Dawro Personal Names and Naming Practices

Abstract

The Dawro, speakers of an Omotic language in Southwest Ethiopia, use personal names both to establish individuals’ linguistic identity and to reflect their culture and language. This article provides an explanatory analysis of “traditional” Dawro personal names, the meanings they carry, and the conditions which shape the names that are bestowed upon children. Dawro personal names are predominantly transparent and reflect socio-cultural practices, “traditional” beliefs, and perceptions about what is in the immediate environment. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first systematic study on Dawro onomastics to contribute to the recording of Dawro personal names and naming practices.