An Onomastic Study of Siswati and Northern Sotho Naming Customs, Their Social Significance, and Their Cultural Meaning

Authors

  • Nontokozo Gladys Mdhluli

    Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
  • Masila Joshua Masipa

    Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
  • Lekau Eleazar Mphasha

    Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i12.11336
Received: 28 July 2025 | Revised: 22 September 2025 | Accepted: 10 October 2025 | Published Online: 9 December 2025

Abstract

This study explores the sociological and linguistic relevance of naming traditions within these communities. They contain social ideals, personal histories, and collective memories; they frequently represent birth circumstances or group experiences. Names serve as indicators of kinship, gender roles, social rank, and intergenerational history in addition to their literal meaning. In order to understand how names function as communicative acts that store cultural knowledge, uphold moral teachings, and preserve indigenous epistemologies in a fast globalizing world, this study investigates the sociological and linguistic significance of naming traditions within these societies. The goal was to investigate the cultural values that are contained in names, the meanings and patterns of naming, and the effects of contemporary influences on these customs. Using a qualitative ethnolinguistic approach, data was gathered from 48 people in semi-structured interviews and focus groups throughout Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Document analysis was also conducted. The results, which are informed by ethnography and the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, show that names serve as both indirect communication tools and symbols of family histories, feelings, and sociopolitical commentary. As a result of urbanisation, globalization and cultural adaption to Christianity, newer generations are increasingly taking on English and biblical names. Participants highlighted the importance of preserving traditional name knowledge through education and community-based archives, while also expressing cultural pride in spite of these changes. According to the study's findings, names continue to be resilient and durable markers of cultural memory, forming both individual and community identities and bridging the past and present.

Keywords:

Communication; Environment; Expression; Narrator; Folklore; Relevance; Tradition; Understanding

References

[1] Puzey, G., Kostanski, L., (Eds.), 2016. Names and Naming: People, Places, Perceptions and Power, Vol. 163. Multilingual Matters: Buffalo, NY, USA.

[2] Day, A., 2011. Believing in Belonging: Belief and Social Identity in the Modern World. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.

[3] Jacob, R.T., 2019. Investigating the onomastic principles of naming an official language: the case of the sepedi and sesotho sa leboa (northern sotho) language names [PhD Thesis]. University of the Witwatersrand: Johannesburg, South Africa.

[4] Suzman, S.M., 1994. Names as pointers: zulu personal naming practices. Language in Society. 23(2), 253–272. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404500017851

[5] Natsir, M., Harahap, N.H., Khairani, R., 2025. The role of language in shaping human thought: a study of the sapir-whorf hypothesis. Journal of Learning and Teaching. Available from: https://www.scribd.com/document/787931355/The-Role-of-Language-in-Shaping-Human-Thought

[6] Yankson, E., 2023. Street naming and political identity in the postcolonial african city: a social sustainability framework. Journal of Urban Affairs. 45(3), 685–709. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2023.2166839

[7] Ainiala, T., Olsson, P., 2021. Places of power: naming of affective places. Nordisk Tidskrift för Socioonomastik-Onomastics. (9–38). Available from: https://publicera.kb.se/noso/article/download/14713/11731

[8] Mensah, E.O., 2024. Death is the cause of my predicament: A cross-cultural study of death-related personal names in nigeria. Death Studies. 48(7), 641–651. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2023.2254728

[9] Channer, G.M., 2025. TEMPLE: Resistance embodied as a diaspora aesthetic strategy. Available from: https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19229 (cited 14 February 2025).

[10] Sinclair, R., 2022. Righting names: The importance of native american philosophies of naming for environmental justice. In: Dhillon, J. (Ed.). Indigenous Resurgence: Decolonialization and Movements for Environmental Justice. Berghahn Books: Brooklyn, NY, USA. pp. 94–108.

[11] Mmanamela, A.C.K., 2023. The Perpetual Usage of English Names among Young Native South Africans of Soweto, in Gauteng [PhD Thesis]. University of Johannesburg: Johannesburg, South Africa.

[12] Mpe, M., 2023. The Knowledge of Basic Genetic Terms and Available Terminology in the South African Sotho Languages [Master’s Thesis]. University of Cape Town: Cape Town, South Africa.

[13] Dressler, W.U., Mattiello, E., Ritt-Benmimoun, V., 2023. Morphological Richness and Priority of Pragmatics over Semantics in Italian, Arabic, German and English Diminutives. In: Manova, S., Grestenberger, L., Korecky-Kröll, K. (Eds.). Diminutives across Languages, Theoretical Frameworks and Linguistic Domains. De Gruyter Mouton: Boston, MA, USA. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110792874-014

[14] Matfunjwa, M.N., 2022. A Pragmatic Exploration of Naming Practices in Siswati [PhD Thesis]. University of South Africa: Pretoria, South Africa.

[15] Onipede, F.M., Olofin, V.O., 2025. A Social Pragmatic Study of Selected Women Sex-Related Yorùbá Proverbs Translated in English. Journal of Digital Sociohumanities. 2(1), 1–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25077/jds.2.1.1-15.2025

[16] Mathebula, O., 2025. Xitsonga Personal Names and Naming Practices: Past and Present Dynamics. In: Seeing the World through the Onomastic Lens: Xitsonga Anthroponyms and Toponyms. Langaa RPCIG: Mankon, Cameroon. pp. 57–80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.29048696

[17] Waldispühl, M., 2024. Personal Names and Migration: An Overview. Nordic Journal of Socio-Onomastics. 4(3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.59589/noso.42024.17635

[18] Kroeger, P.R., 2023. Analyzing Meaning: An Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics. Language Science Press: Berlin, Germany.

