Naming Practices and Linguistic Identity Among the Nupe People of Niger State

This study examines naming practices and their relationship to linguistic identity among the Nupe people of Niger State, North Central Nigeria. Personal names in Nupe culture carry semantic, historical, and cosmological significance, encoding religious orientation, family lineage, birth circumstances, and social aspiration in structured linguistic forms. However, the encroachment of Arabic and English naming conventions through Islamic education and colonial legacy has introduced complexity into contemporary Nupe naming practice. The study adopts a descriptive anthropological linguistics methodology, drawing on the framework of onomastics and identity theory. Data were collected through structured interviews with 60 parents and elders in Bida, Lapai, and Agaie, supplemented by analysis of birth registration records and community name lists. The analysis categorises Nupe names by morphological structure, semantic field, and origin, mapping shifts in naming preference across generations. Findings reveal a significant generational shift from traditional Nupe-language names toward Arabic and hybrid Nupe-Arabic names, while English names appear predominantly in urban professional families. The study argues that naming practices constitute a sensitive indicator of identity negotiation and cultural reproduction in multilingual Nigerian communities. The research recommends the documentation of Nupe onomastic heritage as part of broader language and culture preservation efforts in Niger State. Keywords: naming practices, Nupe, linguistic identity, Niger State, onomastics.