what names carry

Names drawn from SLAVE ship manifests, 1819–1845

What my name means to me

My name is Camaal. My parents told me it means “closest to perfection.” It was a love note they attached to me before I took my first breath, and it will carry me through all my days, even when they are no longer here.

While doing data visualization on another project, I stumbled on a dataset of 69K names of enslaved people listed in ship manifests. I couldn’t stop wondering what those names meant. We happen to live in the age of large language models, so I wondered if one could help translate them. Perhaps it could be a small way of making those rows in the list feel honored and precious again, as their parents saw them.

Using a language model to solve a language problem

I assigned each person a likely language and region from their port of embarkation and, where the manifest recorded one, their stated country. I then gave an LLM each person's name, gender, and assigned language, and asked it to translate the name. I didn't expect it to match everything, and the run took a full day on my M1 desktop.

It returned translations for about 14,600 of the 69,060 people in the records, roughly 21%. I would have liked to cover everyone, but this was enough to start looking for patterns.

This is not meant to be a perfect dataset. It is an exercise in asking an LLM to look at a name and generate a meaning from everything it has learned, and it has real limits. A port is where a person was shipped from, not necessarily where they or their parents came from, so some names were translated in the wrong language. Clerks also wrote these names down by ear, so one spelling may stand for several different names. I'm sure someone fluent in all 77 languages would find errors. Some of those errors may say more about my assumptions than about the model.

Every visualization here is based on this subset.

266

Ships

19

Regions

14,643

people

11,010

Unique Names

5,560

Meanings

77

Languages

Every name was a decision a parent made

A name is a moment: a parent holding a child, reaching for a word that carries what they feel, what they hope, what they see in this new life. Across 11,010 names from 77 languages, those moments fall into three kinds of decisions: wishes and feelings, identity and belonging, and world and context. The sunburst below breaks each category down by theme, and the size of each slice shows the share of names in that theme.

Similar hopes across languages

These people did not come from one place. They came from the Gold Coast and the Niger Delta, the Loango Coast and the Upper Guinea hinterland, from kingdoms as distinct as Dahomey and Kongo. They spoke Yoruba, Igbo, Fon, Efik, Mende, Kikongo, Kimbundu, and dozens more.

Yet when their names are translated, the same meanings appear again and again. It isn’t because these peoples shared a language. It’s because they shared a wish, a feeling, the same look toward their child.

Divine Protection & Strength

“god is my strength"

22 Languages · 139 People

Oday (Igbo)
Abbah (Igbo)
Wormah (Igbo)
Abashie (Igbo)

Devotion & Belonging to the Divine

“servant of god"

26 Languages · 198 People

Ayoh (Igbo)
Ajumah (Yoruba)
Ahjahwe (Yoruba)
Alokay (Yoruba)

Nature & Place Connection

“River"

32 Languages · 235 People

Ogoo (Yoruba)
Imboh (Igbo)
Awosee (Yoruba)
Aquah (Igbo)

Strength & Courage

“Warrior"

32 Languages · 188 people

Emoh (Igbo)
Barrah (Mende)
Okoray (Igbo)
Oja (Yoruba)

Gratitude, Gift & Divine Favor

“Gift of God"

35 Languages · 244 People

Adió (Fon)
Ojoe (Igbo)
Ahdo (Yoruba)
Ollah (Igbo)

There is something sacred in naming. It is special for the parent and the child, and I believe it becomes the name God remembers to call you. The most common meaning the LLM assigned was some form of "Gift of God," which appeared for 244 people across several languages. I'm not an expert in any of these languages, but if we zoom out to where these names came from, it shows what the slave ships were really trafficking.

These gifts were renamed, stripped of basic rights, bodily autonomy, and freedom.
These gifts were whipped, beaten, and flogged.
These gifts were tortured, branded, and mutilated.
These gifts were forced to labor from dawn until dusk in harsh conditions.
These gifts were given meager rations and little shelter.
These gifts were separated from their husbands, wives, children, and community.
These gifts were dehumanized, psychologically abused, sexually assaulted, and forced to bear children.
These gifts were denied reading and writing.
These gifts were bound by strict codes of conduct and forbidden to openly practice their traditions.

