Kalenjin Naming System

The Kipsigis are a Nilotic tribe living in Kenya. They make up the Kalenjin ethnic group and speak Kipsigiis language which falls under the Nandi-Marakweta languages cluster. The

Mercy Cherono from the Kipsigis tribe and Kibet from the Marakwet tribe. The traditional first names of the Marakwet are switched gender-wise unlike the other Kalenjin tribes.

Kipsigis observe a naming system which is similar or the same to the other Kalenjin. The system observes that every name of a person, object or place has a meaning. The system has been subject to westernization and attrition to linguistics due to the Kenyan adoption of Swahili language as a lingua-franca and the dynamic view that indigenous languages are provincial or backward.

Naming is referred to as Kogoochinet-aab Kainaiik. Names are referred to as Kainaiik.

Names of People

Masculine Names

Firstname (Kip/Kib Name)

The first name of the Kipsigis males is prefixed by the term Kip and then added a cervix descriptive of the prenatal, natal or post natal places or time or weather and situations. It was to be widely used before initiation and rarely after, only as the mother mourns a dead soldier son or during divorce.

A Table of the Kipsigis/Kalenjin Masculine First Names

Kip-name	Meaning	notable personalities
Kipkorir	Of sunrise
Kipyegon	Shortly to sunrise
Kipkoech	Born with the rising sun
Kimutai	Of early morning	David Kimutai Rotich,
Kipng'eno	with the awakening sheep	Prof. Moses King'eno Rugut,
Kipng'etich	with the awakening cattle
Kibet	Of the daytime
Kiprono	Of the returning sheep	Moses Kiprono arap Keino, Prof. Paul Kiprono Chepkwony, Prof. Richard Kiprono Mibey, Magerer Kiprono Langat, Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot,
Kiprotich/Kiprotug	Of the returning cattle	Prof. Davy Kiprotich Koech
Kiplang'at	Of the evining
Kipkemoi/Kipkemboi	Of the night
Kipkurui/Kipkirui	Of the sleep-time	Kipkurui Misogi,
Cheriot/Cheruiyot		John Cheruiyot Korir, Peter Cheruiyot Kirui, Edwin Cheruiyot Soi,
Kipjumba/Kipchumba	'Caucasoid' - Metro-sexual/Metropolitan
Kiprop	Of the rain
Kipsang'	Of the open	John Korir Kipsang,
Kibii	Within the compound
Kibor	To succeed on an endeavour
Kipruto	In adventure or travel
Kiptoo	In hosting of guests
Kipchirchir	In haste	William Kipchirchir Samoei Ruto,
Kipketer	Around and about the eaves
Kipkurgat	Of the doorway
Kipkoskei	Whose first sneeze was delayed at birth
Kipng'eny	Within and about salt lick rocks
Kimetet		Prof. Jonathan Kimetet Araap Ngeno
Kipturturi or Kibuigut	Stamerer
Kipkemei	Of the dry season/famine
Kipkalya	During ratification of peace	Kipkalya Kones,
Kipsiele	In moment or event of drinking beer	Paul Kipsiele Koech,
Kiprugut	Hunger/famine	Wilson Kiprugut arap Chumo

Patronymic 'Araap' Surname

After males were initiated at about their late teenage and early adulthood, they would come out as having achieved citizenship of the Kipsigis jurisdiction and would be accorded a patronymic surname derived from the first name of the father. For instance, if the father is named Kiptoo, his son after being initiated is accorded the name Araap Too.

Feminine Names

Firstname (Che/Chep names)

A Table of the Kipsigis/Kalenjin Feminine First Names

Chep- name	Meaning	Notable Personalities
Chepkorir	Of sunrise
Chepkoech	Born with the rising sun
Chemutai	Of early morning
Chepng'eno	with the awakening sheep	Hellen Chepngeno,
Chepng'etich	with the awakening cattle
Chebeet	Of the daytime	Emily Chebet,
Cherono	Of the returning sheep	Dr.Joyce Cherono Laboso, Mercy Cherono,
Cherotich/Cherotug	Of the returning cattle
Chelang'at	Of the evining
Chepkemoi	Of the night
Chepkirui/Chepkurui	Of the sleep-time	Dr.Gladys Chepkirui Ngetich, Lineth Chepkurui,
Chepchumba	'Caucasoid' - Metro-sexual/Metropolitan	Joyce Chepchumba,
Cherop	Of the rain
Chesang'	Of the open
Chebii	Within the compound
Chepwogen	Took a longer natal period
Chebor	Within the compound
Cheruto	In adventure or travel
Cheptoo	In hosting of guests
Chepchirchir	In haste
Chepketer	Around and about the eaves
Chepkurgat	Of the doorway
Chepkoske	Whose first sneeze was delayed at birth
Chepng'eny	Within and about salt lick rocks
Chepkemei	Of the dry season
Chepkalya	During ratification of peaceful tidings
Chepsiele/Chesiele	In moment or event of drinking beer

Matronymic 'Tab' Maiden Name

Other female names

A barren woman however could marry another woman under marriage custom called Kitunji Toloj in order to ensure that she had children to pass on her property. She is thus taken for a "man" i.e. had to pay for dowry. She is then referred to as Chemenjo or Chepotipiik.

Names of Places

Naming of places followed acquisition of territory of another 'foreigners' or establishment of new village settlements. Places were usually named after trees, wildlife, prominent personalities and/or peculiarity of the locality. Place names could also have been borrowed after successful expeditions of territory expansion thus names of such earlier inhabitants may be retained.

Sampled Place Names of Towns and jurisdictions within Kipsigisland

Place	Location	Origin of Place Name	Meaning
Belgut		Kipsigis	Burning Mouth
Kabianga		Kisii	Cannot
Cheptenye		Kipsigis	Retundant, slant growth
Sigowet		Kipsigis	'Sigowet tree'
Soin		Kipsigis	Hot lowlands
Kiptere		Kipsigis	A place of ceramic pots
Kipkelion		Kipsigis	A place of the 'Keliek tree'
Londiani		Maasai
Kericho		Maasai
Kapsuser		Kipsigis	A place/ the home of weavils
Chemosit Giant river located there		Kipsigis	Giant/Bear
Bureti
Chemosot
Chesingoro
Litein		Kipsigis/Maasai named after a rock used for sharpening tools or weapons synonym is liteito
Cheplanget		Kipsigis	Leopard
Kapkatet		Kipsigis	A thorny place
Kaplong		Maasai
Sotik		Kipsigis/Maasai
Ndanai		Kipsigis/Maasai
Chebilat		Kipsigis	A place of lightning and thunderstorms.
Rongena		Maasai
Sotit
Kenyagoro
Bomet		Borrowed Swahili	Night cattle padock
Kapletundo