Discover 40+ Ashanti Town Names with Meaning, Culture, and Pride

Have you ever wondered what your town’s name really means—and what it says about the people who came before you?

Town names hold meaning. They reflect history, memory, and identity. In Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region, these names are more than markers on a map—they carry stories of how people lived, worked, and made sense of the world around them.

Many town names in the Ashanti Region of Ghana come directly from the Twi language. These names often describe the land, the people who settled there, or key events tied to their past.

Understanding them gives us a fuller picture of what mattered to those who came before us.

Ashanti Town Names That Describe the Land and Natural Resources

Many towns in Asanteman were named after what people saw around them. The landscape, rivers, trees, and animals often shaped the words they chose.

These names were practical and helped others understand the area.

• Kumase – “Under the Kum tree.” According to oral history, King Osei Tutu I negotiated for the land under a Kum tree. That spot became the capital city of the Ashanti Kingdom.
• Bekwae – Palm forest
• Goaso – Bank of river Ogoo
• Nsuta – Twin rivers
• Aputuogya – Banks of the Butu stream
• Ntotroso – Banks of river Ntotro
• Wenchi – Land of aardvark (a type of pig)
• Beposo – On top of the hill. The name commemorates a battle where the town’s ancestors fought from a hilltop.

These names show how closely tied the people were to the environment. They didn’t just live on the land—they observed it and named it with purpose.

Ashanti Town Names That Honor Founders or Families

Some names point directly to who lived there or who made that place what it became. These towns are reminders of the people who settled, led, or passed their name down to the community.

• Kwamo – Kwao’s rice farm or forest
• Oforikrom – Fori, a wealthy man who bought the land
• Gyapekrom – Land founded by Gyape
• Aduaben – Adu, you are powerful
• Kokofu – One account suggests it came from “Kokor Affuo,” meaning Kokor’s garden. The name also reflects the red soil and weedy vegetation.

Knowing the meaning behind these names helps preserve the stories of families and leaders who shaped those areas.

Ashanti Town Names That Reflect Leadership and Power

Some places were named for their political importance or social function. These towns played key roles in decision-making, royal travel, or even information-sharing in Asanteman history.

• Nhyaieso – Meeting place for the Asantes and the British
• Breman – Rest stop for the Asantehene
• Manso – “The ear of Asante,” known for gathering and sharing intelligence
• Banda – Where the Nafana people refused to sleep
• Asenua – Home of the wood carvers
• Manhyia – “A place where the state meets.” Today, it is the seat of the Asantehene and hosts key traditional events.

These names reflect the systems that held the kingdom together—gatherings, leadership, and specialized communities.

Ashanti Town Names That Show Daily Work and Life

Towns were often named after the things people did, made, or were known for. These names tell us about daily life and labor in ways that history books may not.

• Suame – Palanquin carriers. The name relates to the Suamehene, the Chief Hammock Bearer of the Asantehene.
• Bantama – Cloth of Opanyin Baa. The name came from a man named Akwasi Baa, who lost his cloth in a stream. Locals called it Baa’s Cloth or Baa-ntoma. (MyJoyOnline)
• Kukuom – Store game in a cache pot
• Buokrom – Land of caves
• Bohyen – Shining stone
• Bonwire – Known as the origin of Kente. Two men, Kuragu and Ameyaw, from this town invented Kente weaving after studying a spider’s web.
• Adanwomase – Under the Adanwo tree. Famous for its role in Kente development, it was commissioned by the Ashanti King.

These towns reflect industry, trade, and craftsmanship—the kinds of work that sustain families and build wealth.

Ashanti Town Names That Carry Warnings or Shared Beliefs

Some names hold emotion, instructions, or beliefs. These towns might express a message to others or capture a moment that mattered.

• Kodie – Go and find your settlement
• Mehame – Do not come to disturb me
• Bompata – Erect huts
• Bechem – Let us share it here
• Kwadaso – A calabash is on top
• Krofrom – New township
• Nante – “Walk” in Twi. The name reflects people who fled conflict and walked long distances to settle there. (GBC Ghana)

These kinds of names help us remember values, tensions, and decisions made by past generations.

