Gbanite
/Gba-nee-tay/
male
surname
Abia
Anambra
Enugu
Imo
Tone-marked spelling: Gbanite
Shoot up or rise
Etymology
Gbanite which is often the short form of the name Amugbanite derives from: the verb 'gbanie' means 'to shoot upwards', 'to explode upwards'. The 'te' prefix reflects the direction of the call.
In 'Gbanie/gbagoo' and 'gbanite/gbagote', while the former reflects a call from equal or lower position, the latter reflects a call to an object to join the subject on a higher position.
Sources
- 'Igbo Names in the Nominal Roll of Amelié, An Early 19th Century Slave Ship' by Chukwuma Azuonye