Personal names carry significant meaning in African cultures. The research critically
argues that among the Shona speaking people of Zimbabwe, given names are not just
mere tags or labels but carry and convey a significant message to the family or society
of the named person. The message is often descriptive of the person named or their
family. It describes the circumstances around the birth of the named or the conditions
of their parents or their country and or their environment. The research further shows
that names derived from socio-cultural experiences may have a plurality of meanings
and also that they may be used to predict or explain something about the person
named, including their parents or environment. Philosophically then, to name is to
confirm, or to negate, and to confer something to the person named or to describe the
circumstances of their birth.
Mazita edungamunhu ane chirevo mutsika nemagariro evanhu vemuAfrica. Donzvo
retsvakurudzo ino rinotaura nezvevanhu verudzi rweChiShona munyika yeZimbabwe, richiti
mazita anopihwa vana haangova mazita chete, asi anetsanangudzo yakakosha zvikuru
kumhuri kana kuti munzvimbo yaberekerwa munhu wacho, kana kuti kumuridzi wezita racho.
Tsananguro yacho inotaura nezvemuridzi wezita kana kuti kumhuri yaaberekerwa.
Tsananguro yacho inotsanangudza mamiriro enguva yaberekwa munhu wacho kana kuti tsika
nemagariro evabereki vake kana mamiriro emunyika yaaberekwa kana kuti munzvimbo
yaaberekerwa. Tsvakurudzo ino inoenderera mberi ichitaura kuti mazita evanhu anobva
mutsika memagariro evanhu anoreva zvinhu zvakawanda nekuti dzimwe nguva
anoshandiswa kutaura zvichauya kana kutsanangura nezvemuridzi wezita kana vabereki
vake, dzimwe dzenguva nzvimbo yavanogara. Saka fungidziro inoti, kupa zita kubvumirana
kana kupikisana, kana kuti kugadza chigaro pamunhu kana kuti katsanangudza mamiriro
akaita nguva yaaberekwa.
gama lomntu linentsingiselo enzulu kwiinkcubeko zama-Afrika. Uphando lubonisa
ngokucacileyo ukuba phakathi kwabantu baseZimbabwe abantetho isisiShona, igama
alinikwayo umntu asinto nje yokuphawula, koko ngumyalezo obalulekileyo omalunga nosapho
okanye uluntu lwalowo uthiywa igama. Lo myalezo ula ngokuchaza ngalowo uthiywayo
okanye usapho lwakhe. Kuchazwa iimeko ezingqonge ukuzalwa kwakhe okanye imeko
yabazali bakhe, isizwe sakhe okanye indalo ebangqongileyo. Uphando lubonakalisa ukuba
amagama asekelwe kumava enkcubeko nezentlalo anganeentsingiselo eziliqela. Ngaphaya
koko, la magma asenokusetyeniziselwa ukuqikelela okanye ukucacisa okuthile malunga nalo
uthiywayo, abazali bakhe okanye indalo ebangqongileyo. Ngokwefilosofi ke ngoko, ukuthiya
igama kukungqina okanye kukuphikisa, kukubethelela inyaniso ethile ngomntu othiywa igama,
ikwakukuchaza iimeko zokuzalwa kwakhe.
