Linguistically, Africa’s the most diverse continent. Over 500 languages are spoken in Nigeria alone. During slavery, roughly 12.5 million Africans were trafficked. Of those forcibly displaced, 3.5 million were Nigerian. Stripped of everything else, our ancestors’ names were one of the few things they could preserve.
While their enslavers gave them “slave names,” in private many enslaved Africans referred to each other by their indigenous names. As new familial bonds formed and Eurocentric languages were forced upon them, over time traditional African linguistics blurred. This created the range of uniquely “Black” names we celebrate today, including naming traditions we’ve used for generations.
One of the first things our ancestors did as free persons was change their names. Many discarded their “slave name,” choosing entirely new names for themselves.
While we must trust that our parents had the best intentions when naming us, like our enslaved ancestors, sometimes we find immense power in renaming ourselves. When someone we love renames themselves, we honor them by learning their new name.
A name is our introduction. It’s what we respond to. Let's choose names for our children or for ourselves that preserve the liberation of our ancestors’ spirits. Let’s make “Revolution” the name to watch.