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Naming Ga Children The Ga people generally consider children to be the hope for the future. They are held as a sacred trust of the Ga's heritage. Any race finds longevity in its children. The children of the Ga people receive a spiritual endowment from their parents and ancestors, and extend the Ga's sacred heritage to their own children and generations yet to come. Children are a gift from the Creator. Every birth is the arrival of yet another blessing from the ancestors, given to help insure the survival of the community. The birth of a child is not only a joy for the parents. It is also a gift to all the living relatives, to the members of the community at large, and to the departed ones as well. Choosing a Ga NameThe Ga people believe that a person's name is a religious mark of identification. It is also regarded as a sign of honor and respect. A good name is not taken lightly, but treasured dearly. This is expressed in the saying,
Naming a person is a very serious matter in African societies. From birth, a child is taught that his or her name affects the building, nurturing and molding one's character. Africans take great care when selecting names for their children. There is a great wise African proverb states, "Since God does not like misdeeds, the Great Creator gave each person a name." Names may indicate the where an individual's family lived, the day the person was born, or his or her ancestry. That is why Africans say, "A good name is better than wealth." 
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