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Kenya's name derives from the Kikuyu name for Mount Kenya, Kere Nyaga (Ke-re-nya-ga) meaning 'mountain of God'. According to our elders, when one of the first men appeared in Kenya he met a Kikuyu man and asked him the name of the country and pointed at the mountain. The Kikuyu man mistakenly thought that he was asking the name of the mountain and said 'Kere Nyaga' which he said quite quickly and came out 'Ke-nya'. After hearing this story it still baffles me why so many colonials called it 'Kee-nya' when the spelling would suggest that is 'Kenya' with only 1 'e' as in 'Ben', 'send' and 'when', not 2 as in 'seen' and 'been' and 'keen' ya?
Aliza Upton
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoKenya's name derives from the Kikuyu name for Mount Kenya, Kere Nyaga (Ke-re-nya-ga) meaning 'mountain of God'. According to our elders, when one of the first men appeared in Kenya he met a Kikuyu man and asked him the name of the country and pointed at the mountain. The Kikuyu man mistakenly thought that he was asking the name of the mountain and said 'Kere Nyaga' which he said quite quickly and came out 'Ke-nya'. After hearing this story it still baffles me why so many colonials called it 'Kee-nya' when the spelling would suggest that is 'Kenya' with only 1 'e' as in 'Ben', 'send' and 'when', not 2 as in 'seen' and 'been' and 'keen' ya?
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What was Kenya's name in 1961?
Kenya's name has always been Kenya.
What is the birth name of Kenya Moore?
Kenya Moore's birth name is Kenya Summer Moore.
What is the birth name of Kenya Mori?
Kenya Mori's birth name is Kenya Mori Ochoa.
What is the birth name of Kenya Thomas?
Kenya Thomas's birth name is Kenya Chereina Thomas.
What does the name Kenya stand for?
kenya
What is Kenya's flag name?
Kenya
What is the name of the highest peak in Kenya?
what is the name of the highest peak in Kenya
What is another name for Kenya?
another name for kenya is safaris i believe
When did Kenya get the name Kenya?
254 a.D
What is the name of Kenya's capital?
Kenya's capital is Nairobi.
What is the name of Kenya's professional soccer team?
The name of Kenya's team is simply the name of their country - Kenya. This is true of any international professional soccer team.
What is the birth name of Wendi Kenya?
Wendi Kenya's birth name is Wendi Buboltz.
