It might interest you to know that every Twi name consists of a soul name (Kra din) and a surname (Din Pa), such as Kwame Boateng. Kwame (Saturday born – Male) is the soul name derived from the day he was born while the surname Boateng is his father’s surname. However in the Akan naming system, specifically the Ashanti, a surname is usually followed by its specific accolade (Mmrane). Thus, Kwame’s full name will be Kwame Boateng Agyenim; where Agyenim is the accolade or mmrane of the surname, Boateng.
Female versions of most Twi surnames end with the suffix ‘waa’, ‘maa’ or ‘aa’ but they all possess the same accolades as male surnames. It is however noteworthy to know that not all surnames have female derivatives; some such as Akoto and Amankwaa are for both males and females.
BELOW ARE 10 POPULAR MUST-KNOW TWI NAMES AND THEIR ACCOLADES
| SURNAME (DIN PA) | ACCOLADE (MMRANE) |
| Asante (m) / Asantewaa (f) | Krobea or Kotoko |
| Boakye (m) / Boakyewaa (f) | Yiadom |
| Frimpong (m) / Frimpomaa (f) | Manso |
| Gyasi (m) / Gyasiwaa (f) | Ekuoba |
| Prempeh | Agyeman |
| Sarpong (m) / Sarpomaa | Kumankuma |
| Safo (m) / Safoaa (f) | Kantanka |
| Twumasi | Ankra |
| Yamoa | Ponko |
I hope you have learnt something new regarding the Akan naming system. You can download our free iOS app My Twi Name to create your own Twi name, which you can then share with your friends. We shall meet again in our next article.
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I think that there are appropriate twi spellings for these names eg. Sap)n not sarpong. 3dweso and not Ejisu. Akyeampon and not Acheampong/Akyeampong.
My suggestion is that you try and introduce a row or column where words are first spelt appropriately. Then you can have how the Europeans spelt it as it has come to stay and then etc. If I am learning Asanti twi, dw(o,e,i) not the same as j(o,e,i).
Aside that there are alphabets that are not part of the twi alphabets and this distinction if not drawn will compromise on the true language you seek to teach and it’s quality. Thank you
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