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"Obama" is a name from the Luo ethnic group of southwestern Kenya, where Barack Obama, Sr. was born. It was originally the given name of Barack Obama's great-grandfather. It is based on the Luo (technically, Dholuo, the name of the language of the Luo) word bam, which means "crooked, slightly bending."

The prefix O- means "he," and many Luo male names begin with it. Since most traditional Luo names were given by the baby's mother referring to something about the child's birth, the best guess is that when Obama's great-grandfather was born, one of his arms or legs looked slightly bent. email rumors have charged that U.S. President Barack Obama is a practing Muslim -- a rumor that has since been proven false. However, President Obama does have an unusual name, which reflects his African Muslim heritage. He was reportedly named after his father, Barack Hussein Obama, Sr.

The president's first name, Barack, is a Swahili name that has its origins in Arabic. The original Arabic root of the name (B-R-K) means "blessed." In Arabic, the root word is used in many other phrases to denote blessings and to describe people who are blessed:

  • Mabruk! = "Congratulations!"
  • Barakallah feek = "May God bless you"
  • Barakah = blessings from God (feminine version of the name)

Obama's middle name is Hussein, which was his grandfather's first name. The name, of Arabic origin, means "good" or "handsome one." It is common in Muslim cultures for children (both boys and girls) to have a middle name, which directly connects them to their father or grandfather.

Obama's surname is not uncommon among the Luo tribe, one of the three largest ethnic groups in Kenya. They speak the Dhoulou language.

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13y ago
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15y ago

Barak - also Baruch means "Blessed"

Hussein - means "Handsome One"

Obama - is surname based on a given name from the Dholuo language spoken by the Luo people of Kenya. It is based on the verb "bam" meaning "bent", and probably refers either to an infant's arm or leg looking bent just after birth, or to the birth itself having been in the breech position. Barak was also an Israelite general listed in the Book of Judges. He is listed in Chapter 4 as an associate of the Judge Deborah. Barak, directed by Deborah, leads the Israelites in a victory over a Canaanite army under General Sisera. There was also a modern Israeli Prime Minister named Ehud Barak.

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13y ago

The first name, "Barack", means "blessed" and it's of semetic origin. In modern times, it's usually not typical for us in North America to find a fitting name any more. Not one in 10 really know the meaning or the language their name comes from. There are many websites that offer etymologies to names although not all of them have true scholarship behind them.

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9y ago

Obama is a Kenyan surname and therefore has no meaning in Arabic. If it means anything, it would mean something in Swahili or a local Kenyan language. In Arabic, his name is simply transliterated as Ubaamaa (أوباما).

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12y ago

In Persian or Farsi ( The actual language of Iran and some other countries around Iran) O bama means He with us which most of the time used for saying that the God is always with us.

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12y ago

USA president

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Q: What is the meaning of the name 'Obama'?
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What is the meaning of the name Obama in Japanese?

Little Beach


Translation of the name Obama?

The name "Obama" comes from the Lou language meaning "crooked," "zigzag," or "not in a straight line." http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/kovach/080723


What does 'Barack Obama' mean?

The name Barack is an Arabic word meaning "blessed." It is related to a similar word in Hebrew, Baruch. The name "Obama" is a proper name that comes from his biological father's ancestral group in Kenya. Although President Obama was born in Hawaii and lived there for many years, he was named after his biological father.


What is the translation of the name OBAMA in the Chinese language?

奥巴马(pronounciation translation, not name meaning)


What is Obama last names?

Obama is the last name of the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama.


What does Obama mean in hawaiian?

Obama has no meaning in Hawaiian. The word itself is a proper name of Kenyan origin, probably from the Luo language of his biological father.


'What does Barack Obama translate to in Hebrew'?

Barack is an Arabic name that is related to the Hebrew name Baruch (ברוך) which means "Blessed One.""Obama" has no meaning in Hebrew. Obama is an ancient Kenyan surname. The name is found frequently among the Luo, the third largest ethnic group in Kenya. It is believed that the name derived from the root word obam, which means “to lean or bend.”


What is Barack Obama's surname?

Barack, his first name, means "blessed." His last name, Obama, is derived from a tribal name related to his father's Kenyan ancestry; it is not clear whether the word has a particular meaning other than the tribal affiliation. Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii: on his mother's side of the family, their last name is Dunham. He was named after his biological father.


What is Obama Dad's name?

His name was also Barack Hussein Obama.


What is the African definition of Obama?

There really isn't one. Obama is a Luo tribal name, common in a certain familial group in Kenya, where Barack Obama's father was born and raised. There is not much evidence that the word "Obama" has any meaning in the Luo language.


What does the name Barack Obama mean in Egyptian?

There is no "Egyptian" language any more; in ancient times, Egyptians had a language of their own, but these days, Egyptians tend to speak Arabic. The name "Barack" is a common Arabic and middle-eastern name, which means Blessed. The name Obama is an African family name, related to an ancestral group who live in Kenya; there is no evidence the word has any meaning in the Arabic language.


What does the name barrack Hussein Obama mean?

The name Barrack Hussein Obama is a combination of African, Arabic, and Swahili origins. "Barrack" is an Arabic word meaning "blessing," while "Hussein" is an Arabic name with historical significance. "Obama" is a Luo name from East Africa, specifically Kenya, and it means "to lean or bend."