A Nigerian woman recently left Christianity. She embraced Islam. Her new name’s meaning went viral.
On TikTok, she is @Maryam Kenechi. She converted from Catholicism to Islam. This decision brought her great joy.
In her video, she adopted “Maryam” upon conversion. She found a link to her old name, Mary. Both names share the same English meaning. She can be called either.
She posted on TikTok, “I embrace Islam and my new name. My original name is UGWU KENECHI MODESTA MARY.”
“Mary is English. Maryam is Arabic. They mean the same. Call me Maryam or Mary. I am an Igbo Muslimah from a Christian background. I found my faith in Islam.”
She did not detail her conversion reasons. Yet, her post quickly gained online traction. TikTok users shared varied reactions. Some admired her journey. Others were curious.
Her video sparked wide discussion. Topics included religious identity and name changes. The personal nature of faith was also debated. Many people explore spiritual paths. They also keep cultural ties.