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Yoruba name

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A Yoruba name is a name that is part of a naming tradition that is primarily used by the Yoruba people and Yoruba language-speaking individuals in Benin, Togo, and Nigeria.

Naming ceremonies

By custom, Yoruba children are named in a ceremony that takes place 7 days after their birth. The names of the children are traditionally found by divination performed by a group of Babalawo - traditional Ifá priests, but in recent times names can also come from those of ranking members of the family, including the father, mother, grandparents, or next of kin. Both the mother and father and other next of kin can give their own favorite names to the child or children. Baby names often come from the grandparents and great grandparents of the child to be named. The name traditionally divined by the Babalawo indicates the Òrìṣà that guides the child and whether the child is a reincarnated ancestor and the destiny of the child and the spiritual entities that will assist the child in achieving it. There is first a private ceremony for just the parents where the names are given along with taboos for the child and parents and suggestions on what the child will need to be successful. Some days after that a public ceremony with feasting and entertainment is held and family and friends are all invited to celebrate the arrival of the child.

Composition and importance of names

Yoruba names are often carefully considered during the week prior to the naming ceremony, as great care is placed upon selecting a name that would not reflect any sort of negativity or disrepute; in other words, selecting a name that previously belonged to a thief or criminal for a Yoruba child is not considered as a wise idea, as it (according to Yoruba philosophy) could result in the child growing up to become a thief or criminal.

Yoruba names are traditionally classified into five categories:

  • Oruko Amutorunwa 'Destiny Names', ("names assumed to be brought from heaven" or derived from a religious background). Examples are Aina, Ige, Òjó, Yetunde, Abósèdé, Taiwo, Kehinde, Ìdòwú, Àlàbá, Bàbátunde, Joda, Àjàyí, Abiona, Dada, Ìdogbe, Remilekun, Yewande, Olugbodi.
  • Oruko Abiso 'Acquired Names', (literally "given on earth" or granted by next of kin). These include Omotayo, Ibilola, Adeyinka, Olawumi, Oladotun, Ibidapo, Olarinde, Aderonke, Ajibola, Ibiyemi, Morenike, Mojisola, Folawiyo, Ayodele, Ariyo, Oyeleye, Omotola, Faderera.
  • Oruko Oriki 'Panegyrics'. These names include Ayinla, Ajoke, Alao, Akano, Asabi, Ajani, Akanmu, Amope, Anike, Abike, Abake, Alao, Adio, Akanni, Amoke, Arike, Akano, Agbeke, Ajin-un, Alake, Awero, Abebi, Abeun, Aremu, Alani, Ayinke, Ìshọ̀lá.
  • Oruko Abiku. Examples include Malomo, Kosoko, Durosinmi, Ikukoyi, Biobaku, Kokumo, Ikudaisi, Oluwadayisi, Igbekoyi, Anduu, Kasimaawoo, Durotimi, Duroorike, Omotunde, Durojaye, Kumapayi, Kalejaye.
  • Oruko Inagije 'Alias'. Examples include Eyinfunjowo, Eyinafe, Ajilaran, Ajisafe, Opelenge, Arikuyeri, Agbotikuyo, Awelewa.

Two of the most common destiny names among the Yoruba are Taiwo (or Taiye/Taye) and Kehinde, which are given primarily to twins. It is believed that the first of the twins is Taiwo (or Taye), "tọ́-ayé-wò" meaning, (One who tastes the world) whose intention in coming out first is to perceive whether or not the environment that they are about to enter is a good one for his or her superior to be in. When he or she is so satisfied, he or she grants the other twin, Kehinde (sometimes shortened to Kenny), "kẹ́hìn-dé" meaning, (the one who behind) the go ahead to come out.

Another with a traditional religious example is Ifáṣolá- Ifá makes success. Likely given to a child that is to be trained as a Babalawo and the practice of Ifá will make the child wealthy and successful.