These wishes did not require a name to survive.
They required only us.

I am a descendant of those who refused to die.

Eleven thousand and ten names. Each one a decision made in a moment of love, before the world intervened. Slavery could erase the name. It could not erase the faith that produced it: the reach toward a child, the wish spoken aloud, the hope placed into a word and sent forward into time.

Those rivers still flow, through the descendants of every person on every ship in this dataset, through the names they gave their own children, through the love that has always, in every language, looked at a new life and reached for the best word it knew.

This project began with a ship manifest. It ends with a belief: that the humanity recorded in those ledgers, imperfectly and phonetically by people who did not understand what they were writing down, was never lost. It was only waiting to be translated.

Gift of God. Warrior. River.

The 100 most common translated meanings among 14,643 people, from most to least frequent. Scroll to explore.

The 100 most common translated meanings, sorted by number of people, descending
#	Meaning	People	Share	Languages	Top language	Example names
1	Gift of God	244	1.7%	35	Igbo	Ojoe, Adió, Ahdo
2	River	235	1.6%	32	Yoruba	Ogoo, Awosee, Engoy
3	God has come	231	1.6%	3	Yoruba	Ojoe, Wondah, Ahyabbah
4	A brother or a servant	211	1.4%	1	Igbo	Appan
5	Servant of God	198	1.4%	26	Fon	Ojoe, Adió, Ajumah
6	Warrior	188	1.3%	32	Igbo	Barrah, Okoray, Emoh
7	God is my strength	139	0.9%	22	Igbo	Oday, Abbah, Yerah
8	God is strong	115	0.8%	14	Fon	Ojoe, Achaw, Olo
9	King	115	0.8%	25	Igbo	Sarboo, Bahwah, Mondom
10	Helper	108	0.7%	26	Fon	Ahjai, Ojoe, Taimoo
11	Forest	105	0.7%	19	Efik / Cross River (Cameroon)	Dí, Adoo, Obosoo
12	Chief	97	0.7%	26	Fon	Ahshean, Ingah, Ochoe
13	God's gift	97	0.7%	15	Igbo	Okah, Ahdeahgah, Abodo
14	God is gracious	95	0.6%	16	Yoruba	Ahjai, Edah, Enya
15	Beloved of God	83	0.6%	19	Yoruba	Edoe, Brimah, Adimmah
16	Beautiful flower	82	0.6%	21	Igbo	Dayday, Imbokoo, Imboko
17	Child of God	78	0.5%	11	Igbo	Mammah, Ebeyong, Ancoh
18	Iron worker	77	0.5%	24	Yoruba	Awan, Dang, Kanday
19	Beloved	72	0.5%	22	Igbo	Oowah, Mahmar, Dawoo
20	One who brings peace	68	0.5%	20	Yoruba	Sesé, Manfoh, Eseebah
21	Son of God	65	0.4%	11	Igbo	Abbahsee, Goobay, Inyah
22	Warrior king	64	0.4%	24	Mende	Ochoh, Gaiwor, Jarwah
23	Bringer of light	63	0.4%	22	Igbo	Uroh, Ahdeo, Boray
24	Healer	60	0.4%	13	Igbo	Olloh, Ogah, Odoh
25	Born on a friday	56	0.4%	10	Igbo	Abah, Affia, Ayenah
26	Born on a sunday	56	0.4%	15	Igbo	Eboh, Ahkey, Añana
27	Servant	56	0.4%	23	Igbo	Daddah, Addoo, Gobay
28	Strong one	55	0.4%	16	Temne	Bannah, Eqüe, Choe
29	Son of the king	54	0.4%	16	Igbo	Acquan, Ahdanoo, Eyong
