Akan Names

The tradition goes back to the Akan tribe: to name their children by the day of their birth. Different Ghanaian ethnic groups largely share one common belief: the naming of their children. They name children according to their gender and the day of the week they were born.

Today, many Akan people have a first, middle, and last name or surname. A mat is spread on the floor and the child is lifted three times, placed on the mat naked, and the broom is put in her hand and she is covered with the calabash; after a second or so, the calabash is removed.