Congratulations to Chrismi-Rinda Loth, New Vice-President of the Names Society of Southern Africa

 Warm congratulations to Dr Chrismi-Rinda Loth on her appointment as Vice-President of the Names Society of Southern Africa (NSSA) for the 2026–2028 term, succeeding Prof. Maleshoane Rapeane-Mathonsi.

Her appointment marks an important new chapter for the Society and for onomastic scholarship in Southern Africa. In her new role, Chrismi-Rinda Loth has expressed her commitment to advancing onomastics across the region, supporting the further development of signed onomastics, and encouraging the scholarly growth and participation of all NSSA members.

It is especially encouraging that she will continue working closely with Prof. Sambulo Ndlovu, editor of the Society’s journal Nomina Africana and member of the ISPN Scientific Committee. Their cooperation promises to strengthen research networks, support emerging scholars, and contribute to the international visibility of Southern African name studies.

The growing attention to signed onomastics is particularly significant, as it expands the field beyond spoken and written naming practices and opens new possibilities for research at the intersection of names, sign languages, identity, and culture.

We warmly congratulate Chrismi-Rinda Loth on this appointment and wish her every success for the 2026–2028 term. May the coming years bring new projects, productive collaborations, and further growth for the Names Society of Southern Africa.