH-nee) and Mayamiko (My-uh-MEE-ko). :)
The population in general are pretty religious, or at least they go to church a lot. :P Modern naming trends are influenced by missionary presence from the 19C, so that's why.
And Loveness is cool! I feel so ashamed liking it, but it really is awesome.
My favourite names are Thokozani (to-ko-ZAH-nee) and Mayamiko (My-uh-MEE-ko). :)
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Grem is so adorable! And Heartson, and Wester, wow! And Loveness! Sherrif, that's genius. I love these, thanks for sharing!
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I know! How cute is Grem. I always had to stop myself from calling him GREM rather than GRAY-am. Grem Grem Grem.
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