ONOMASTIC APPROACH TO TACKLING THE EFFECTS OF EMERGING TRENDS IN IGBO NAMING SYSTEM

Abstract

The names that lgbo people bear are of immense significance. Igbo personal names reflect and show the supreme importance attached to religion in the life of the Igbo people and promote their cultural heritage. For more than a century and half, the Igbo culture has been battered and bastardized by colonialism and activities of missionaries who invaded Igboland. The exposure to new forms of life brought changes to the people's worldview. The objective of this research is to showcase the beauty of Igbo names and to investigate those damages that emerging trends have done to naming system in Igbo land. Some of the current trends in naming deprive the name of their cultural, social, religious and political relevance and undermine the identity of the bearers, while others violate the norms of naming in Igbo culture. To provide a foundation for comparison, the researcher compiled regular and trending Igbo names from her personal contacts as well as from the social media, books, internet and the print media for a descriptive analysis. An interview was also carried out to get a deeper insight into the reasons behind the names from the bearers. It was observed that westernization of Igbo names and clipping have done a great damage on Igbo names and even the Igbo culture. It is recommended that educative seminars and awareness campaigns should be arranged to educate people on the interconnectivity of names, language, culture and identity so that they can place meanings and relevance above fashion and trends when it comes to personal names.