Unusual First Names of Zimbabwean African People

[GILSAN]

ZIMBABWE NAMES

Around the middle of the 20th century many Zimbabwe (at the time the country was an English colony called Rhodesia) African parents began to give their new born babies very unusual English first names, a tradition that still continues today.

The list of names below is real and belongs to mostly well known personalities in Zimbabwe (politicians, soccer players, artists, as well as ordinary people).

Today in Africa, the first and most famous name that comes to my mind that would fit really nicely into the relatively short list below, would be of Goodluck Jonathan, the President of Nigeria

Marvellous Mhlanga-Nyahuye
Lovemore Matombo
Blessing Tendi
Saviour Kasukuwere
Sixpence Dlamini
Evidence Manyere
Patience Rusere
Fortune Mpofu
Blade Nzimande
Prince Chauke
Biggie Chitoro
Admire Mukorera
Trymore Simango
Smile Dabengwa
Surprise Moriri
Trust Mudzuri
Learnmore Jongwe
Jealousy Mawarire
Canaan Banana
Silence Chihuri
Kindness Paradza
Gift Muchinguri
Hope Sadza
Memory Shiriinorira
Hopewell Chinono
Talent Mabika
Prosper Mutseyami
Witness Masunda
Precious Chidhuku
Brilliant Dube
Clever Bere
Shepherd Mutamba
Passionate Chiedza
Godknows Dzoro Mtshakazi
Okay Mabhena
Moreblessing Tirivangani
Settlement Chikwinya
Choice Ndoro
Fashion Phiri
Perseverance Rufaro
Prosper Ncube
Praisegod Sibongile
Givemore Manuella
Gift Makolonio
Method Mwanyazi
Limited Chicafa
Danger Fourpence
Have-a-look Dube
Clever Muzuva
Sunday Bhekizwe
Heavens Chinyama
Heavy Weight Utaunashe
Democracy Muguti
Released Results Matongo
Runoff Vuyani
Polling Station Nhamoinesu
Ballot Box Makhosi


The last 5 names were from a Zimbabwe maternity records list showing some strange names given to new born babies during and after an election period.

 

[NPer]

haha... that is an interesting list.

There are other names which I came across which are not English, nor African!! Completely meaningless.

There was a guy I knew during my high school days whose name was La-bubble-yo. Seriously-exactly like that. The only guy on the planet to have that name. It has no meaning-he even told us that.And imagine-that was his name!!

And then there were others whose parents named them a made-up name ONLY because they thought it sounded Middle-eastern, and they were not Middle-eastern at all, nor did they even look like itt. The name was non-existent, and they were not of Middle-eastern descent.

For some guys in Southern Africa, it's about how it sounds, rather than it's meaning.

Plenty of people in Africa suffer from a very complicated identity crisis. It affects them really bad.

 

[twomoon]

When I saw that list first, I thought it''s an Domain Appraisal section Some similar ideas lol

 

[GILSAN]

I used to have a list that was at least 8-10 longer, of these types of unusual but interesting names, but I lost it when my hard disk crashed a few years back and I lost a lot of info.

 

[south]

One the kids therapists was named "Innocent". He was from Trinidad if I remember correctly.

Gotta also wonder about Sixpence. Did he/she come from the local 5 & dime?

 

[GILSAN]

One the kids therapists was named "Innocent". He was from Trinidad if I remember correctly.

Gotta also wonder about Sixpence. Did he/she come from the local 5 & dime?

When Zimbabwe was a British Colony (Rhodesia) the currency was Pounds, Shillings and Pence.
12 pence = 1 shilling
20 shillings = 1 Pound (£)

There were 1, 3 and 6 pence coins.... that's were the idea of the name Sixpence came from

 

[domainbartender]

Some of those names are beautiful! There are only a couple in there that I dislike.

 

[sephirotica]

Hope Sadza

Isn't Hope a usual name? Female tho but still XD

Few years back there was a surge of unusual names in Bosnia (that's where i live) as well

Two of the most memorable are
Plavo Nebo (literally means blue sky, no special meaning or anything, no symbolic and an utterly unique name)
Radost (translates into Joy in English and although Joy is a common name in USA and other English-speaking parts of the world, name Radost is completely unique and very robust to pronounce)

 

[victor wondu]

I remember reading an article about some legal case in Zimbabwe, the lawyer's first name was "Innocent"!

 

[GILSAN]

I remember reading an article about some legal case in Zimbabwe, the lawyer's first name was "Innocent"!

LOL... Just imagine if his client's name was called "Guilty". In Zimbabwe the possibility of that happening would be very high.