The Kalenjin community names their children based on the place of birth, the event that was ongoing during birth or the time the child was born.
The male names commonly begin with 'ki' while the female names with 'je'. There are also other names that begin with 'che'. These names are normally given to both boys and girls.
Below are the Kalenjin names with their hidden meanings;
If a woman falls into labor and gives birth at mid-day a baby boy is named Kibet and if it’s a baby girl, she is named Jebet.
Kipkoech is a boy that was born at dawn while a girl born a similar time is named Jepkoech. Chepkoech can be given to a baby boy or a baby girl.
If a woman falls into labor at night and gives birth to a boy child, he is called Kipkemboi and if a girl, Jepkemboi. I the parents wish, they can also name a bay boy or a bay girl Chepkemboi.
Kiprono is a male name that a baby boy is given if he was born when the goats were brought into the house in the evening while Jerono is a female name that means the same.
Kiptoo is the male name that means the baby was born while the visitors were around. If a girl she would be named Jeptoo.
If a child was born and failed to cry, failed to breathe or fainted at birth, to a male child he is named Kiptanui and to a female child Jeptanui. But still, both the boy and the girl can be named Cheptanui.
Jepngetich is a female name given to girls and Kipngetich given to boys. This means they were born when cows were taken to pasture after morning milking. Chepngetich is a unisex name that can fit both the girl and the boy.
A woman can fall into labor pains and give birth after a short while. To a baby boy born he is named Kipchirchir and to a girl, she is named Jepchirchir.
Kipngeno is a male name given to boys and Jepngeno to girls that were born when goats were waking up.