WHAT IS IN A YORÙBÁ NAME (NAME WITH A REASON)

''Bí ò bá ní ìdí, obìrin kì í jẹ́ Kúmólú - if not for a reason, a name will not be given (their is a reason behind a name).

No doubt, the Yorùbá names are for a reason, some names; orúkọ are as a result of the ipò - status of the ìdílé;  family (home where the child is born, whether into a family of a traders/business/wealth; ìdílé olówò/olówó), others are as a result of the situations surrounding birth of a child. 

Orúkọ ní ńro ni as the Yoruba usually say, shows that names unconsciously have an impact in our lives one way or the other.

Yoruba name would either be any of the following;

1.     Orúkọ Àmútọ̀runwá

2.     Orúkọ Àbísọ

3.     Orúkọ Ìnagijẹ

Orúkọ àmútọ̀runwá when dissected means; orúkọ à-mú-ti-ọ̀run-wá (orúkọ tí a mú wá láti ọ̀run; name brought from ọ̀run; heaven). These are orúkọ given to a child as a result of circumstances surrounding its birth. The child is given the names at birth and not on the seventh, eighth or ninth days after birth - ní gẹ́lẹ́ tí a bá bí'mọ tuntun ni ó ti lórúkọ, ó yàtọ sí orúkọ àbísọ tí a ńsọ ọmọ lọ́jọ́ keje, kẹ́jọ tàbí kẹsàn-án lẹ́yìn tí a bí ọmọ.

Names like Àjàyí, Òjó, Ìlọ̀rí, Tàlàbí, Òní, Ìgè, Àìná , Dàda, Òké, Táíwò , Kẹ́hindé, Ìdòwú, Àlàbá, Erinlẹ̀, Ẹ̀ta Òkò are orúkọ àmútọ̀runwá.

On the other hand, orúkọ àbísọ; à-bí-sọ - name after birth, are names given to the child either on the seventh, eighth or ninth day after birth. They are names given to a child during ọjọ́ ìsọmọlórúkọ.

While, the orúkọ ìnagijẹ are pet names (like nicknames), they are not the child's original name.

In some families, the Awo (Ifá priest) are contracted to check the Àkọsẹ̀jayé (what has been written before one came to ayé; earth) of the child so as not to give the child a name which will be against its destiny; àyànmọ́/kádàrá. It is Ifá that gives children in those families their orúkọ. 

At all times, the prefix in the name tells why the child is bequeathed such name, while at times, it suffix the name.

Here are some names and the reason behind such names >>>

*Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìgbà ayọ̀ (child born in times of happiness) –Ayọ̀mídé, Adédayọ̀, Ayọ̀dipúpọ̀, Ayọ̀bámi, Fúnmiláyọ̀

*Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìgbà ìbánújẹ́ (child born in times of sadness) – Rẹ̀mílẹ́kún, Ẹkúndayọ̀, Ẹkúndẹ̀rín

*Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìdílé Olóòṣà (child born in an ardent traditional religious family)- Abórìṣàdé, Òrìṣàkẹ́mi, Òrìṣàbùnmi, Òrìṣàgbémí  

Ọṣún (Child born into the Osun deity religion) – Ọṣúntádé, Ọṣúnbíìyí , Ọṣúnsanwó, Ọṣúntókun,  Ọṣúnrẹ̀mí,Omírẹ̀mí, Omítádé, Ẹfúntádé, Efúnronkẹ́, Ẹfúnṣetán 

Ọmọ tí a bí ni ìdílé Olórò (Child born in the Orò family) – Abóròdé

Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìdílé Oló'Ògún (Child born in a family that worships Ògún) – Ògúnronkẹ́, Ògúntádé, Ògúnwẹ̀mímọ́, Ògúntundé, Ògúndàmọ́lá, Ògúndélé, Ògúnmọ́lá, Ògúngbadé, Ògúnsọlá, Ògúnndé, Ògúnbánwòó 

Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìdílé Oníṣàngó (Child born in a family that worships Ṣàngó) – Ṣàngótádé, Ṣàngótúndé, Ṣàngódélé etc

Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìdílé ọlọ́lá (Child born in a wealthy family) – Ọlábisi/Bisiọlá, Ọládele, Ọlá(k)ìtán, Ọlábọdè, Ọlámikún, Owólabí, Ọládapo, Ọláwoyin, Olówóòkéré Ọlámidipúpọ̀, Owólaní, Ọládípo, Ọlálẹ́yẹ, Ọlánrewájú, Ojúọlápé, Kọládé, Kọlápo, Kọláwolé, Olówóyọ, Ajíbọlá, Afọlábí, Afọlálù, Afọláyan, Agboọlá, Pópóọlá, Lákanmí, Ládigóòlù

Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìdílé olóyè (child born of a chieftain) – Oyèkànmbí, Oyèládé, Oyèsanmí, Oyègbèmí, Oyèdiran, Oyèníkẹ̀ẹ́, Oyèyẹmí, Oyèwùnmí, Oyègbénga, Olówófoyèkú 

Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìdílé Aládé (Child born in a royal family) – Adékànmbí, Adélamí, Adéṣínà, Adégbìtẹ̀, Adérẹ̀mí, Adéṣojí, Adégòkè, Adéníyì, Adémọlá, Adéyẹfà, Adélabú, Adéṣidà, Adébóyè, Atiládé, Adéníji

Ọmọ tí a bí ní ìdílé Awo (Child born in the Ifa divinity family) – Awórẹ̀mí, Awósìkà, Awóyẹmí, Awótóyè, Awólọ́wọ̀, Awógbèmí, Awólaní, Awótóògùn, Odùwọlé, Odùtọ́lá, Odùgbèmí, Fáyẹmí, Fáṣúyì, Fáṣọlá, Fájogùn, Fátọ́lá, Fádáhùnsí, Fádáìró, Fákúnlé, Fágbèmí, Ifátóògùn, Ifábùnmi, Ifádáyísí

Oruko omo ti a bi ni ìdíle Ọdẹ (Child born in a family whose way of life is hunting) – Ọdẹ́wùnmì, Ọdẹ́wálé, Ọdẹ́sanmí, Ọdẹ́yẹmí, Ọdẹ́gbáró, Ọdẹ́lamí

Orúkọ ọmọ ti a bi ni ìdíle oní eégún (Child born in a masquerade family) – Egúngbèmí, Egúntádé, Abégúndé, Egúnjọbí, Ọjẹ́labí 

Orúkọ ọmọ ti a bi ni ìdíle Alájágun, Jágun-jágun (Child born in the family of warriors and soldiers) – Akínkúnlé, Akínsànyà, Akínlotan, Akínwandé, Akínbóyè, Akínwùmi, Akínyẹmí, Akínbọ̀dé, Akínwálé, Akínloyè, Akínróyè

Orúkọ ọmọ àbíkú (Names of wanderer children) – Kókumọ́, Málọmọ́, Mátànmí, Kòsọ́kọ́, Rọ́pò, Akisáàtàn, Káṣìmáawòó, Làámbẹ̀, Bámikalẹ́, Aníkúlápò, Dúrója(i)yé, Dúrótìmí, Bánjókòó, Jáyésimi, Ikújọọ́rẹ̀, Kúyẹ̀, Béyìíòkú, Kúṣoró, Òkúyè, Ọmọnijẹ̀. Abẹ̀gbọ́, Àmọ̀ṣá are for females only.

Orúkọ ọmọ obìrin tí àwọn ènìyàn bá pé jọ, tàbí pọ̀ tọ́júu rẹ̀ (Name of a female child who has many mothers taking care of her) –  Àlàkẹ́, Àpèkẹ́, Àdùkẹ́,  Àmọ̀kẹ́, Àríkẹ̀,  Àpínkẹ́, Àjokẹ́, Àbẹ̀kẹ́, Àbíkẹ́, Àwẹ̀ní etc

Aside these names, Yorùbá also have the orúkọ ìnagijẹ/àpèjẹ́ (nick names) – Agúntáṣọ́lo, Lógunlékò, Afẹ́lẹ́bẹ́, Jẹ́jẹ́, jẹ́gẹ́dẹ́, Ọmọ̀dára, Péléyẹjú, Ọkọ́nrin-jẹ́jẹ́

Later on, like Ham changed to Abraham, names with Baal to names like Jerobaal, so also the Yorùbá names also gave way to Islamic and Christian baptismal names. We began to hear Muslim names like – Abdulahi, Mohammed, Sulaimon and so on. Christiana, Linda, Anabel, Sara are all Christian names given to a child at birth or at baptism.

To this end, the òwe “ilé l’à ń wò kí á tó sọ ọmọ l’órúkọ” is more than enough to answer the question, what is in a Yorùbá name?.

Therefore, as Yorùbás we must endeavour to 'christian or islam' our children with original names, and that original name is the Yorùbá name.

Kí ni orúkọọ̀ rè? What is your name? 

Do you know the meaning of your name?

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WHAT IS IN A YORÙBÁ NAME?

In Yorùbá land, ilé l’à ń wò kí á tó sọ ọmọ l’órúkọ.

