Republic of the Congo Naming Customs

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Republic of the Congo

Naming Customs

Understanding customs used in surnames and given names can help you identify your ancestors in records. Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names.

Online Tools

• Behind the Name: Central African Surnames
• Behind the Name: Central African Given Names
• Congolese Last Names in Alphabetical Order
• Congolese Last Names
• Republic of the Congo Surnames
• African Congolese Names or Zairian Names (Given Names)

Given Names

• A Congolese child in most cases is named after grandparents, parents or closed relatives (uncle

or aunt).

• A first-born is usually named after her father’s side of the family; the second born usually takes the name of her mother’s side of the family.
• Once grandparents are honored with the naming, then the parents name themselves if they have more children. Then they usually name uncles, aunts, and then their siblings.
• Most people name their first born after their father (for boys) and mother (for girls). However, this is not a written rule, since in some situations because of significant events, a girl maybe named after a male for example. This is usually found when a parent’s family member dies childless. In those cases, the next child usually carries the name of that family member regardless of their gender (and whether that family member was a parent or sibling) as a way of honoring the dead. Thus, it is not uncommon to find girls with what is considered a “male name” and vice versa.