In spite of the cross cultural variations that characterize human societies, one phenomenon that is constant is the identity carved out for individuals through the names they bear. Names are a valuable source of information which indicates gender, birthplace, nationality, ethnicity, religion and position within a family and the lager society. Names are said to be the most meaningful lexicon in the vocabulary of any language and they are considered as an integral part of the language inventory, Mphande (2006). Thus, names are regarded as social emblems crafted for and attached to every human no matter their creed, sex, ethnic affiliation or nationality. Names and naming are considered a universal phenomenon as every culture has its own naming practices and the implication of such practices helps for the construction of identity for the individual.

Naming practices vary considerably across the human race. As such names do not seem to make any meaning to the outsider in terms of their underlying cultural essence. For instance, a Nigerian, from the Igala speaking group, would wonder why an English man would bear such names as Stone, Grass, Fox and the likes. This is because among the Igala, names are given to reflect circumstantial factors relating to the birth of a child apart from having bearings with the lineage, religion, culture, vocation and values of the people. For instance, some names such as „Agaba‟ are based on panegyric (praise) attributes, while some have to do with congenital circumstances such as

„Ejima‟(twins, male or female); and some names touch on thepeople‟sbelief in reincarnation, aschildren born after the demise of a grandfather or a grandmother could be named „Ayegba‟.