Kouassi, Adjoua, Kouamé: The Akan Tradition of Naming by Day of Birth

Spend some time working in Côte d'Ivoire (in West Africa, French-speaking, the world's largest cocoa producer) and you will probably find several Kouassis, Koffis or Adjouas in your contacts. That is no coincidence: these names come from the Akan tradition of naming a child after the day of the week on which they were born. Understanding the system helps you remember names — and gives you one more topic of conversation.

What are Akan day names?

The Akan are a cultural group spread across Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Togo. The Baoulé, one of Côte d'Ivoire's largest ethnic groups, as well as the Agni (Anyi) and others, are Akan peoples. The Baoulé traditionally live in central Côte d'Ivoire, between the Bandama and N'Zi rivers, an area that includes Bouaké and Yamoussoukro; according to tradition, their kingdom was founded by Queen Abla Pokou around 1730.

According to information compiled on Wikipedia, Akan tradition gives children a name based on the day of the week they were born, and this name is believed to be linked to a person's soul and character. Even though many people also have a Christian or French first name, day names remain widespread and have even become common surnames. Ghanaian spellings such as Kwasi, Kofi and Kwame become Kouassi, Koffi and Kouamé in Côte d'Ivoire, following French spelling conventions. Wikipedia also notes that in Ghana most people have at least one such name.

Baoulé day names at a glance

Below is the correspondence commonly used by the Baoulé in Côte d'Ivoire, starting with Kouassi on Monday:

Note that spellings vary between families and regions; the common Ghanaian Akan correspondence (where Kwasi is Sunday) is shifted by one day from the table above, and Wikipedia mentions that the Baoulé calendar differs slightly from that of other Akan groups. So do not assume someone's birthday from their name alone — if you want to know, it is best to ask.

Beyond the day of the week: birth-order names

Besides day names, the Baoulé also name children by birth order, sometimes in place of the day name. A third child might be called N'Guessan, a ninth N'Goran and a tenth Brou, for example, regardless of sex. So when you come across names such as N'Guessan or Brou, there may be a family story behind them too.

What this means in business

• Record names together with surnames and job titles: the same company may have two Kouassis, so when writing emails or saving contacts, note the full name and title together.
• A great icebreaker: politely asking "Does your name stand for a day of the week?" will usually open a relaxed conversation.
• Do not joke about names or jump to conclusions: names are tied to family and faith — curiosity is fine, but be careful with comments.
• Not every Ivorian uses this system: it is a tradition of the Akan cultural sphere; other ethnic groups have their own naming practices.

One line for Asian readers

Next time you meet a Koffi, you will know his name is probably linked to Saturday — but the best approach is to treat it as a starting point for asking, not as the answer.

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References: Wikipedia – Akan names; Wikipedia – Baoulé people; Mémoire Online – Valeurs culturelles du peuple Baoulé