In my journey as a polyglot, I've come through things that is strange to my culture and I have had to respect them after all, one get to understand the culture to have a grasp of the new language.
I'm new to Igbo and in my study of this beautiful language, I came across the name, ''Ogbenyeanu'' literarily meaning ''May a poor man never marry me'' or like a warning, ''Never be married to a poor man''. When I asked some people who have good understanding of the igbo culture (many of them I know actually don't), they explained that it's possible that when they gave birth to the baby, the father couldn't offset the bills or pay for some basic things.
Now, what's the social implication for a girl that bears this name as she grows up?
Hasn't a bad tone to be desperate for rich suitors or a husband set in?
As an Igboman that understands the meaning of this name, can you marry her if you're not yet rich? What are the social implications of this name, ''Ogbenyeanu''. Please I want your contributions.

I can't fitn't stop laffing
Never heard this name before. But it's quite possible that someone may have that name .
But no, it won't affect her marriageability. After all, girls answer obiagelli which means the visitor has come to enjoy( I believe) and yet these ladies do go get a job and work for their pay after marriage. I've seen poor men Marry women called ego what can be more than that.

So no worries, it's a funny name no doubt but husbands will come. Even poor ones, but hopefully rich ones
Life

The purpose of names in the Igbo culture(s) is to not only serve as means of individual identification, but to also serve as a channel through which ideas, events, and people are remembered, and thereby immortalized. Traditionally, our ancestors believed that names had a significant effect on one's disposition and destiny. For example, a child named Ojiugwo (debtor) would most likely accumulate an assemblage of creditors, whereas a child named Omekannaya (one who acts like his father) would most likely grow in the footsteps of his father.

Traditionally, names were also awarded based on a family's tribulations and experiences. A family with a history of multiple stillbirths could name their first surviving child Onwuegbule (let death not kill) or Onwuchekwa (death should wait), whereas a prosperous and wealthy child could name their daughter Obianuju (one who comes in a time of plenty) or Obiageri (one who comes will eat).

In the case of Ogbenyeanu, it is possible to say that it was awarded to children in families that sought rapid social elevation. Today, although it is rare to see such a name as a first name, it is safe to say that it carries no social implications simply because the modern-day Igbo mentality towards naming patterns has evolved.

My mother always use that word in a sentence but i dont really know what it means but i will ask her to explain better. Op,are you Igbo?most Anambrarians speak in riddles.

Ogbenyeanu is a correct Onicha name given most times to first daughters.Onichans are generally people that love praising themselves and indulge sometimes in harmless narcissism which is reflected in the names they give their kids eg Afuekwe,Ogbenyeanu,Nwa-nma,Chapulum(shine out for me)

If i had a daughter,she'll have one of those names for sure.It is who we are and we are not gonna apologize to anyone.Neither should we be held for how anyone chooses to interpret our names.

Just so you'll know,Onicha is one of the towns in Igboland with the lowest bride prize.N36 and N54 for sch. cert holder and graduate respectively.

Lollllllllll, that's my elder sisters name. When we were kids, we only called her "Ogbey-anu" out of mischief and you dare not stand even if you only mouthed it! It wa s her GrandPa's given name allright but She preferred the smoother "Ada". During a burial in the family a few weeks ago, my uncle calling her "Ogbey-anu" generated raucous laughter from everyone present, needless to say, that name is already in the shelf, not even her husband knew her name "was" Ogbey-anu! We always interpreted the name as "poor people dont listen" but your interpretation seems more appropriate. Its a normal name in Aboh - Delta state (of course its Wesley80) though not very common. Its getting rarer to see people bare such deep names and others like Akalribe, Ejechi, Okpubilri, Emede etc. The name has absolutely no implication in my part of the country as far as I and my sister know.

ifyalways:

Just so you'll know,Onicha is one of the towns in Igboland with the lowest bride prize.N36 and N54 for sch. cert holder and graduate respectively.

Its prolly that low cos it hasnt been reviewed in a long long time. A hundred naira in my native tongue is called "ofu akpa ego" literally, it means "one sack of money" so perhaps you'll appreciate the wisdom of those that demanded "hafutoro" (hope it makes some sense to some of you) as bride price back in the days.

Ogbenyeanu is a normal old igbo name,i don't think it's perculiar to onicha people,cos we answer that name in idemili too.

I have once attended a burial in Ogidi,that the name of the deceased was given as ogbenyeanu,even though before then,only close relatives knew she had that name as a middle name.

odumchi: The purpose of names in the Igbo culture(s) is to not only serve as means of individual identification, but to also serve as a channel through which ideas, events, and people are remembered, and thereby immortalized. Traditionally, our ancestors believed that names had a significant effect on one's disposition and destiny. For example, a child named Ojiugwo (debtor) would most likely accumulate an assemblage of creditors, whereas a child named Omekannaya (one who acts like his father) would most likely grow in the footsteps of his father.

Traditionally, names were also awarded based on a family's tribulations and experiences. A family with a history of multiple stillbirths could name their first surviving child Onwuegbule (let death not kill) or Onwuchekwa (death should wait), whereas a prosperous and wealthy child could name their daughter Obianuju (one who comes in a time of plenty) or Obiageri (one who comes will eat).

In the case of Ogbenyeanu, it is possible to say that it was awarded to children in families that sought rapid social elevation. Today, although it is rare to see such a name as a first name, it is safe to say that it carries no social implications simply because the modern-day Igbo mentality towards naming patterns has evolved.

Great post, couldn't agree with you more. Its all about the circumstances in which the child was born in, a means of passing on the history, not neccessarily what they want to define the child's future.

ifyalways: Ogbenyeanu is a correct Onicha name given most times to first daughters.Onichans are generally people that love praising themselves and indulge sometimes in harmless narcissism which is reflected in the names they give their kids eg Afuekwe,Ogbenyeanu,Nwa-nma,Chapulum(shine out for me)

If i had a daughter,she'll have one of those names for sure.It is who we are and we are not gonna apologize to anyone.Neither should we be held for how anyone chooses to interpret our names.

Just so you'll know,Onicha is one of the towns in Igboland with the lowest bride prize.N36 and N54 for sch. cert holder and graduate respectively.

i agree wit u. dat name plenty for onicha pple well well. i even have two cousins in thia generation with that name, and funny enough i dont even find it strange. cos my own name is even worse.