Modern Christian parents use the form of traditional names but substitute the Òrìṣà name with Olú or Olúwa, meaning Lord or My Lord, which indicates the Christian concept of God and Jesus Christ. For example: Olúwátiṣe - (The) Lord has done it - the parents prayed for a child and were granted one by God, often replaces the more traditional Ifátiṣe, which recognizes the Divination system/Òrìṣà Ifá.

Muslim parents tend to give their children Arabic names sometimes with Yoruba phonetics. Rafiah becomes Rafiatu, Ishaq becomes Isiaka, Usman becomes Sunmonu, Idris becomes Disu, Sofiah becomes Sofiat, Khadijah becomes Khadijat, Aminah becomes Aminat, Aisha becomes Aishat, Rasheeda becomes Rasheedat, Hakeem becomes Akeem, Ismail becomes Ismaila, Qudrah becomes Kudirat or Kudiratu, Shitth becomes Shittu, Kadir becomes Kadiri, Harun becomes Haruna, Latif becomes Latifu, Juma becomes Jimoh, Ganiy becomes Ganiyu, Jamiah becomes Jamiu, Hamid becomes Lamidi, Rahman becomes Romonu, Aziz becomes Lasisi, Asisa becomes Asisat, Imran becomes Muroino, Abubakar becomes Bakare, Ibrahim becomes Buraimo, and Hafsa becomes Hafsat.

An acquired name may signify the position of the family in the society (e.g. "Adéwale", a typical royal family name). It may also signify the traditional vocation of the family (e.g. "Agbede", the blacksmith or the prefix "Ogun," the patron god of blacksmiths and hunters).

Yoruba also have Oriki, a kind of praise recital used to emphasize the achievements of the ancestors of the various families. Oriki could be a single word like "Adunni", or it could be a verse or a series of verses. Though not typically part of a standard name, the Oriki is often used alongside one and is usually generally known to a person's contemporaries. Many an individual can even be recognized by the people of another town or even clan by using the oriki of his or her ancestral line.

Choosing a name in this modern day is often a difficult task because there is no complete list of Yoruba names. However, a new online project by a Nigerian linguist has been started to document all Yoruba names in a multimedia format.[1][2][3]

In Yorubaland, there are a series of names which are popularly given to babies during naming ceremonies by their parents. These are the most common names for Yoruba people. A number of them are listed below.[4][5][6]

Names
Male Female
Adewoyin Abimbola
Abioye Abosede
Adebowale Anuoluwapo
Oluwadamilare Morenikeji
Adetokunbo Damilola
Adewale Folasade
Adisa Eniola
Alabi Adesewa
Aremu IniOluwa
Ajibola Bimpe
Amadi Adeola
Ayokunle Ayodamola
Gbenga Olabisi
Adewale Lolade
Olaoluwa Oluwatosin
Olalekan Ayomide
Ademola Demilade
Oluwole Olubukola
Oladele Oluwaseyi
Olawale Olayinka

See also

References

  1. ^ "Online Dictionary Helps Nigerians Decode Their Names". Retrieved 2016-07-18.
  2. ^ "Yorubaname.com will launch in beta-mode on February 19th, 2016 | TechCabal". Retrieved 2016-07-18.
  3. ^ "IFRA - Institut de Recherche français en Afrique - Yoruba Name project". www.ifra-nigeria.org. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
  4. ^ Chinasa, Hannah (2018-02-22). "Beautiful modern Yoruba names for your kids". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  5. ^ "Yoruba Names For Girls And Their Meaning". The Guardian. 2019-07-24. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  6. ^ "Yorubaname.com will launch in beta-mode on February 19th, 2016". TechCabal. 2016-02-18. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  • Akoto Yoruba Ode – Oni (Modern Yoruba Orthography) By Olufemi Abati. 2000. Unique Publishers ltd. Ibadan Nigeria. OCLC 815606393.

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