In Kenya, a growing number of men — particularly among the Kikuyu, the country's largest ethnic group — are taking their mother's name as their surname, breaking with the tradition in which children inherit their father's first name. The trend has sparked public debate and, in some cases, ridicule directed at these men, whereas women who bear their mother's names face no such stigma. Supporters see the shift as reflecting changing attitudes towards women and their influence in a patriarchal society, while critics argue against men adopting or being given a female surname.

Some men are given their mother's name at birth, often having been raised by single mothers, while others actively choose it to honour their mothers. Examples include MP John Njũgũna Wanjikũ, nicknamed "Ka-Wanjikũ", the veteran benga musician Peter Kĩgia (Kĩgia wa Esther), and journalist Simon Macharia Wangũi, who rejected his absent father's name. The practice has gained a certain cachet in music, with performers such as Waithaka wa Jane using maternal names. However, the difficulties are real: a debate ignited two years ago when motivational speaker Robert Burale claimed such names undermined masculinity, and TV personality Fred Mũitĩrĩri spoke of low self-esteem and depression before dropping his mother's name.