[19] Mavengano, E., 2025. Representation of Identities and the Third Space of Enunciation in Mphuthumi Ntabeni’s Transnational Novel, The Wanderers. In: Mavengano, E., Mhute, I. (Eds). Shifting Sociolinguistic Terrains in Postcolonial Anglophone African Literary Writings. Palgrave Macmillan: Cham, Switzerland. pp. 187–215. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80614-8_10

[20] Zhanalina, I.M., Begalieva, S.B., Erkebekova, E.K., 2024. Ethnolinguistic aspects of cultural affiliation. Journal of Applied Linguistics and TESOL. 17(4), 801–812. Available from: https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/bitstream/handle/2311/152840/17_Zhanalina.pdf

[21] Regier, T., Xu, Y., 2017. The Sapir‐Whorf hypothesis and inference under uncertainty. WIREs Cognitive Science. 8(6). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1440

[22] Finkelstein, I., Soffer-Vital, S., Lieblich, A., 2024. Contextual narrative interpretation model (CNI): Rethinking qualitative analysis. International Journal of Qualitative Methods. 23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241296983

[23] Rahman, S.A., Tuckerman, L., Vorley, T., et al., 2021. Resilient research in the field: Insights and lessons from adapting qualitative research projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Qualitative Methods. 20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211016106

[24] Castleberry, A., Nolen, A., 2018. Thematic analysis of qualitative research data: Is it as easy as it sounds? Current Pharmacy Teaching and Learning. 10(6), 807–815. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2018.03.019

[25] Subedi, K.R., 2025. Safeguarding Participants: Using Pseudonyms for Ensuring Confidentiality and Anonymity in Qualitative Research. KMC Journal. 7(1), 1–20.

[26] Ladzekpo, E.K.M., 2024. African Personal Names: An Introduction to Their Historical and Cultural Significance. Author House: Bloomington, IN, USA.

[27] Olatunji, A., Issah, M., Noah, Y., et al., 2015. Personal name as a reality of everyday life: Naming dynamics in select African societies. The Journal of Pan African Studies. 8(3), 72–90.

[28] Zell, H.M., 2018. Publishing in African languages: A review of the literature. African Research Documentation. 132, 3–90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305862X00024031

[29] Musonda, C., 2018. A socio-semantic analysis of selected Tumbuka anthroponyms [PhD Thesis]. University of Zambia: Lusaka, Zambia.

[30] Sikandar, N., 2024. An examination of naming conventions and linguistic structures across diverse cultures: A cross-linguistic perspective. Journal of Applied Linguistics and TESOL. 7(4). Available from: https://jalt.com.pk/index.php/jalt/article/view/118/97

[31] Janowitz, N., 2019. Speech acts and divine names: Comparing linguistic ideologies of performativity. In: Yelle, R. (Ed.). Language and Religion. De Gruyter Mouton: Boston, MA, USA. pp. 139–157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781614514329-007

[32] Hassan, T.L., 2015. Attitudes of Christian missionaries towards African traditional religious beliefs in East Africa during the British colonial rule. African Journal of History and Culture. 7(10), 193–199. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/AJHC2015.0276

[33] Nejatbakhsh, M., 2014. Globalization, cosmopolitanism, and the new generations: Growing up with global ties [Master’s Thesis]. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Milwaukee, WI, USA.

[34] Makoni, B., Makoni, S., Mashiri, P., 2007. Naming practices and language planning in Zimbabwe. Current Issues in Language Planning. 8(3), 437–467. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2167/cilp126.0

[35] Koopman, A., 2009. Uniqueness in the Zulu anthroponymic system. Onoma. 44, 69–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2143/ONO.44.0.2143402

[36] Mphande, L., 2006. Naming and linguistic Africanisms in African American culture. In Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, Somerville, MA, USA, 21–23 April 2006; pp. 104–113.

[37] Graham, J.C., 2023. Decolonization Through Words: Using Indigenous Languages to Revitalize Indigenous Culture in a Postcolonial Canada [PhD Thesis]. University of Ottawa: Ottawa, ON, Canada.

[38] Betiang, L., Apejoye-Okezie, E.F., 2024. Naming and Family Trees as Inter-Generational Epic Narratives in Bette-Obudu Culture, Cross River State. Genealogy. 8(4), 134. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/genealogy8040134

[39] Mutunda, S., 2016. Luvale personal names and naming practices: A socio-cultural analysis. International Journal of Educational Culture and Society. 1(3). Available from: https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/article/10.11648/j.ijecs.20160103.12

Downloads

How to Cite

Mdhluli, N. G., Masipa, M. J., & Mphasha, L. E. (2025). An Onomastic Study of Siswati and Northern Sotho Naming Customs, Their Social Significance, and Their Cultural Meaning. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(12), 1838–1849. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i12.11336

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 12 (December 2025): In progress

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2025 Nontokozo Gladys Mdhluli, Masila Joshua Masipa, Lekau Eleazar Mphasha

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.