Traditional Akan Twi Names: Day Names, Birth Order and Twin Names Explained

Among the Akan people of Ghana, a name is rarely an arbitrary choice. It can tell you the day a person was born, where they fall in the family order, whether they arrived as a twin, and the circumstances that surrounded their birth. Packed into a few syllables, an Akan name can carry more information about a person’s story than most people would expect.

The Akan people speak a cluster of related languages, including Asante Twi, Akuapem Twi, and Fante, and their naming traditions are among the most structured and well-documented in West Africa. This article presents the core reference tables for traditional Akan naming: the seven day names, the birth-order names, the twin names, and the circumstance-based names, covering more than 130 documented forms with explanations in English and French.

For the cultural and historical context behind these names, including what they reveal about Akan society, religion, identity, and modern life in Ghana, see the companion article: What Akan Names Tell Us About Ghanaian Culture and Identity.

You can also read our earlier introduction to this tradition in the article The Akan Naming System: Why Every Ghanaian Child Has a Day Name.

1. The Seven Traditional Akan Day Names

The most widely recognised aspect of Akan naming is the kradin, a name connected to the day of the week on which a child is born. The word kradin is commonly explained as a soul name. Every day of the week carries a traditional name for boys and a different one for girls, and a person born on that day traditionally receives the corresponding name.

Multiple forms of each day name exist across different Akan communities. All the documented forms are included in the table below.

Quick Reference: The Seven Principal Day Names

These day names are closely related to the Ewe day-name tradition practised in neighbouring communities. You can compare them in the Ewe Names and Their Meanings reference article.

2. Akan Names Based on Birth Order

Beyond the day of birth, Akan naming also records where a child falls in the family order. These birth-order names can track position from the first-born all the way to the thirteenth and beyond, which gives some sense of how large Akan family structures can be and how important it was to preserve that information in a name.

Piesie marks the first-born. Kaakyire marks the last-born. Every position between them has a traditional name attached to it.

3. Names for Twins and Children Born After Twins

Twins hold a special place in many Akan communities. The naming traditions surrounding twins are careful and deliberate, and they reflect a traditional understanding of twin births that differs from how Western cultures often frame it. In the Akan tradition, the first twin to be physically delivered is not always considered the elder in the spiritual sense. Traditional explanations on this point vary across communities, and the terminology reflects that complexity.

Children born immediately after a set of twins also receive traditional names.

4. Names Given According to Circumstances of Birth

Some of the most culturally rich Akan names are those given in response to specific circumstances surrounding a birth. These names can function almost like historical records. A name like Anto, meaning “did not come to meet him,” may preserve the memory of a father who died before the child was born. A name like Bekoe records that a child arrived during a period of war or conflict. These names carry stories that might otherwise have been forgotten.

5. Regional Variant Quick-Reference

As noted above, Akan communities across Ghana use different forms of the same traditional names. The table below shows the most common variants side by side so they are easy to identify and compare.

How to Contribute to This Record

This reference covers more than 130 documented forms, but Akan naming traditions are extensive. Names can vary by community, clan, traditional authority, historical period, and family practice. Some traditional names have also become family surnames over time, and those carry their own stories too.

If you know a traditional Akan or Twi name that is not in this list, or if you think a form, meaning, or classification should be corrected, we want to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or reach out by email. If a name has different meanings or uses in Asante Twi, Akuapem Twi, or Fante, that information is especially valuable.

Traditional naming belongs to the communities that practice it. Documenting it well means making it a collaborative process.

Related Reading on Language Roots Hub

• The Akan Naming System: Why Every Ghanaian Child Has a Day Name
• The Twi Months of the Year: Traditional Names and the Akan Seasonal Calendar
• How to Greet in Twi: 20 Essential Twi Greetings
• Common Twi Words and Vocabulary: A Beginner’s Reference
• Speak Twi From Day One: The Language Roots Hub Twi Phrase Book
• Ewe Names and Their Meanings: A Complete A to Z Reference
• Nawdm Names and Their Meanings: A Living Community Reference
• What Are the Kwa Languages of West Africa? A Complete Guide