Akosua is an
Akan given name to a female child born on Sunday (Kwasiada).
Although some might believe it is mostly practised by the Ashanti people, it is actually practised by all Akan (i.e
Ashanti,
Akuapem,
Akyem,
Fante) people who follow traditional customs. People born on particular days are supposed to exhibit the characteristics or attributes and philosophy, associated with the days. Akosua has the appellation Dampo meaning agility. Thus, females named Akosua are supposed to be agile.
Origin and meaning
In the
Akan culture, day names are known to be derived from deities. Akosua is originated from Koyasi and from the Lord of Life Descent deity of the day Sunday.
Females born on Sunday are known to be leaders in society or "clearer of the way" (obue-akwan). They are very inquisitive and tend to be pulled into a thing of interest.
Female variants
Day names in
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
have varying spellings. This is so because of the various
Akan subgroups. Each
Akan subgroup has a similar or different spelling for the day name to other
Akan subgroups.
Akosua is spelt Akosua by the
Akuapem and
Ashanti subgroups while the
Fante subgroup spell it as Esi.
Male version
In the
Akan culture and other local cultures in
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
, day names come in pairs for males and females. The variant of the name used for a male child born on Sunday is
Kwasi
Kwasi is an Akan day name given in Ghana to a boy born on a Sunday (''Kwasiada''). Notable people with this name include:
*Kwasi Sintim Aboagye, Ghanaian teacher, businessman and politician of the 1950s and 1960s
* Kwasi Kwarfo Adarkwa, Ghanaian ...
or
Akwasi
Akwasi or Kwasí or Kwesi is an Ashanti masculine given name originating from the Ashanti people and their Ashanti day naming system, meaning born on a Sunday. People born on particular days are supposed to exhibit the characteristics or attribut ...
.
Notable people with the name
Most Ghanaian children have their cultural day names in combination with their English or Christian names. Some notable people with such names are:
*
Akosua Addai Amoo Ghanaian Sports journalist
*
Akosua Gyamama Busia Ghanaian actress
*
Akosua Serwaa
Akosua Serwaa (born 3 January 1981, in Kumasi) is a Ghanaian middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres.
She finished seventh at the 2003 World Championships in Paris and won a silver medal at the 2003 All-Africa Games in Abuja.
He ...
Ghanaian middle distance runner
*
Akosua Frema Osei Opare Ghanaian politician
*
Rebecca "Becca" Akosua Acheampomaa Acheampong Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and actress
See also
*
Akwasi
Akwasi or Kwasí or Kwesi is an Ashanti masculine given name originating from the Ashanti people and their Ashanti day naming system, meaning born on a Sunday. People born on particular days are supposed to exhibit the characteristics or attribut ...
*
References
{{reflist
Akan given names
Feminine given names