Akan day names, explained
In Ghana, the day you were born gives you a name — Kwame, Ama, Kofi, Akosua. Here's the full list, what the names carry, and how to find yours.
The short answer
- Among the Akan people of Ghana, every child receives a name based on the day of the week they were born — a 'day name' (kradin).
- There's a male and a female form for each day: for example Kwame and Ama for Saturday, Kofi and Afua for Friday, Kwadwo and Adwoa for Monday.
- Each day is linked to particular qualities and a guardian spirit, so the name carries meaning beyond the calendar.
- You'll meet day names constantly in Ghana — many people go by them — and famous Ghanaians like Kwame Nkrumah and Kofi Annan bear them.
- For the diaspora, discovering and taking a day name is a meaningful, popular part of connecting or reconnecting with Ghana.
- Spellings and forms vary a little between Akan groups (Asante, Akuapem, Fante), which is completely normal.
At a glance
| What it is | A name from your day of birth |
|---|---|
| Forms | One male, one female per day |
| Example | Kwame / Ama (Saturday) |
| Carries | Qualities & a guardian spirit |
| Everywhere | Many Ghanaians go by them |
| Note | Spellings vary by Akan group |
What Akan day names are
One of the first pieces of Ghanaian culture visitors bump into is the day name. Among the Akan peoples — the Asante, Akuapem, Fante and others who make up a large part of Ghana — every child is given a name based on the day of the week they were born. This kradin ('soul name') sits alongside other names and is used constantly in everyday life; a great many Ghanaians simply go by their day name.
So when you meet a Kwame, an Ama, a Kofi or an Akosua, you already know which day they were born. It's a small, delightful window into a culture where names carry weight — and it connects to the wider naming traditions in our naming ceremony guide.
The day names, day by day
Here are the common Akan day names, male and female (spellings vary — see below):
- Sunday — Kwasi (Kwesi) / Akosua (Esi)
- Monday — Kwadwo (Kojo) / Adwoa
- Tuesday — Kwabena (Kobby) / Abena
- Wednesday — Kwaku (Kweku) / Akua
- Thursday — Yaw (Ekow) / Yaa
- Friday — Kofi / Afua (Afia)
- Saturday — Kwame / Ama
So a boy born on a Saturday is Kwame; a girl born on a Friday is Afua. Work out the day you were born and you have your Akan day name — a fun thing to share with Ghanaians you meet, who will almost always be delighted.
The meaning behind the names
Day names are more than a calendar label. In Akan belief, each day is associated with a guardian spirit and with particular qualities of character, and a child born on that day is thought to share in them. There are traditional 'appellations' — praise-names and sayings — attached to each day name too, adding further depth. The name, in other words, is believed to say something about who you are.
This is why day names feel so personal and are held with pride. Learning the qualities associated with your own day, and the appellation that goes with it, is a lovely way to go a little deeper — ask a Ghanaian friend or your guide, and see our etiquette and language guide.
Variations and famous bearers
You'll notice the spellings and forms vary between Akan groups — the Fante forms differ slightly from the Asante, for instance (Fante might use Kwesi/Esi for Sunday, Ekow for Thursday), and pronunciation shifts from place to place. This is entirely normal and part of the richness; there's no single 'correct' version.
Day names are also worn proudly by some of Ghana's most famous figures: Kwame Nkrumah, the independence leader (a Saturday-born), and Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary-General (a Friday-born), among countless others. The name links the humblest villager and the world statesman in the same living tradition.
Day names and the diaspora
For members of the African diaspora, the day name has become a cherished point of reconnection. Discovering the day you were born and taking your Akan day name — being called Kwame or Ama by Ghanaians who welcome you home — is a small but powerful act of belonging, and a common, moving part of a heritage trip. Some choose to adopt it formally; many simply carry it with pride.
Questions people ask
What are Akan day names?
Among the Akan people of Ghana, every child receives a name based on the day of the week they were born — a 'day name' or kradin. There's a male and female form for each day (for example Kwame and Ama for Saturday), and many Ghanaians go by these names in everyday life.
What is my Ghanaian day name?
It depends on the day you were born and your gender. The common Akan forms are: Sunday — Kwasi/Akosua; Monday — Kwadwo/Adwoa; Tuesday — Kwabena/Abena; Wednesday — Kwaku/Akua; Thursday — Yaw/Yaa; Friday — Kofi/Afua; Saturday — Kwame/Ama. Work out your day of birth to find yours.
What does a day name mean in Ghana?
Beyond marking the day of birth, each day in Akan belief is associated with a guardian spirit and particular qualities of character, which a child born that day is thought to share. There are also traditional praise-names (appellations) attached to each day name, giving it further depth and personal meaning.
Why do Akan day names have different spellings?
Because the different Akan groups — Asante, Akuapem, Fante and others — have their own forms and pronunciations. For example, Fante may use Kwesi/Esi for Sunday or Ekow for Thursday, differing slightly from Asante forms. All are correct; the variation is part of the tradition's richness.
Which famous Ghanaians have day names?
Many. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's independence leader, was Saturday-born (Kwame), and Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary-General, was Friday-born (Kofi). Day names are worn across Ghanaian society, from everyday life to its most famous figures.
Can members of the diaspora take an Akan day name?
Yes, and many do — discovering the day you were born and taking your Akan day name is a cherished, moving part of reconnecting with Ghana, especially on a heritage trip. Being called Kwame or Ama by Ghanaians who welcome you home is a small but powerful act of belonging.
What I know about Ghanaian travel comes from doing it: filing passport and visa applications, booking flights and hotels, collecting people from arrivals at two in the morning, and driving the Accra, Tema, Cape Coast and Kumasi runs week after week. Where this guide describes how something works, it is because we have done it.
Rules, fees and timetables in Ghana change. I have deliberately not quoted figures that go stale — where a number matters I name the office to confirm it with. If you spot something out of date, tell me and we will fix it.
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