The name “Asante” comes from the Akan Twi language and literally means “because of war.” It derives from the words “ɔsa” meaning “war” and “nti” meaning “because of.”

This name reflects the origins of the Asante people, who formed a powerful kingdom and empire in Ghana as a result of uniting and fighting together against a common enemy, the Denkyira kingdom, in the 17th century.

Thus, the Asante people and their empire were “born out of conflict” and the name honors that history of warfare and unification.

The variant “Ashanti” seen in English arose due to British colonial transcription of “Asante” as “as-hanti,” which eventually became conventional in colonial literature. Despite the different spellings, they refer to the same people and history.