Kwaku

Kwaku
Gender	Male
Origin
Word/name	Akan people, Ewe people
Meaning	born on a Wednesday
Region of origin	Akan people, Ewe people, Ghana
Other names
Related names	Kwadwo (Monday); Kwabena (Tuesday); Kwaku (Wednesday); Yaw (Thursday); Kofi (Friday); Kwame (Saturday); Akwasi (Sunday);

Kwaku (Kweku, Kuuku, Korku, Kɔku, Kouakou), is an Akan given name for male children born on Wednesday to the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups. Akan birthday names are associated with appellations that give an indication of the character of people born on such days.^[1] Typical appellations for Kwaku are Atobi, Daaku or Bonsam meaning stubborn.^[1]

*Kwaku* statue in Paramaribo, representing a freed slave whose chains are cut.

Origin and meaning of Kwaku

In the Akan culture, day names are known to be derived from deities. Kwaku originated from Wukuada and the Lord of Life's Sky (heavenly) Host deity of the day Wednesday.^[2]^[1]^[3] Males named Kwaku can be mean-spirited and tenacious.^[2]^[1]

Male variants of Kwaku

Day names in Ghana vary in spelling among the various Akan subgroups. The name is spelled Kwaku by the Akuapem, Akyem, Bono, Akwamu and Ashanti subgroups while the Fante subgroup spell it as Kweku.^[4]^[1]

Female version of Kwaku

In the Akan culture and other local cultures in Ghana, day names come in pairs for males and females. The variant of the name used for a female child born on Wednesday is Akua.^[1]^[2]^[4]

Notable people with the name Kwaku

Most Ghanaian children have their cultural day names in combination with their English or Christian names. Some notable people with such names are:

Kwaku Boateng (born 1995), Canadian high-jumper^[5]
(Francis) Kwaku Sakyi Addo, Ghanaian radio journalist^[5]
Kwaku Alston American photographer^[5]
Kwaku Manu (born 1984), Ghanaian actor
Kwaku Sintim Misa (born 1956), Ghanaian actor^[5]
Kwaku Duah (d. 1867), eighth king of the Ashanti Kingdom^[5]
Kwaku Karikari (born 2002), Ghanaian footballer
(Anthony) Rebop Kwaku Baah (1944–1983), Ghanaian percussionist
Kwaku, Antiguan and Barbudan national hero

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Konadu, Kwasi (2012). "The Calendrical Factor in Akan History". International Journal of African Historical Studies. 45: 217–246.
1 2 3 Agyekum, Kofi Kofi (January 2006). "The Sociolinguistic of Akan Personal Names". ResearchGate. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
↑ Danso, Vanessa. "The Akan Day Names and Their Embedded Ancient Symbolism". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
1 2 "'Day born names' in Dagbani, Ewe and Fante". GhanaWeb. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
1 2 3 4 5 "Kwaku: Name Meaning, Popularity, and Similar Names". Nameberry. Retrieved 6 April 2021.

[:0-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Konadu, Kwasi (2012). "The Calendrical Factor in Akan History". International Journal of African Historical Studies. 45: 217–246.

[:2-2] 1 2 3 Agyekum, Kofi Kofi (January 2006). "The Sociolinguistic of Akan Personal Names". ResearchGate. Retrieved 6 April 2021.

[3] Danso, Vanessa. "The Akan Day Names and Their Embedded Ancient Symbolism". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 6 April 2021.

[:3-4] 1 2 "'Day born names' in Dagbani, Ewe and Fante". GhanaWeb. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2021.

[:4-5] 1 2 3 4 5 "Kwaku: Name Meaning, Popularity, and Similar Names". Nameberry. Retrieved 6 April 2021.

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