In Uganda, I lived with people from the Acholi tribe, who gave me this Acholi name. Most African names, particularly in Uganda, come from the condition of one’s birth, like their birth order or if they are born after twins or during a rainstorm, or if they have a birthmark. “Oyat” is usually given to people born under unusual circumstances. Few people aside from elders know the meanings of all the names, though. So, the student who gave it to me (a former child soldier who was also an amazing dancer and “footballer”) thought that it meant “an unusual person.”