LAUSR

Abstract Among the Ngə̂mbà, a Bantu-Grassfields people of Western Cameroon, personal names are alternative forms of narratives that represent past experiences and conflicts encountered by the name giver. These are central to the self-definition and future expectations of the name bearer as well as in re-negotiating locally relevant principles of values. This article explores Ngə̂mbà personal names as communicative acts that mirror a wide range of human experiences within the Ngə̂mbà sociocultural context. In this article, we trace the stories behind these names, investigate their communicative and socio-onomastic significance and analyse their ethnopragmatic meanings. The study discovers that Ngə̂mbà personal names do not only index individual or collective identities and belongings but also embed significant historical resonances and cultural assumptions that reflect cruel and sometimes pleasant personal memories, unresolved tension and promising futures.