This implies that, the various circumstances surrounding the birth of a child is a major factor in naming the child on the ọjọ́ ìsọmọlórúkọ.

Maybe, it took long for the child to come out of the mother, the labour which the mother had to go through and etc can be the reason behind the child’s name (àsìkò tí a bí mi yàtọ̀, ìdílé tí a ti bí mi yàtọ̀, ọjọ́ àti ọdún pàápàá yàtọ̀ síra wọn).

We all are not born the same day, month, and year and also we are not born the same way, we came from different family as well as sociopolitical background.

Bákan náà, ni ọ̀nà tí a gbà bími yàtọ̀ sí ọ̀nà tí a gbà bí ìrẹ. Bí a ṣe bí àwọn kan tí wọ́n dojú sókè kọ́ la bí àwọn míràn tí wọ́n sojú dẹ́lẹ̀ nígbà tí a bí wọn - Also, we were born in different ways, the same way i was born is not the same way you were born, while many came out from the mother with the head facing up, others come out with the head face down. 

A child born with locked hair; dreadlocks is regarded as Dàda.

Automatically, any child born in the Yoruba house born face down will be named Àjàyí.

Tàlàbí; this is a name of a child who has covering around the face at birth.

On the other hand, if the child is born with the umbilical cord around the neck, such children are referred to as Àìná for a girl and Òjó for a male child. Whereas, a child that comes out with the legs is the Ìgè, or Ìgè-Àdùbí

Furthermore, if a child stayed in the womb beyond the usual 9 and 10 months, the child name will include Ọmọ́pẹ́ (child stayed long in womb).

Another unique set of people according to the Yoruba culture are twin children; ìbejì or ọmọ méjì. The first to come out of the mother among the two children is the Táiyé /Táíwò (tọ áyé wò – have a taste of life) and the second is the Kẹ́hindé/Àkẹ́hindé/ ọmọkẹ́hindé (one who came late). Ọmọ-kẹ́hin-dé,  the second of the twins is regarded to be the senior who sent ọmọ- tọ - áyé- wò to come see how sweet earth is, táíwò is the àbúrò (junior).
Those born after the twins are the Ìdòwú and Àlábà respectively.

Apart from giving birth to ọmọ meji, Yorubas also have the ìbẹ́ta/ ọmọmẹ́ta/ẹ̀ta òkò (triplet) , ìbejì are believed to be special children, adored by the Yorùbá race. 

Away from the ìbejì and ìbẹta. Some children are born with more than five fingers or toes, such people are called olúgbodi.

Furthermore, traditional Yoruba names are not only by the circumstances surrounding the birth of a child that points to a befitting name for the child, but also the behaviour of the child after birth prior to the ọjọ́ isọmọlórúkọ (child naming day). 

A child that cries all time is the Òní, whereas a child born and enveloped in a sack of flesh will have Ọkẹ́ as a name. Some women take-in without a menstrual circle, children conceived by women like this, are named ìlọ̀rí.

Above all, the situation at hand when the baby was delivered also gives insight to a choice of name for the child. A child born during any festivity have names like Abíọ́dún, Bọdúnrin and Bọdúndé. In a sad moment, names like Rẹ̀mílẹ́kún, Ẹkúndayọ̀ are names suitable for the new child. On the opposite, children born in happy times have the prefix or suffix- Ayọ̀ in their names.

What about the names of the Àbíkú? Do you know any? Of course, the wandering children also have their own names which tells one upon hearing such names that the child is an Àbíkú. 

Children born during the raining season are called Béjidé. Beautiful babies have names like Béwaji, Ẹwátòkẹ́, Ewáwùmi. Women who gives birth on the road have their child named Abíọ́nà (born on the road).  When the father/mother travels and he/she came back to meet a new born baby, such child will be named Tòkunbọ̀; ti-òkun-bọ̀ (arrival from sea).  Ọmọtóóyọ̀sí is a name given to child whom the mother and father had longed for, the name means the joy of having a child.

When a man lost his father and the wife put to bed shortly after the death of her father-in-law, no one tells the man that the child’s name will be Babátúndé tabi Babájídé and Yétúndé or ìyábọ̀ if it was a girl, most especially if the baby look just like the late grandfather or grandmother. 

Now you can see that there is a lot in a Yorùbá name. Names that are unique, names that are different.

What is your Yorùbá name? Do you know the meaning? 
Have you ever made an attempt to find out what your name means?

Come here again for the sequel!!! 

 Ẹ ṣé gan-an ni



Check out > www.yobamoodua.org for more on Yorùbá education and information.