{{Infobox given name | name = Afia | image= | imagesize= | caption= | pronunciation= | gender = Female | meaning = born on a Friday | region = {{Flag|Ashanti}}<br/>Empire of Ashanti | origin = Ashanti people | related names = Kofi * Adwoa (Monday) * Abena (Tuesday) * Akua (Wednesday) * Yaa (Thursday) * Afia (Friday) * Ama (Saturday) * Akosua (Sunday) | footnotes = |wikt= }} '''Afia''' is an Akan female given name among the Akan people (i.e. Ashanti, Akuapem, Akyem, Fante) in Ghana that means "born on Friday" in Akan language, following their day naming system.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=The Sociolinguistic of Akan Personal Names|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239815297|first=Kofi |last=Kofi Agyekum|date=January 2006|access-date=2021-04-06|website=ResearchGate|language=en}}</ref> People born on particular days are supposed to exhibit the characteristics, or attributes and philosophy, associated with the days. Afia has the appellation <nowiki>''Baafi'', ''Nkosuo'', which means "wanderer" or "traveller"</nowiki>.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Kamunya|first=Mercy|date=2018-10-19|title=Akan names and their meanings|url=https://yen.com.gh/115080-akan-names-meanings.html|access-date=2021-04-06|website=Yen.com.gh - Ghana news.|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2019-11-09|title='Day born names' in Dagbani, Ewe and Fante|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Day-born-names-in-Dagbani-Ewe-and-Fante-797733|access-date=2021-04-06|website=GhanaWeb|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Akan Day Names and Their Embedded Ancient Symbolism|url=https://www.modernghana.com/lifestyle/8691/the-akan-day-names-and-their-embedded-ancient-symb.html|first=Vanessa|last=Danso|access-date=2021-04-06|website=Modern Ghana|language=en}}</ref>
== Origin and meaning == In the Akan culture, day names are known to be derived from deities. Afia originates from Kwaofida, which means "Lord of life's home day".<ref name=":0" /> Those with this name are adventurers and indecisive, thus taking time to settle,<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Konadu|first=Kwasi|date=2012|title=The Calendrical Factor in Akan History|url=|journal=International Journal of African Historical Studies|doi=10.21303/978-617-7319-30-5}}</ref> and are highly motivated and competent.<ref name=":3" />
== Female variant of Afia == Day names in Ghana have varying spellings, because of the various Akan subgroups. Each Akan subgroup has a similar or different spelling for the day name to other Akan subgroups. Afia is spelt thus by the Akuapem and Ashanti subgroups, while the Fante subgroup and spell it as Efua and Afua.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
== Male version of Afia == In the Akan culture and other local cultures in Ghana, day names come in pairs for males and females.<ref name=":0" /> The variant of the name used for a male child born on Friday is Kofi, Fiifi and Fi.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
== Notable people called Afia ==
Most Ghanaian children have their cultural day names in combination with their English or Christian names. Some notable people with such names are:
* Afia Charles (born 1992), sprinter representing Antigua and Barbuda * Afia Masood, fictional character in ''EastEnders'' * Afia Nathaniel (born before 1991), Pakistani filmmaker * Afia Pokua, Ghanaian media personality, known professionally as Vim Lady * Afia Salam, Pakistani journalist and media development specialist * Afia Schwarzenegger (born 1982), Ghanaian media personality * Afia Amankwaah Tamakloe, Ghanaian television and radio personality, journalist, and health advocate * Moshik Afia (born 1974), Israeli singer *Nura Afia (born 1993), American beauty vlogger
== References == <references />
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