{{Infobox given name | name = Yaa | image= | imagesize= | caption= | pronunciation= | gender = Female | meaning = born on a Thursday | region = Akan people | origin = Akan people | related names = Yaw * Adwoa (Monday) * Abena (Tuesday) * Akua (Wednesday) * Yaa (Thursday) * Afua (Friday) * Ama (Saturday) * Akosua (Sunday) | footnotes = |wikt= }}
'''Yaa''' or '''Aba''' is a feminine given name originating from the Akan day naming system, meaning born on a Thursday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.name-doctor.com/name-yaa-meaning-of-yaa-42879.html |title=Ashanti name: Yaa|work=name-doctor.com}} </ref> Day names are a cultural practice of the Akan people of Ghana. It is actually practised by all Akan (i.e. all the various Akan subgroups) people who follow traditional customs.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=The Sociolinguistic of Akan Personal Names|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239815297|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. Yaa has the appellation Busuo or Seandze meaning brave. Thus, females named Yaa are supposed to be brave.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{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|access-date=2021-04-06|website=Modern Ghana|language=en}}</ref>
== Origin and meaning of Yaa == In the Akan culture, day names are known to be derived from deities. Yaa is originated from Yawoada and known as the Day of reproduction.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Konadu|first=Kwasi|date=2012|title=The Calendrical Factor in Akan History|journal=International Journal of African Historical Studies|volume=45|pages=217–246}}</ref>
== Female variants of Yaa == Day names in Ghana have varying spellings. This is so because of the various Akan subgroups. Each Akan subgroup has a similar or different spelling for the day name to other Akan subgroups.<ref name=":2">{{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> Yaa is spelt Yaa by the Akuapem, Akyem, Bono and Ashanti subgroups while Ga and Fante subgroups use the name Aba.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{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 sociolinguistic of Akan personal names |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239815297 |website=Researchgate |page=214}}</ref>
== Male version of Yaa == In the Akan culture and other local cultures in Ghana, day names come in pairs for males and females. The variant of the name used for a male child born on Thursday Kobina or Yaw.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
== Notable people with the name == People with this name include: * Yaa Asantewaa ({{circa|1840}}–1921), Ashanti queen mother and military rebel leader *Yaa Avoe (born 1982), Ghanaian football defender *Yaa Gyasi (born 1989), Ghanaian-American novelist *Yaa Yaa (born 1990), Ghanaian singer-songwriter, recording artist and actress *Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah (born 1969), Commandant of the Ghana Police Command and Staff College *Phillippa Yaa de Villiers (born 1966), South African writer and performance artist
== See also == * Yaw (name)
==References== {{reflist}}
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Category:Ashanti given names Category:Akan given names Category:Feminine given names Category:African feminine given names Category:Thursday