Rwandan names have deep significance and offer a unique lens into culture and family here. For those of you who share my fascination with etymology of words and names, Kinyarwanda names provide a trove of discoveries.
There are three types of names that an individual can have, including a Kinyarwanda given name (surname), a name from the father’s side (family name), and a Christian or Muslim name, depending on the religion. Some Rwandans keep all three names, but it is more common for people to choose only two as their official name – in some cases, parents let the child decide which combination of names s/he wants to be called. Some parents give all of their children names with with the same root to have a familial theme. For Catholics, a Christian name is given only at the baby’s Baptism.
About one month after a baby is born, the family holds a naming ceremony, called kwita izina. At this ceremony friends and family gather to celebrate the birth and offer suggestions of names for the child. I recently attended the kwita izina of a friend, Olivier, whose wife, Jeannette, had just given birth to a baby girl.
Each of the 40-some guests present stood up and suggested a Kinyarwanda name paired with a Christian name.
My name suggestion was Umutesi Helene.
Ultimately, Jeannette and Olivier unveiled a name that they had already chosen: Keza Mporera Arnica (pronounced KAY-zuh mm-ho-RAY-ruh AR-ni-ca). Keza (“beautiful”) is her Kinyarwanda name, Mporera (“compassion, mercy”) is her family name from Olivier’s grandmother, and Arnica (a healing flower) is her Christian name.
I’ve started working on a list of some Kinyarwanda names and their meanings. There are a few themes, primarily variations on the root imana, or “God”, and variations on the root kunda, or “love.” It is still a work in progress, so I kindly request that any Rwandans reading please correct mistakes I’ve made about meanings or gender. Names from this list may be either one’s family name (name inherited from the father) or Kinyarwanda given name (surname). Here it is so far:
Male
- Ganza – be prosperous, be known
- Gatanazi – strong
- Gatera – invader, attacker
- Habamenshi – people talk a lot
- Hitimana – named by God
- Kamanzi – warrior, hero
- Mbarushimana – I am luckier than you
- Mugabo – man
- Mukunzi – lover, sweetheart
- Ndabarinzi – I am protecting you
- Ngoga – courage, speed
- Nshizirungu – has friends, not lonely
- Ntampaka – no disagreement
- Ntarugera – safe, no worries
- Rukundo – love
- Shema – pride
- Shyaka – commitment, courage
- Turatsinze – we are the winners
Female
- Giramata – has milk
- Girinka – has cow
- Gisa – meaning unknown, from old Kinyarwanda
- Imbabazi – sorry
- Isaro – bead, jewel
- Kabatesi, Umutesi – stubborn
- Keza – beautiful
- Kirezi – jewel, brilliant, beauty
- Kundwa, Mukundwa – be loved
- Mpore, Mporera – compassion, mercy
- Nkunzi – be loved
- Nzayisenga – I will worship God
- Safi – clean, pure
- Umubyeyi – parents
- Umulisa – meaning unknown, from old Kinyarwanda
- Umutoni – elite
- Uwase – for the father
Unisex
Kunda (“love”) root:
- Bakunda – they love
- Iradukunda – God loves us
- Nkunda – I love
- Nyirarukundo – something else with love, not sure…
- Tumukunde – let’s love him/her, lovely
- Uzamukunda – you will be loved
Imana (“God”) root:
- Akimana – precious daughter/son of God
- Dusabimana – let’s pray to God
- Habimana – something else with God, not sure
- Habyarimana – God produces
- Hakizimana – God gives wealth
- Ndagijimana – protected by God
- Nsabimana – something else with God, not sure
- Uwimana – God’s daughter/son
And other unisex names:
- Abayisenga – worshippers
- Hirwa, Uhirwa – be lucky, lucky one
- Ingabire – grace
- Kwizerwa, Mwizerwa – trustworthy
- Muhire, Umuhire – blessed, happy
- Ndayishimye – I am happy
- Nkurunziza – good news
- Nzabamwita – we will name him/her later (funny one)
- Tumurere – let’s educate him/her
- Tuyishimye – we are happy
- Uwamahoro – peace, serenity
Most Christian names in Rwanda are Francophone. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Chantal
- Emmanuel
- Eric
- Jacqueline
- Jean + something (m): Jean de Dieu, Jean Damascene, Jean d’Amour, Jean Aimé, Jean Baptiste, Jean Bosco, Jean Paul, Jean Paulin
- Justine
- Olive (f)/Olivier (m)
On a personal note, I have falled in love with the word Amata (ah-MAH-tah) and I’ve added it to my ongoing list of names for a potential future daughter. I find it special for multiple reasons: In Kinyarwanda it means “milk,” in Hindi it means “immortality,” and in Latin it is the feminine perfect passive participle of amare, meaning “loved.” It’s also a beautiful name and if my potential future daughter decides it’s too “weird” she can just shorten it to Amy! (I also like Izina (ee-ZEE-nah), which ironically means “name.”)
I like Amata, it ends in a, keeping the family tradition!
But what if you have sons?
Thanks, I’m glad you approve!!!! Hmm, in the case of only sons, Amato? It doesn’t really have the same ring though. Hopefuly that won’t be a concern if I keep up the same gender distribution as our family and your and dad’s immediate families!