‘CHI/CHUKWU’ NAMES AMONG THE IGBO OF SOUTH EAST NIGERIA: A SOCIO-ONOMASTIC APPROACH

Abstract

Naming across cultures is an indication of the prevalent belief systems, orientations, mindsets, world views of a people. Through names, a people’s social identity is revealed, and their accepted way of life is laid bare. This study aims at discovering what the preponderance of ‘Chi/Chukwu’ names among the Igbo suggests about their history, culture, social and religious life. 636 (six hundred and thirty-six) Chi/Chukwu name derivatives selected from the class lists of 100 – 400 levels students of the Department of English Language and Literature, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, who are predominantly of Igbo origin and other randomly selected names from Igbo-speaking local sources form the data for the research. The research design is descriptive, qualitative and quantitative design, and anchors on socio-onomastics as the theoretical framework. It concludes that the names are an indication of the attachment, dependence and reliance of the people on supernatural beings to control and coordinate every area of their lives, and as such a mark of their commitment to the worship of these beings.