What the study found
The study found that some Bette-Obudu female-child names in southeastern Nigeria are used to challenge patriarchal oppression and marginalisation. The names are presented as part of a female space within marriage and the home.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that these naming practices show how female naming among Bette-Obudu women functions as a subversive discourse against patriarchy. They also say the study draws attention to an under-explored area of Bette-Obudu naming traditions.
What the researchers tested
The researchers collected ethnographic data through semi-structured interviews with 25 purposively selected female-name-givers. They examined gendered names in the Bette-Obudu anthroponomastic tradition using a socio-onomastic perspective, which studies the social and cultural meanings of names.
What worked and what didn't
The abstract reports that names such as Úbékpí, meaning "I will marry by force," and Ùngiéáwhúkyémá, meaning "The wife dominates her husband," exemplify the pattern the authors describe. These names are said to reflect calculated efforts by mothers to resist oppressive patriarchal regimes.
What to keep in mind
The summary provided does not describe statistical testing or comparative analysis. It also does not give information about how widely these naming practices occur beyond the 25 women interviewed.
Key points
- The study links some Bette-Obudu female-child names with resistance to patriarchy.
- The authors describe these names as part of a female space within marriage and the home.
- Data came from semi-structured interviews with 25 purposively selected female-name-givers.
- The paper uses a socio-onomastic perspective to interpret the social meaning of names.
- Examples cited in the abstract include names meaning "I will marry by force" and "The wife dominates her husband."
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Female-child naming is used to resist patriarchal oppression
- Authors:
- Jessie Ini Fubara-Manuel, Juliet Nkane Ekpang, Romanus Aboh
- Institutions:
- Human Sciences Research Council, University of Calabar, University of Calabar, University of Pretoria, University of South Africa
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-26
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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