by Julia Stewart

"This book consists of about 1000 names culled from across black Africa, although there is a slight emphasis on Swahili names. It includes not only personal names, but names of towns, lakes, ethnic groups, etc., that are useful in formulating an African name for oneself. Each name is accompanied by information about its pronunciation, origins, and meaning. A general introduction covers African naming practices as well as why and how one might adopt an African name. It may be of interest to a general, as well as African American, audience and is more useful than Molefi Asante's The Book of African Names (African World Pr., 1991), which lists names without giving information about them. Recommended for public libraries."