30	Born on a saturday	53	0.4%	12	Igbo	Okedah, Agban, Heboo
31	Servant of the Lord	53	0.4%	15	Yoruba	Bankolay, Ahlee, Domingo
32	Iron smith	52	0.4%	13	Yoruba	Achpan, Jaggo, Bartoo
33	Red earth	51	0.3%	20	Fon	Coombah, Bombah, Mallahkay
34	Rock	51	0.3%	14	Efik (Bibi sub-group?)	Vló, Atam, Gare
35	God is good	50	0.3%	12	Igbo	Ahpanny, Oyah, Appannah
36	Crocodile	48	0.3%	17	Fon	Ogah, Bosah, Barroo
37	Crown	48	0.3%	17	Boma Kongo	Luemba, Pendeh, Ahram
38	Gift from God	47	0.3%	12	Igbo	Oboh, Sando, Ahye
39	Riverbank	47	0.3%	18	Yoruba	Yangay, Coli, Gawah
40	Firstborn son	46	0.3%	14	Igbo	Akay, Oro, Accan
41	One who brings joy	46	0.3%	13	Yoruba	Adoobaloo, Afome, Agebota
42	Friend	44	0.3%	14	Efik	Imbeh, Amiche, Amo
43	Ironworker	43	0.3%	14	Yoruba	Saree, Appan, Indong
44	Palm tree	43	0.3%	18	Yoruba	Akedang, Karray, Ogoon
45	People of the forest	42	0.3%	22	Igbo	Appanee, Colluey, Bungu
46	Servant of the gods	40	0.3%	10	Yoruba	Addoo, Efungee, Ahdeyba
47	Servant of the king	40	0.3%	18	Fon	Commah, Acomona, Adehoosee
48	Mountain	39	0.3%	10	Mandinka	Mosah, Oror, Olloh
49	Protector	39	0.3%	5	Fon	Ahjai, Adoom, Sesé
50	One who has knowledge	38	0.3%	1	Igbo	Ogoo
51	Queen	38	0.3%	16	Mende	Wangay, Sapa, Ahbarmee
52	God has answered	37	0.3%	11	Igbo	Atah, Accarah, Injay
53	Praise	37	0.3%	13	Yoruba	Ahchoh, Acoray, Ocolo
54	Iron	36	0.2%	16	Efik	Ambah, Abof, Appan
55	Counselor	35	0.2%	6	Fon	Ahjai, Bada, Bannor
56	Child of the river	34	0.2%	9	Igbo	Acquobo, Ahjeadoo, Alendoh
57	Firstborn	34	0.2%	12	Igbo	Kanrae, Onoh, Acha
58	People of the river	34	0.2%	15	Igbo	Colee, Juah, Agboo
59	Lion	33	0.2%	14	Yoruba	Osoo, Moosah, Oodoh
60	Bringer of joy	32	0.2%	11	Igbo	Abadica, Acangwolai, Achekah
61	Fisher	32	0.2%	12	Efik	Inquah, Ocola, Oroh
62	God has created	32	0.2%	7	Igbo	Ogah, Ahbassee, Abahsay
63	God is with us	31	0.2%	10	Igbo	Ahyoh, Emanuel, Danfo
64	First to plant	30	0.2%	1	Efik	Appan
65	First-born son	30	0.2%	11	Igbo	Achaw, Ahkinno, Awah
66	Belonging to the river	29	0.2%	7	Oyo Yoruba	Ochó, Selombo, Adobá
67	Blacksmith	28	0.2%	11	Igbo	Agboo, Okolo, Okoro
68	Lord	28	0.2%	9	Igbo	Ogah, Oya, Ahjai
69	Son of the riverbank	28	0.2%	6	Igbo	Okarakay, Accobalay, Acknambar
70	Cattle	27	0.2%	10	Kimbundu	Gongah, Addo, Wadah
71	Hidden one	27	0.2%	2	Igbo	Attam, Tossee
72	King of the forest	26	0.2%	14	Fon	Acanda, Affallarpo, Arkebam
73	Little king	26	0.2%	12	Fon	Bokoh, Engulo, Muangón
74	Soldier	26	0.2%	13	Igbo	Affenda, Allelocú, Arrahja
75	Bull	25	0.2%	6	Igbo	Emoh, Jayhah, Ahpoh
76	Forest guardian	25	0.2%	7	Igbo	Imbahfore, Eworray, Gumbongah
77	Hunter	25	0.2%	12	Mende	Fang, Chayo, Foorah
78	Iron spring	25	0.2%	12	Igbo	Bombe, Afodaga, Ahyendo
79	One who brings joy or happiness	25	0.2%	12	Yoruba	Ahbahlay, Saree, Ahdaylowah
80	Son of the river	25	0.2%	7	Igbo	Omarleah, Acannam, Achraycha
