Focal Interest
Focal Interest
AI Summary of Peer-Reviewed Research

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Bette-Obudu women use daughters’ names to resist patriarchy

A group of Nigerian women and girls wearing colorful traditional clothing and head wraps gather together in an outdoor community setting on reddish earth, displaying intergenerational interaction and cultural authenticity.
Research area:Social SciencesSociology and Political ScienceSocial Power and Status Dynamics

What the study found

Some female-child names among Bette-Obudu women in southeastern Nigeria are used as a way to resist patriarchal oppression and marginalisation. The study identifies these names as part of a gendered naming practice tied to the idea of female space within marriage.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors conclude that female naming in Bette-Obudu onomastics can function as an effectively subversive discourse against patriarchy. The study suggests this helps draw attention to an under-explored area of naming practices among Bette-Obudu women.

What the researchers tested

The researchers collected ethnographic data through semi-structured interviews with twenty-five purposively selected female-name-givers. They examined ethnolinguistic data of gendered names within the Bette-Obudu anthroponomastic tradition using a socio-onomastic perspective, which focuses on the sociocultural and contextual meanings of names.

What worked and what didn't

The abstract reports that names such as Úbékpí, meaning "I will marry by force," and Ùngiéáwhúkyémá, meaning "The wife dominates her husband," illustrate the naming practice described in the study. These names are presented as examples of how mothers assign names to daughters to navigate patriarchal oppression and to dominate the "home space."

What to keep in mind

The abstract does not describe detailed limitations, and the findings are based on interviews with twenty-five selected female-name-givers in one cultural setting. The summary provided here is limited to the information stated in the title and abstract.

Key points

  • The study says some Bette-Obudu female-child names are used to resist patriarchal oppression and marginalisation.
  • It describes naming as connected to female space within marriage and the home.
  • Interviews were conducted with twenty-five purposively selected female-name-givers.
  • Examples given include Úbékpí, meaning "I will marry by force," and Ùngiéáwhúkyémá, meaning "The wife dominates her husband."
  • The abstract says the naming practice can function as a subversive discourse against patriarchy.

Disclosure

Research title:
Bette-Obudu women use daughters’ names to resist patriarchy
Publication date:
2026-02-26
DOI:
10.3390/genealogy10010028
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: AI provenance information is not available for this post.

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