Does your name define who you are?

For example, among the Yoruba, the name Iyabode is given to a female child who was born after the demise of the grandmother, so also is the name Babatunde given to a male child born when the grandfather dies before the birth of the child.I remember a friend of mine who bears the name Ige, […]

For example, among the Yoruba, the name Iyabode is given to a female child who was born after the demise of the grandmother, so also is the name Babatunde given to a male child born when the grandfather dies before the birth of the child.I remember a friend of mine who bears the name Ige, I got curious and I asked her what her name means, she said”during my birth, my mum told me that I  came out with the legs instead of the head and under such circumstance in Yoruba culture a child is named “Ige.”
So, what’s really in a name? Some say there is more to the person who bears the name than the name itself, other think otherwise. Some say names affect people’s destiny and the way they behave. To what extent is this true, does your name define who you? Lifextra presents to you the opinions of some respondents.
Mrs. Chima Mmeka, a business woman is of the opinion that names to a large extent define and shape ones future: ”My name “Chima,” meaning-“God knows” this name was given to me due to the circumstance my parents found themselves in, they already had eight girls and one boy,so they just needed another boy to make it two due to the culture of my people who cherish the male child  a lot,when I was conceived all their expectation was fixed on a boy, but their hope got dashed after I was born and this led to the name Chima.” She added that shebelieves that names affect people citing herself as an example: “I have been married for eight years without a child with this I believe God knows why.” Mmeka said some people change their names because of the situations they find themselves, which they believe may have something to do with the names they bear.
Mrs. Ogechi Okeke is also of the view that the names we bear affect us: “My parents gave birth to two of my elder brothers and before they had me, it took another eight years, this led my parents to give me the name “Ogechi’ which means-‘Gods time is the best.” She believes that her name works in sharpening her life; she sees her name as a fulfillment of her destiny as she brings good fortune to people around her. “Yes, my name affects me because I am bring goodluck to my husband who when I got married to, had nothing, but immediately I married him the wheel of life changed for him,  he experienced breakthrough in his business and other aspects of his life… My brothers even attested to the fact that when they send me money, they experience much sales in their businesses for that month, I also believe that when a woman is pregnant, she already has in mind a name  concerning the child and circumstances surrounding the birth influences the choice of name parents give to their children.”
Other respondents think people change their names due to religion or superstition. Amao Ibukunoluwa says:” I have a friend who changed her name from Endurance to Favour. According to her she found it hard to succeed in life so she went to see a pastor who told her she needed to change her name and for that reason, she did,. She also talked of her grandfather who changed his name from Ifagorioye which means “Ifa is now king,” to Oluwagorioye meaning “God is now king.” The change was as a result of a switch of religion from the worship of the Ifa god to Christianity.
Tochichukwuma believes that names define people and that her name “Tochi” means ‘Praise God.’ ”Praising God has really kept me going because I can’t do without it. My name is Tochukwu or Tochi, but I prefer Tochi because it makes spelling and pronunciation easier. Praising God has opened doors for me always even when there seems to be no way out.”
There are also some names that when you hear them, you want to laugh, I remember a situation where I heard someone bearing the name “Liberia.” I was forced to ask my dad who was with me then why the person bears such a name. He responded saying: “In the olden days our fathers didn’t really care to find out about the meaning of names before they were given, as long as they sound good,they give it to you.”In his quest to make me laugh more he told me that one of his friends bears the name “Governor.”
According to a psychologist, Amaka Obochi: “People believe that names have many things to do with their personality and behavior, people in our culture have sustained this belief.” She however said this perception is not true: “I don’t believe in names shaping an individual’s life because I have not seen it, I believe nature/nurture controversy(which is the behavior inside you and the one acquired from the environment) tells the personality of an individual.”