adminTafadzwa Zimoyo Lifestyle Writer
Her first visit to Africa was to Zimbabwe so perhaps it is befitting that a number of local baby girls under the age of two are named after her.
I am referring to Zahara, the sister from the Republic of South Africa who seems to have moved out of the African continent sometime between the freeing of Nelson Mandela and the rise of Julius Malema.
But that is another story and this one is really about the names that the latest wave of kids is being blessed or saddled with, depending on your views.
The sprouting of new baby names is mesmerising. Troy, Khloe, Briaana, Coco, Tix, Vashon, Tamika Xena, Fleet, Mikaylah, Keisha, Zaquisha, Rai, Zendaya, Grey, Syrup and Jayden are what most tots that you meet are called.
What they seem to have in common is that they are all likely to be linked to a celebrity in the film, music or sport industries.
The pulpit is represented with Eubert (Angel), Emmanuel (Makandiwa) and Joyce (Meyer) proving popular among those who follow the teachings of those preachers.
I met an 18-month-old girl called Nenyasha and wondered if there might be a Miracle and a Minana floating out there as religion related names with a new twist are also popular.
These cute new names have seen parents scratching their heads wanting to have the best of them all. Names must be exotic and preferably linked to a celebrity who is currently riding high.
I will name my daughter Seth because it is trendy. The era has changed.
“Let’s move with time. Wait and see in the next five years, you will meet a child whose name is only one letter of the alphabet,” said Tariro who is heavily pregnant.
She said she chose the name together with her husband because the influence of a television series.
But where are these names coming from and do they have significance? Does Tariro know that Seth or Set comes from ancient Egyptian mythology where he was the evil god on whom the Biblical devil was arguably modelled on?
Shirley, a nurse and mother of one in Borrowdale Brooke, said growing up she had long lists of names for her dolls and pets.
So when she got pregnant two years ago with her first child and was finally in a position to name a real live human being, she had a whole load to choose from.
“I considered myself a researcher of one of the most important things I could ever do for my child,” Shirley said.
So she named her eight months daughter Mikaylah. She rejected some names as she wondered if they would be equally suitable for an adult as for a child, or if they might inspire embarrassing nicknames, and what kind of image they were likely to convey.
“I mean, several years ago people were calling their kids Roxette, Beckham, Tadiwa, Mudiwa and so forth. And now that those kids are grown-ups, they are embarrassed about their names.”
But Shona names are still pretty popular albeit teamed up with another more exotic name, mostly from black American showbiz personalities.
Shirley believes that a name holds the power to shape her child’s self-esteem and her identity and influence how she is seen and treated by others.
Zimbabweans seem to love trends when it comes to naming their offspring. 40 years ago and beyond, basic English names like Peter and Mary were common. Diminutives like Liz, Bill, Harry, Bert, Peggy and Maggie also made it onto a lot of birth certificates.
Biblical names like Nehemiah, Daniel, Ruth and Esther were also desirable as missionaries discouraged “heathen” names.
Then as more people acquired book education and higher proficiency in English, verbs, adjectives, emotions and nouns crept into the naming arena producing children called Progress, Blessed, Beauty, Jealous, Forgive, Regret, Strive and Experiment.
People also coined names like Loveness and Tryness. Meanings were very important with translation and transliteration resulting in the registry office issuing out documents to individuals like Setfree, Godknows, Nevermind, Toolate, Tragedy, Comfort, Lovewell, Devine and Prayers.
Then a back-to-African-names renaissance seems to have taken root about 40 years ago.
In this age group you will find the English names paired with Shona ones like Kudzai, Tafadzwa, Nhamo, Takudzwa and Farai.
It must be noted that most Ndebele speakers have stuck to their own names like Thabani, Thando, Siphathisiwe and Bongani.
They have thus avoided some of the more bizarre and outright hilarious names that seem to have befallen some unfortunate kids.
They have had to grow up and learn to be confident as they thrust out hands and introduce themselves as Punishment, Perhaps, Furious, Pleasure, Ecstasy, After, Ransom or Sugar.
Tambudzai, Shorai, Rowai, Shupikai and the rest of their depressing ilk have thankfully gone with the wind with an ever decreasing band of survivors still answering to them.
The Shona names with positive connotations have persevered with ‘new’ versions like Kupakwashe, Nokutenda, Mandipa, Mazvita trending in kids currently between the ages of three and 15.
Otherwise it is the TV or the Internet that is providing sources of names.
“I named my son Xena after the movie of the same name. I never had time to search for its meaning but the character was masculine and energetic and I saw that in my son,” said Memory Zingombe of Mabelreign.
Kudzai Tsarwe-Murauro of Kamfinsa Park named her daughter Meagan and when one hears that name especially this period what comes to mind is the US actress and video vixen beautiful Meagan Good.
Perhaps it is a wish for her daughter to be as prominent, outstanding and a crowd-pulling and commanding figure as the popular artiste.
“Your name defines you. It’s your brand, really, for the rest of your life,” said Vanessa Chiyangwa-daughter to Dr Chiyangwa. Vanessa named her son Malik meaning King.
“I chose a name on the internet which is simple and trendy. My first name is Ellen and when I came back from abroad our gardener used to call me ‘Eren’, so you see it is all about pronunciation and what is top during that time,” she said
But getting a name from the net carries its own risk as not everything that you read on-line is true. A search on the internet shows that Zendaya as in the popular Disney TV actress is supposed to be a Shona name from Zimbabwe and southern Zambia meaning to give thanks (<http://www.babynames.com/name/Zendaya>)
“I think people nowadays find a rhyme in the name and if it flows then that is it. Check with names like Zahara, Papali, Mayal and Zidane,” concluded one lifestyle coach and guru.
Thank goodness one has yet to meet a baby called Lady Gaga.
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