E
INTRODUCTION: There are two things to point out here: One is “ego” [money]; the second is Eke [the supreme deity of creation, after which the first Igbo day is named]
EBERECHUKWU [Ebere Chukwu = God’s mercy]
DWV: EBELE, EBERECHI
Gender: Mostly female
EBUBECHUKWU [Ebube Chukwu = God’s miracle] Especially apt for an
unexpected or long sought-after child.
DWV: EBUBE
Gender: Both
EGBUCHULEM [See ONWUEGBUCHULEM]
DWV: EGBUCHULAM
ECHEBIRI
ECHICHE
ECHICHISINACHI
ECHIDIIME [Echi di ime = Tomorrow is pregnant] See als ONYEMAECHI
ECHEREONYE
ECHERUO
ECHETEAMA
EGONDU [(A na-) ego ndu? = (Can you) buy life?]
Interpretation: Without the question mark, one would be tempted to translate this name as “Life’s money,” which makes absolutely no philosophical sense in a society where a child is greater than money [nwa ka ego].” “Ego ndu” might also be interpreted as “the wealth of a people” in some dialects, especially in and around Awka where “ndu” is the dialectical pronunciation of “ndi.” However, the above choice is preferred.
DWV: EGO, ANAEGONDU
Gender: Female
EGWU
EGWUCHUKWU
EGWUONWU [Egwu onwu... = The fear of death (.. the beginning of wisdom?]
Interpretation: Depends on what the giver has in mind.
Gender: Male
EGWUUWA [Egwu uwa = Fear of the world]
Interpretation: Paulson Kalu: Egwu uwa atugbuenu m-o, a ma ndi a na-eze.
EJIDIKE [Eji dike (eme onu/anya ishi)....= You can brag with a hero] This name may also mean something totally different. If it put in question form:"Ejidi ike (amu nwa)? = Do you (conceive a child) with raw power?
Gender: Male
EJIKE [Eji(ghi) ike (eme uwa) = You cannot force the affairs of life]
Interpretation: A straight rhetorical quesion [E ji ike? = Is it by force?] the name states the simple obvious: it is not by the power of man.
DWV: JIIKE, EJIIKE, EJIKEMEEMEUWA
Gender: Male
EJINDU [E ji ndu? = Who has a hold on life?] This may be a shortened version of EKEJINDU, where Eke is a deity, at par with "Chi" -- for those who belive in the "filial philosophy" in Igbo mythology.
DWV: EJINDUNAAKA, CHUKWJINDU, EKEJINDU
Gender: Male
EKENAAKA [Eke na-aka = Eke (the deity of creation) decides]
Interpretation: As noted earlier, Eke is the deity of creation. This has led to the filial philosophy of God in Igbo religion. If this is so, then the concept of Chi na Eke (or Chineke) elevates Eke to the same pedestal as Chi or vice versa.
DWV: EKENAKA [Whoever uses this spelling runs the risk of saying something else.]
EKENEABUIBE [Ekene abu(ghi) ibe = Salutation is not relationship]
DWV: EKENE, EKENEAWUIBE, EKENEAWUIKWU, EKENEAWUUTO
EKPEREKA [Ekpere ka = Prayer is the best policy]
Interpretation: Definitely from the 20th Century; the term "ekpere" does not appear in Igbo theosophy.
DWV: EKPELE, EKPELEKA, EKPERE.
EKPERECHI [Ekpere Chi = God’s prayer]
Interpretation: The name-giver probably considers tha child to be a direct result od prayers offered to God. Also, the name-giver might be praying to God for the child to have a good life.
DVW: EKPELECHI [The exchange of “r” and “l,” as in “f” and “h” is common in the two major Igbo dialects.]
Gender: Both
EKPEWERECHI [Ekpewere Chi.... = When praying to God]
Interpretation: This is an elegant way of saying, Ka anyi kpewere Chi [“Let us continue praying to God”] Alternatively, the name-giver might be saying that by praying to God, all things are possible.
DVW: EKPEBERECHI [This version might be prefered in northern Igboland, but it is not popular.]
