Akan Day Names

The Akan people of Ghana frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. These names have spread through West Africa, from Benin/Dahomey (Fon) and Togo (Ewe) to Cote d'Ivoire (Baoule), and throughout the African diaspora.

For example, Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, was named for being born on a Saturday (Kwame). The seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, was named for being born on a Friday (Kofi).

Day of Week	Male Name	Sound	Variants	Female Name	Sound	Variants
Sunday	Kwasi		Akwasi Kosi Kwesi	Akosua		Akosi Akosiwa Asi Esi
Monday	Kwadwo		Jojo Kodjo Kojo	Adwoa		Adjoa Adjua Ajwoba
Tuesday	Kwabena		Ebo Kobby Kobina Komla	Abenaa		Abena Abla Abrema
Wednesday	Kwaku		Kaku Koku Kuuku Kweku	Akua		Aku Akuba Ekua
Thursday	Yaw		Ekow Yaba Yao Yawo	Yaa		Aba Ayawa Baaba Yaaba
Friday	Kofi		Fiifi Koffi	Afua		Afi Afia Efia
Saturday	Kwame		Ato Komi Kwamena Kwami	Amma		Ama Ame Ameyo

Among the Baoule people of Cote d'Ivoire there is a distinct difference in the assignment of these Akan day names. The Baoule have a calendar which is different from the calendar of other Akan ethnic groups, and their day names are shifted by one day from that of the Akans in Ghana.

Day of Week	Male Name	Female Name
Sunday	Kouame	Amoin
Monday	Kouassi	Akissi
Tuesday	Kouadjo	Adjoua
Wednesday	Konan	Amenan
Thursday	Kouakou	Ahou
Friday	Yao	Aya
Saturday	Koffi	Affoue