Kofi

Kofi is an Akan day name traditionally given to a boy born on Friday. It belongs to a naming system in which the day of birth helps connect a child with family and community traditions. Akan communities are found particularly in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, and day names form one part of a person’s wider set of names.

Its best-known international bearer is Kofi Annan, who served as the United Nations’ seventh secretary-general. His prominence introduced many people outside West Africa to the name, but the tradition long predates him. Afua and Efua are corresponding feminine Friday names, while Koffi is a related form found in Ewe use. Understanding that cultural setting adds useful context beyond treating Kofi as simply another word for the weekday.