My Big Name

What is the power in your name?

My BIG name is inspired by Amonge’s own sister’s story of having her name changed by a school teacher, altering it from Isenguye to Izzy because she could not pronounce it. Sinxoto wants to emphasise the significance of pronouncing Africans names correctly because of the power they carry. What does your name mean? Are you proud of your name and do you like the way people say your name?

By using her correct name, Isenguye learns that she can access her superpower, which is her sense of self, identity and pride. A special and thought-provoking book.

Kingsmead Book Fair 2023

We met Amonge Sinxoto at the Kingsmead Book Fair, (she is a past pupil) where her book reading delighted young readers. When she asked the young audience what their names mean, their pride was palpable. ‘My name means hope,’ said a young boy called Themba. Another girl called Sarah piped up, ‘my name means princess!” Pride in your name is a beautiful thing, as is the lesson that we can all make an effort to understand and pronounce each others names, no matter our culture or heritage.

Who is Amonge Sinxoto?

First time author Sinxoto is a social activist, philanthropist, public speaker, and 2019’s Global Teen Leader. As the co-founder of Blackboard Africa, a youth Non-Profit Company, she is on a path to empower the African child and encourage them to embrace their identity to its fullest extent. This book is a continuation of that mission. She explains why she wanted to write a book about names: “Our parents gave us our names for a reason, they are often a promise or a prophecy for us, so they are important.”

Her book is being adapted into a 2D television animated series titled MY BIG WORLD and it will celebrate diversity and identity. See an interview here. Order her book here.