Harold Washington 

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 

Yaboh Donaldia Emmanuella KOUMASSOU 

ESL 100CE 

 

African Names 

 

My name is Yaboh. I am from. Benin, West Africa. It is a little country between Togo and Nigeria, that I like a lot. Yaboh means strength in general, but in my language Fon, it means "born after grandpa died ." I like my name, but I would prefer my first name to be my middle name. My family gave me that name so there is no choice for me to hate it because I love my family. 

My middle name is Donaldia, and it means heart. I love that name so much and I would like it if that was placed as my first name. I think this name fits me well. My mother told me that she insisted on giving me that name. I was born on July 15, and she insisted on keeping the name that is in the calendar. I am so happy that she did because I love it. That is the name I want everybody to call me, even though I like my first name.  

In fact, I have another name, like another middle name. It is Emmanuella and that is the name my parents agreed together of giving to me. It means "God is with us." I love that name too. My Mum said that when she proposed that name to my dad, he was like, it is perfect, let us keep it. Sometimes, I think they chose that name in one conversation because God was concerned.   

All my family calls me "Ella" because of my second middle name, Emmanuella. African parents like to reduce their children's names. I am fine with that nickname, but I just want them to call my full name, Emmanuella.   

Here in U.S., my names sound different when people say it, but I think it is not that difficult to pronounce. In any case, I love all my names.