81	Black panther	24	0.2%	9	Mende	Kanglay, Mandop, Ahchaloo
82	Father	24	0.2%	10	Fon	Daddah, Abba, Mamma
83	Fruit tree	24	0.2%	12	Efik	Matoo, Coombar, Samba
84	Guardian	24	0.2%	11	Yoruba	Ojoo, Moroo, Argear
85	One who brings good news	24	0.2%	9	Yoruba	Umbaca, Boquoh, Abokee
86	Leader of the people	23	0.2%	12	Kikongo / Kongo	Banda, Egomah, Agbay
87	One who brings light	23	0.2%	12	Yoruba	Ahlarwayda, Akahtay, Amapunah
88	Pride	23	0.2%	18	Yoruba	Oday, Akay, Fangah
89	God created him	22	0.2%	7	Kikongo / Kongo	Singa, Ojofi, Ahbejahcoo
90	Little river	22	0.2%	9	Fon	Ahgassee, Imbay, Ahchoh
91	One who brings news	22	0.2%	2	Igbo	Apan, Kosso, Baagbo
92	Child of the king	21	0.1%	11	Igbo	Ackay, Addorchay, Ahmagee
93	God created	21	0.1%	6	Igbo	Annoh, Onokoh, Echiem
94	River of God	21	0.1%	11	Yoruba	Achewoo, Agoh, Ahboyahsay
95	Strong warrior	21	0.1%	11	Igbo	Sabboo, Aditimpi, Ahwarpan
96	God is my help	20	0.1%	7	Igbo	Ayoh, Ahpane, Asoo
97	Helper of God	20	0.1%	6	Fon	Ochoe, Ahagee, Adoe
98	One who is wise and knowledgeable	20	0.1%	4	Igbo	Odoh, Lawoe, Afoo
99	River bank	20	0.1%	9	Ijaw	Bombah, Panga, Abasin
100	Beauty	19	0.1%	10	Igbo	Keyah, Elah, Adan

Meanings are LLM-generated and unverified. Garbled or untranslated results are left out. Each person is counted once per meaning; about 2% of people received more than one candidate meaning and appear under each. Identical wording is counted together, so close variants (for example, "Gift of God" and "God's gift") are listed separately.

Acknowledgment

Names and biographical data are drawn from slave ship manifests, 1819-1845. Each person was assigned a likely language and region from their port of embarkation, and from the manifest's stated country where one was recorded, using historical and linguistic sources. A locally run Llama 3.2 model then translated each name within that language. Of the 69,060 people in the records, 14,643 received a translation, and all visualizations reflect that subset. A small share of them (about 2%) received more than one candidate meaning. Themes were grouped using computational semantic clustering and classification, and I reviewed the results. Birth years were reconstructed from recorded age and year of arrival, so they are estimates. The meanings are model-generated, have not been verified by speakers of these languages, and should be read as approximations, not as definitive translations. All interpretations are my own.

This is a first pass. I plan to revisit these names with other models and with the help of speakers of these languages, and I welcome their corrections.

This project was built in the belief that these people deserved to have their names understood, not merely recorded.

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