Yoruba name
Encyclopedia
Yoruba names are primarily used by the Yoruba people
and Yoruba language
-speaking individuals in both Nigeria
and the Nigerian diaspora.
Yoruba names are traditionally classified into two categories:
One of the most common destiny names among the Yoruba are Taiwo and Kehinde, which are given primarily to twin
s.
And it is believed that the first of twin[s] is Taiwo, whose intention in coming out first is to perceives the kind of new environment they are before granting his/her second Kehinde to come out.
Acquired name may signify the position of the family in the society (e. g "Adewale", a typical royal family name). It may also signify the family work (e. g "Agbede", the blacksmith).
Yoruba also have "Oriki", a kind of praise recital used to emphasize the achievements of the ancestors of the family. 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 recognised by the people of another town or even clan by using the oriki of his or her ancestral line.
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
and Yoruba language
Yoruba language
Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...
-speaking individuals in both Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and the Nigerian diaspora.
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 taken from the father, but names can also come from those of other ranking members of the family, including the 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.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 two categories:
- Destiny Names(Situational) also known as Oruko Amutorunwa ("names assumed to be brought from heaven" or derived from a religious background)
- Acquired Names ("given on earth" or granted by next of kin)
One of the most common destiny names among the Yoruba are Taiwo and Kehinde, which are given primarily to twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
s.
And it is believed that the first of twin[s] is Taiwo, whose intention in coming out first is to perceives the kind of new environment they are before granting his/her second Kehinde to come out.
Acquired name may signify the position of the family in the society (e. g "Adewale", a typical royal family name). It may also signify the family work (e. g "Agbede", the blacksmith).
Yoruba also have "Oriki", a kind of praise recital used to emphasize the achievements of the ancestors of the family. 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 recognised by the people of another town or even clan by using the oriki of his or her ancestral line.