In Zimbabwe, names like Have-A-Look, Handsome, Thanks, Trust, Privilege, Doubt, Problem, and Shame are not random words but intentional choices that reflect family history, emotion, and circumstance. These English-language names carry deep meaning in a culture where naming a child goes beyond identity.
Privilege Mubani, a 37-year-old bar manager in Harare, initially did not think much of her name. However, her father later explained that her mother became pregnant out of wedlock, facing stigma in a conservative society. When a suitor married her despite this, she named her daughter Privilege as an expression of gratitude. “People had been laughing at her. She was being mocked for having a ‘fatherless’ child. Naming me Privilege was her own expression of gratitude,” Mubani said.
Zimbabwe’s use of English names stems from its history as a former British colony and a largely Christian nation, where English remains an official language. David Chikwaza, a decolonization researcher at Dublin City University, explained that these names echo pre-colonial traditions. “Zimbabweans, and Africans in general, are very spiritual and the naming of a child always carried deep symbolism. Colonialism promoted English as a language of sophistication, so Africans simply turned to the English vocabulary for expression, but the meanings remain the same.”
The naming culture often fascinates outsiders. During the African Cup of Nations in January, Zimbabwe’s national team drew attention on social media for players named Teenage, Godknows, Divine, Marvellous, Knowledge, Prince, and Prosper. Learnmore Jonasi, a finalist on “America’s Got Talent” in 2024, often jokes about his name and others like Givemore, Best, Promise, Guarantee, Anxious, Innocent, Confidence, and Hardlife.
Many Zimbabweans embrace their names with pride. Lovejoy Mutongwiza, a 33-year-old journalist, said his parents named him Lovejoy because they were “madly in love and in a happy place” when they conceived him. “It’s a befitting name. I think I have lived up to it because I am rarely angry. I am naturally a bubbly person.” Shame Chikwana, 51, has resisted pressure to adopt a more conventional name, saying he was named after his late grandfather and considers it a heritage he carries. “I would never trade it for any other name. I hope it stays within the family for generations to come.”
