Ama (given name)
{{Short description|Name list}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox given name
| name = Ama
| image=
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| pronunciation=
| gender = Female
| meaning = born on a Saturday
| region = Akan people
| origin = Akan people
| related names = Kwame
- Adwoa (Monday)
- Abena (Tuesday)
- Akua (Wednesday)
- Yaa (Thursday)
- Afua (Friday)
- Ám̀a (Saturday)
- Akosua (Sunday)
| footnotes =
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Ama is an Akan feminine given name originating from the Akan people following their day naming system, meaning "born on Saturday".{{Cite web|last=Aidoo|first=Kwame|title=Everything You Need to Know About the Ghanaian Tradition of Day Names|url=https://theculturetrip.com/africa/ghana/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-ghanaian-tradition-of-day-names/|access-date=6 April 2021|website=Culture Trip|date=24 April 2018 }}{{Cite web|last=Jelka|title=Ama|url=https://charlies-names.com/en/ama/|access-date=6 April 2021|website=CharliesNames}}{{Cite web|date=22 August 2018|title=Ama|url=https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/ama/|access-date=6 April 2021|website=SheKnows|language=en-US}} Day names are a cultural practice of the Akan people of Ghana. It is practised by all the subgroups of the Akan people (i.e. Ashanti, Akwamu, Akuapem, Bono, Akyem, Fante) who follow traditional customs.{{Cite web|title=The Sociolinguistic of Akan Personal Names|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239815297|access-date=7 April 2021|website=ResearchGate|language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The sociolinguistic of Akan personal names |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239815297 |website=Researchgate |page=214}} People born on particular days are supposed to exhibit the characteristics or attributes and philosophy, associated with the days. Ama has the appellation "Nyamewa" or "Adoma" meaning creation or grace.{{Cite web|title=The Akan Day Names and Their Embedded Ancient Symbolism|url=https://www.modernghana.com/lifestyle/8691/the-akan-day-names-and-their-embedded-ancient-symb.html|access-date=7 April 2021|website=Modern Ghana|language=en}}
Origin and meaning of Ama
In the Akan culture, day names are known to be derived from deities. Ama is originated from Koyame the Akan Day name of God.{{Cite journal|last=Konadu|first=Kwasi|date=2012|title=The Calendrical Factor in Akan History|journal=International Journal of African Historical Studies|volume=45|pages=217–246}} Females born on Saturday tend to be talented, wise and problem solvers.
Female variants of Ama
The Akan people in Ghana have so many ways of calling or naming their female child born on Saturday. For instance, the Fantes call a female child born on Saturday Ewurama, Ama or Amba.{{Cite web|date=9 November 2019|title='Day born names' in Dagbani, Ewe and Fante|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Day-born-names-in-Dagbani-Ewe-and-Fante-797733|access-date=7 April 2021|website=GhanaWeb|language=en}}
Male version of Ama
Notable people with the name
Most Ghanaian children have their cultural day names in combination with their English or Christian names. Some notable people with such names are:
- Ama Benyiwa Doe (1950–2021), Ghanaian politician
- Ama Agbeze (born 1982)
- Ama K. Abebrese (born 1980)
- Ama Quiambao (1947–2013), Filipino actress