Yaa or Aba is a feminine given name originating from the Akan day naming system, meaning born on a Thursday.
Day names are a cultural practice of the
Akan people
The Akan () people are a kwa languages, Kwa group living primarily in present-day Ghana and in parts of Ivory Coast and Togo in West Africa. The Akan speak languages within the Central Tano languages, Central Tano branch of the Potou–Tano la ...
of
Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
. It is actually practised by all Akan (i.e. all the various Akan subgroups) people who follow traditional customs.
People born on particular days are supposed to exhibit the characteristics or attributes and philosophy, associated with the days. Yaa has the appellation Busuo or Seandze meaning brave. Thus, females named Yaa are supposed to be brave.
Origin and meaning of Yaa
In the Akan culture, day names are known to be derived from deities. Yaa is originated from Yawoada and known as the Day of reproduction.
Female variants of Yaa
Day names in Ghana have varying spellings. This is so because of the various Akan subgroups. Each Akan subgroup has a similar or different spelling for the day name to other Akan subgroups.
Yaa is spelt Yaa by the Akuapem, Akyem, Bono and Ashanti subgroups while Ga and Fante subgroups use the name Aba.
Male version of Yaa
In the Akan culture and other local cultures in Ghana, day names come in pairs for males and females. The variant of the name used for a male child born on Thursday Kobina or
Yaw.
Notable people with the name
People with this name include:
*
Yaa Asantewaa
Yaa Asantewaa I (184017October 1921) was the Queen Mother of Ejisu in the Ashanti Empire, now part of modern-day Ghana. She was appointed by her brother Nana Akwasi Afrane Okese, the Edwesuhene, or ruler, of Edwesu. In 1900, she led the Ashanti ...
(–1921), Ashanti queen mother and military rebel leader
*
Yaa Avoe (born 1982), Ghanaian football defender
*
Yaa Gyasi
Yaa Gyasi (born 1989) is a Ghanaian-American novelist. Her work, most notably her 2016 debut novel ''Homegoing'' and her 2020 novel '' Transcendent Kingdom,'' features themes of lineage, generational trauma, and Black and African identities. A ...
(born 1989), Ghanaian-American novelist
*
Yaa Yaa (born 1990), Ghanaian singer-songwriter, recording artist and actress
*
Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah (born 1969), Commandant of the Ghana Police Command and Staff College
*
(born 1966), South African writer and performance artist
See also
*
Yaw (name)
Yaw is a masculine given name originating from the Akan people and their day naming system, meaning "born on a Thursday" in Akan language, following their day naming system. People born on particular days are supposed to exhibit the characterist ...
References
{{given name
Ashanti given names
Akan given names
Feminine given names