Additional Ashanti Town Names and Their Origins

• Konongo – From “kor-nom-ngo,” meaning “drink palm oil.” The area was rich in palm trees.
• Offinso – Named after the River Ofe. The river was central to the community’s settlement.
• Adansi – From “adanse” meaning “testimony.” The Adansi people were known for being the first to build houses.
• Asokwa – Derived from “asokoben,” or elephant horn, tied to its history with trumpeters. (GhanaWeb)
• Ofoase-Kokoben – A unified town from two communities that settled near the road for peaceful co-existence.

Full List of 40+ Ashanti Town Names with Pronunciations and Their Translations

1. Kumase (Kum-asɛ) – under the kum tree
2. Mampon (Man-pɔn) – big community/state
3. Bekwae (Bɛ-kwai) – palm forest
4. Suame (Swa-mɛ) – palanquin carriers
5. Bantama (Ban-ta-ma) – cloth of Opanyin Baa
6. Appiadu (Ap-pia-du) – Appia has reached the destination
7. Goaso (Go-a-so) – bank of the river Ogoo
8. Nsuta (Nsu-ta) – twin rivers
9. Kwamo (Kwa-mu) – Kwao’s rice farm or forest
10. Oforikrom (O-fo-ri-krɔm) – Fori bought the land
11. Nhyaieso (N-hyai-ɛ-so) – meeting place for negotiations
12. Bohyen (Bo-hyɛn) – shining stone
13. Buokrom (Bwo-krɔm) – land of caves
14. Aputuogya (A-pu-tu-o-gya) – banks of the Butu stream
15. Breman (Brɛ-man) – rest stop for the Asantehene
16. Aduaben (A-dua-bɛn) – Adu, you are powerful
17. Bompata (Bom-pa-ta) – erect huts
18. Kodie (Ko-diɛ) – go and find your own settlement
19. Krofrom (Krɔ-frɔm) – new township
20. Asenua (A-se-nu-a) – home of the wood carvers
21. Banda (Ban-da) – the Nafana people refused to sleep
22. Manso (Man-so) – the ear of Asante
23. Kwadaso (Kwa-da-so) – a calabash is on top
24. Bechem (Be-chɛm) – let us share it here
25. Ntotroso (N-to-trɔ-so) – on the banks of the river Ntotro
26. Kukuom (Ku-ku-ɔm) – store game in a cache pot
27. Mehame (Me-ha-mɛ) – do not come to disturb me
28. Wenchi (Wɛn-chi) – land of aardvark
29. Gyapekrom (Gya-pe-krɔm) – land founded by Gyape
30. Nkoranza (N-ko-ran-sa) – land of three old men
31. Adansi (A-dan-si) – testimony (early house builders)
32. Konongo (Ko-nɔn-go) – drink palm oil
33. Offinso (Of-fin-so) – named after the River Ofe
34. Adanwomase (A-dan-wo-ma-sɛ) – under the Adanwo tree (linked to Kente)
35. Bonwire (Bon-wi-rɛ) – origin of Kente weaving
36. Kokofu (Ko-ko-fu) – Kokor’s garden or red weedy land
37. Manhyia (Man-hyi-a) – where the state meets
38. Asokwa (A-sɔ-kwa) – elephant horn (royal trumpeters)
39. Ofoase-Kokoben (O-fo-a-sɛ Ko-ko-bɛn) – unified towns near the trade route
40. Nante (Nan-tɛ) – walk (refuge from conflict)
41. Beposo (Be-po-so) – on top of the hill (battle victory)

“To name a place is to remember its story.”

Each of these names carries more than a location. They hold stories of migration, craftsmanship, conflict, community, and change.

Some are tied to the land, some to individuals, and others to values that shaped entire generations. Whether you’re from Kumasi, Offinso, or a smaller town like Nante, the name you say without thinking could be holding centuries of meaning.

Understanding these names is one way to keep language, memory, and identity alive.

If you haven’t already, ask your family what your hometown name means or start looking it up. You might uncover something worth passing down.

If you’re collecting stories or preserving heritage through education or family research, consider saving this list or sharing it with someone else. Cultural legacy starts with asking, listening, and remembering.

What name stood out to you most? That one question can open a deeper connection to your language, your people, and your place.

Have you ever wondered what your hometown’s name means? If there’s a name we missed or a story you know, feel free to share it in the comments—we’d love to keep learning together.