What is in a name?

Our name is an abstract and very real way of identifying us. It can say something about our culture, our parents’ personalities and views. It can give off positive vibes or cause us much trouble. Names can be chosen for familial, political, religious, cultural, or personal reasons. They can also be shunned for the same reason. For instance, in today’s world, not too many people would name their children Adolph or Saddam, and while Angel is a common name, Satan or Lucifer is not likely to make the popular list. Thus, names are something to choose with thought and love since, under most circumstances, it will follow your child throughout his or her life. 

For the Amazigh, names are especially important. When a people are denied the right to name their own children as they see fit, with names traditional in their culture or in memory of ancient historical and legendary heroes, the name becomes more than a name, it becomes a statement. This is also true for people who emigrate to other countries and want to retain their original identity. Their names are a link to their ancestral past. While those names may be modified somewhat so they can be pronounced by the people of the host country or so the children will fit into the new society, they will still often be based on popular or traditional familial names. 

Unfortunately, names can also open or close doors for people. Prejudices and current political events can affect how others perceive a name. For instance, many Moroccan and Algerian Amazigh professionals with, initially, an Arabic or so-called Muslim name have decided to choose a name that fit their own culture and identity once they have moved abroad, where they are free to do so. They have, however, also discovered an interesting side effect. While opportunities were often denied  them when they bore “their” original name, doors began to open up after they took an Amazigh name, which have no arabo-islamist connection! The career of one of these individuals expanded greatly, and now he is advising multinational board companies, something that had been impossible for him previously, due to the problems “his” old name brought him. There are also the internationally successful Amazigh Jews whose family names are typically Amazigh (Azenfar, Aferiat, Benhammou, Azulay, Ben Guigui, etc.) and who have Amazigh first names (such as Izza). 

Here is a selection of names that are authentically Amazigh. Use care and imagination to name your child. Names that are too common can be boring. To emphasize one’s identity, it is not necessary to name every son Massinissa or Jughurtan. Parents can play with the names and create new forms of the original or new names from beautiful Amazigh words.