Personal naming practices and identity formation among the Gede'o people, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract This research is about naming practices, significances, socio-cultural meanings and dynamics of change in Gede’o peoples. It specifically aims to investigate the typology and significances of names. In personal names there are semantic patterns, cultural and ritual practices. Nonetheless, these dynamics is changing to some extent towards Amharic-religious naming style by ignoring its cultural value. Qualitative research methodology followed in the study. Socio-cultural and linguistic data were collected using interviews. The collected names were analysed thematically; they were classified based on its references, how it’s given and its semantic value/meaning. Trend analysis was used to show degree of maintenance or endangerment of personal name giving practices. The results of the study show that names, which are often given express the context or the situation or condition during birth. Gede’o people personal names have meaning. The meanings could be descriptive, associative or referential meaning. The naming in Gede’o is slightly changing from cultural or native personal names into religious names and Amharic names. The causes for such changes found to be disparagement, religion, and Amharic hegemony. It was further found that giving native personal names to new born babies were revitalized in the recent years.