“Other names remained in the African American community and have a strong affinity to African derivations. They are ‘Gaye,’ as in Marvin Gaye, possiby from ‘Gueye’ in Wolof communities of Senegal and Gambia; Esi (Essie) from Ewe and Fanti for a girl child born on Sunday and Bissi or ‘Bessie’ for the first-born girl of a family (possibly from Ewe).”
-Katherine J. Harris, Pan-African Language System: Ebonics & African Oral Heritage