In Ghana, a child usually gets a name before anyone asks what they want to be called. That name comes from the day of the week they were born. Ask a Ghanaian what their day name is and you will almost always get an answer, even from people who go by an English name at work.
This guide gives you the day names for all seven days in Twi (Akan) and Ewe, with the male and female form of each. If you came here asking “what is the Tuesday born name in Twi?”, you will find it in the table and in its own section below.
What Are Ghanaian Day Names?
A day name is a personal name given according to the day of the week a person was born. Among the Akan it is often called the Kra name, which links it to the soul a person is believed to bring into the world. Each day has one name for boys and one for girls.
The tradition is strongest among the Akan, who live mostly in the Ashanti, Eastern, Central and Western regions. It is also found among the Ewe of the Volta Region, among the Ga, and among many other Ghanaian communities. Famous examples include Kofi Annan (Kofi, Friday) and Kwame Nkrumah (Kwame, Saturday).
Akan (Twi) Day Names for All Seven Days
In Twi, the days of the week are Kwasiada, Dwoada, Benada, Wukuada, Yawoada, Fiada and Memeneda. Here are the names that go with each one.
| Day | Twi day word | Male name | Female name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Kwasiada | Kwasi, Akwasi, Kwesi | Akosua, Esi |
| Monday | Dwoada | Kwadwo, Kojo | Adwoa, Adjoa |
| Tuesday | Benada | Kwabena, Kobina, Kobby | Abena, Abenaa, Araba |
| Wednesday | Wukuada | Kwaku, Kweku | Akua, Ekua |
| Thursday | Yawoada | Yaw, Ekow | Yaa |
| Friday | Fiada | Kofi | Afua, Efua |
| Saturday | Memeneda | Kwame | Ama, Amma |
Spellings change from one region and dialect to another. Araba, for example, is the Fante form used for girls born on Tuesday.
The Tuesday Born Name in Twi
A boy born on Tuesday is called Kwabena, also written Kobina or shortened to Kobby. A girl born on Tuesday is called Abena or Abenaa. In Fante-speaking areas she may be called Araba.
The Twi word for Tuesday is Benada, and the names come from it. In some tellings of the tradition, Tuesday is linked to the sea. Many people also describe Tuesday-born children as energetic and strong willed, though these descriptions are beliefs passed down in families, not fixed rules.
Ewe Day Names
The Ewe have their own day names, and many of them sound close to the Akan forms. Ewe names also tend to be used for both boys and girls more freely than in some other traditions. The spelling in the table below is the common one, but you will see small differences between Ghana and Togo.
| Day | Male name | Female name |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Kodzo | Adzo |
| Tuesday | Komla | Abla |
| Wednesday | Koku | Aku |
| Thursday | Yao | Yawa |
| Friday | Kofi | Afi |
| Saturday | Komi | Ami |
| Sunday | Kosi | Kosiwa |
The Ewe word for Friday is Fida and for Thursday it is Yawoda. It is often said that the Ewe keep a child’s day name for life, while some Akan families change it to honour an elder or a deity.
Day Names Are Only One Part of an Ewe Name
Most Ewe people carry more than a day name. Many also have a name that expresses faith, gratitude or a family story. Selikem, for example, is not a day name. It is usually explained as meaning “destiny has established me.” You can read many more of these in our guides to male Ewe names, female Ewe names, and the full Ewe names A to Z reference.
What About the Ga?
Ga communities in Accra also name children by day of birth, and many Ga people carry the same day names used across Ghana. If you speak Ga and know the traditional Ga forms, we would love to hear them in the comments so we can add them here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tuesday born name in Twi?
Kwabena (also Kobina or Kobby) for a boy and Abena or Abenaa for a girl. Araba is the Fante form for a girl.
What is a Ghanaian day name?
A name given according to the day of the week a person was born. Each day has a male and a female name.
How do I find my Ghanaian day name?
Work out the day of the week you were born, then look for it in the tables above. You can find the weekday of any past date with a calendar or a date calculator.
Do Ewe and Akan people use the same day names?
Many names are very similar, such as Kofi for Friday, but the Ewe also have their own forms, such as Kodzo for Monday and Komla for Tuesday.
What does Selikem mean in Ewe?
It is commonly explained as “destiny has established me.” It is a name of faith and destiny, not a day name.
Can a day name be changed?
Among some Akan families, yes. A child may be given the name of an elder or a deity instead. Among the Ewe, the day name is usually kept.
Keep Learning
Want to go deeper? Read our guide to the Akan naming system, learn who the Akan people are, or learn who the Ewe people are. You can also look up any Twi or Ewe word in our free dictionaries: Twi dictionary and Ewe dictionary.
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