Please read to the end and explain to me what the name means in Igbo language..
In her words;
"It happened shortly before my first novel was published. I was born Ngozi Grace.
Growing up, I always felt I wasn’t a Grace – Grace was my mother’s name – and Ngozi felt to me common.
Being catholic, one of the joys of Catholicism is that you get to choose a name when you are confirmed. So I thought, what name will I choose? The priest said it has to be a saint. People were choosing ridiculous names like Bernadette. I was like, no. I had read a novel and there was a character called Amanda. So I thought, my name is Amanda.
I was Amanda from secondary school till the first year of university where I was studying medicine. Then I went to the US. It was about a month into my time there; I was an undergraduate and there were about five people in class with the name Amanda. It wasn’t that it wasn’t so unique anymore, it was the way they pronounced it. And I thought, this is so not me. I started thinking of how to change it. For a while, I would merge both [names], I would call myself Amanda Ngozi. It was a learning experience for me. I thought, this is nonsense; wanting an English name.
Just before my novel was published, I remember thinking, and I remember exactly where I was when it came to me. I am not a person who is given to this kind of Pentecostal talk, but it felt like a revelation.
I was in my brother’s house in England, in the tiny guest room, lying on the narrow bed. My novel was going to be published and I did not want to be introduced to the world as Amanda. I wanted an Igbo name but I didn’t want Ngozi. I didn’t feel like Ngozi – Ngozi is a lovely name, but it is too common and it didn’t feel like me. I remember just lying there and it came to me. “Chimamamda”. Obviously, I could have just picked any Igbo name, but I wanted a name that had Amanda in it, so that I wouldn’t have to change my passport because I already had the identity. I had a passport, a driver’s license and bank accounts with that name...
So it was really just me thinking, how can I hold unto this name, but then make it Igbo?
The reason I didn’t want to talk about it – because I have actually decided to write about it – is because I wanted to give it time to have its own legitimacy. Had I started talking about it earlier, it would have been so easy to dismiss. In some ways, it feels legitimate now because half of the kids born in Igboland are being named Chimamanda.”
Interview with Tv Host, Ebuka Obi Uchendu
Chimamanda, my daughter’s name. Named after this great woman meaning ‘my God will never fail’.
ReplyDeleteDidn’t even know she made up the name herself, just blends thoroughly with an Igbo name
I enjoyed the story and how she speaks.
ReplyDeleteI remember few days before my confirmation, my mom told me my confirmation name would be Valentina since I was born few days after Valentine's day. Me and my coconut head went to church and told our priest Favour. I loved Favour, it was everywhere. Every corner you turn, you must hear Favour. When I got home, my dear mom was in the kitchen cooking I told her I didn't like Valentina so I chose Favour. Ha! My mama say before she open her eyes I should run back to church and correct it to what she initially told me, I ran back to church. Thank God Parish priest was still there and he was kind enough to correct it. That's how I got my beautiful name Valentina. And honestly, I love it. I wish It's on my documents but I already began with Sandra.
I read a comment online where a guy shared his own story. He said he was born in the era of the movie Terminator, he loved Arnold Schwarzenegger so much that he chose Schwarzenegger as his confirmation name. He said the priest just looked at him and walked away.π
π€£π€£π€£ e reach to Walk away.
DeleteYou have a beautiful name.π
E really wish to walk away ππππ
DeleteIf my name was Njideka I would change itπ
DeleteThank you Apple. π
Deleteπππ the prist thoughπ
Deleteπ€£
DeleteBeautiful name Amanda♥️ for better celebrity like you mam .
ReplyDeleteYes. It led to the boom of new names in Igbo. Chimamanda, chikaima, kaeto, and it made others to think of their own original names. Like Ebuka’s kids ruby and jeweluchi, zikora became ziora etc etc
ReplyDeleteI love this name so much.πππ
ReplyDeleteAwww. Nice
ReplyDeleteChimamanda (My God will never fail). The name transcends across all Igbo states now. π§‘
ReplyDeleteChimmamada
ReplyDeleteMy God never Fails ππ
Beautiful Solid Name...
Hello iya Boys
Beautiful name π
ReplyDeleteI read this this years ago.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful story π
ReplyDeleteNice one