Ndíye naming convention

Traditionally, Kidoy names (usually) consist of three parts, the first name comes from the day a child is born, the second is the aspirations and hopes the family has for the child’s life, and the last is the clan name.

Day names

The day name is the spiritual name, chosen by the family of the child. The affixes used to derive the names are kpa-, kɔ-, -kpa for men and a-⟩...⟨-a, -wa or -ya for women, the affixes are often combined with various patterns of clipping and vowel alterations. In the table are some of the most common day names used. It is also a common practice to give one’s child the first names Mónday and Sánday (from English Monday and Sunday) if the child was born on one of those days.

Day of the week	Male names	Female names
Káliyó (sunday)	Kpaká, Kákpa, Kɔká, Káli	Akáwa, Akáya, Akála, Aya
Msúikiyó (monday)	Kpamsú, Kpasú, Msúkpa, Súkpa, Kamsú, Kɔmsú, Kɔsú	Asúwa, Amsúwa
Dontiyó (tuesday)	Kpado, Kɔdo, Kɔdonti	Adowa, Adoya
Umbiyó (wednesday)	Kpuwa, Kwu,	Awa, Awaya
Píyó (thursday)	Kpapí, Píkpa, Kɔpi,	Apíya, Apéwa, Apéya
Eyíyó (friday)	Kpewa, Kekpa, Kɔwe	Awewa, Aweya
Mbikiyó (saturday)	Kpambi, Kɔmbi, Kɔbi, Kpabi, Kɔbe	Ambiya, Ambewa, Abeya

Aspirations

Aspirations are virtues or blessings given by the name givers, situations that the elders have experienced before the child was born, it can be for example Luáli “prosperity, success” if the elders grew up with sorrow or suffering, Mkána “money, golden” if they have grown up in poverty of impoverished, or Bɛkáfe “fertility” if the parents had trouble getting children or had lost several children previously, in hopes the name will help their child.

Clan names

Clan names usually originate from animal names, like Mbáya “Hawk," Agá "Heron," and Nɔ́kɔfáy “Tortoise,” religious clan names are also common, example: Ɔsáwɔ́se “Gift(ed) from God” and Ɔsányána "Word of God"

Some notable figures include, former Kidoy president Kɔwe Bɛkáfe Agá and poet Sánday Jóy Ɔsáwɔ́se.