More Africans are choosing to reclaim indigenous names, with some opting to move away from the Christian or European names they were given and reconnect with names rooted in their own cultures and traditions. This is not necessarily about rejecting other naming traditions, but rather about rediscovering the meaning, history and heritage carried by African names.

What do names reveal about our histories, values and the communities from which we come? As interest in cultural identity and heritage continues to grow, many people are revisiting the significance of names as an important expression of belonging and self-understanding.

Mpho Sithole spoke to Mkhulu Nobamba Zulu, founder of the Kwa-Nobamba Family Spiritual and Mental Wellness Institute, and Asabi Olorunniyi, a cultural consultant from Nigeria.