Gender: Both
EKWENAEZE [E kwe na eze...= if it is agreed that the king...]
Interpretation: If a leader is praised for doing a good job, he will repeat the feat (o mee ozo).
EKWUANO [Ekwu ano = A kindred/cooking stand of four/four posts]
Interpretation: "Ikwu ano" is actually "four kindred"; "ekwu" is a open-fire cooking station, which normally has three posts (tripod).
DWV: EQUIANO, as used by the famous Igbo ex-slave, Olaudah Equiano
Gender: Strictly male.
EKWUEME [E kwu, e me = He says, he does]
Interpretation: A person known whose word is his bond: talks the talk, walks the walk.
Gender: Strictly male.
EKWUTOSI [E kwutosi(na) (mmadu ibe gi) = Do not speak ill of your fellow human being.]
DWV: EQUITOSI, EKWII, EKWUTOSINA
Gender: Female
ELE: (See ENE; “l” and “n” are fairly interchangeable in Igbo]
EMEKA [See CHUKWUEMEKA]
ENE [(1) Ene = Reedbuck/royal antelope, (2) ene (ine).... = looking (to look)....]
Interpretation: The English equivalent of royal antelopes has almost blurred any other sense of the word in northern parts of Igboland. To the south, “ele” is used. The name is definitely a shortened version of a much longer name. For example. ENENDU [E ne ndu/A na-ene ndu = Looking at life], ENEKWECHI [Enekwe (m) Chi = I am looking up to (my) God] and much more. [See also ANAENECHI/ANENE, ANAMELE/ANAMELECHI, ENEBE, ENEMCHI, ENEMCHUKWU, NNEBECHI ] And this gem: E nenebe e jeghi olu: meaning a deliciously pretty woman [if you keep looking (at her), you'll not get to your work; or, worse, drive into a ditch. Ouch!]
DWV: ELE, ENEH [The silent “H” was quite popular during the colonial era, but many people are slowly dropping it off and using a high-tone accent on the last “e”: Ené]
Gender: Strictly Male
ENEBE [E nebe uwa (azoo/echefue Chi) = If you look at the word (you will forget God)]
guard against worldliness.
DWV: ENEBEUWA, ENENEBEUWA
ENEBEELI [Enebe-eli: You watch--you forget to eat]
Interpretation: An appreciation of the beauty of a child.
Gender: Female, also a surname--which means it was once a male's name,
for the Igbo are a stricly paternal society.
ENEKWECHI [E nekwe Chi - (We) are looking up to God.] In mainstrean Igbo, this may be rewritten as "A na-ene-chi" or Ka anyi na-ele Chi'
Gender: Male
ENENEBE [E nenebe (ejighi olu) = You keep looking (you will forget there is a job to go to!] A tribute to beauty.
Gender: Female
ENYINNAYA [Enyi nna ya = A friend of his father] This name is mainly given by a dotting father, who definitely appreciates his male child more than the average person. [See also OGBONNAYA] This name is probably the opposite of AHUNNA.
Dwv: ENYINNA
Gender: Male
EZEKWESILI [Eze kwesili = Fit to be king]
Gender: Strictly Male
EZEKWE [Eze kwe = if God (the king) permits....]
Gender: Male
EZENNIA [Eze nna (ya) = The king of his father....]
Interpretation: The name who calls his son "king" is probably saying that no one else ranks above him but God. The format "nnia" is also found in such names as "Ogbonnia" and "Ugonnia." With "Eze" in the name, it is obviously male.
DWV: EZE, NNIA, ZENNIA,
Gender: Strictly Male
EZENWA [Eze nwa = Child king]
Gender: Male
EZIDIEGWU [Ezi di egwu = The outside world is rough]
Interpretation: Someone must have had his horizon widened with a rude awakening.
Gender: Male
EZIGBO [Ezigbo = Dear, the real thing]
Interpretation: Mind the spelling: "Ezeigbo"; this means "King of the Igbo" – a alien concept, for the Igbo nation has no single monarch.
Gender: Female
EZINNE [Ezi nne = Good mother]
Gender: Strictly female
EZINWA [Ezi nwa = Good child]
Gender: male