Yoruba Oriki names and top facts you should know about them

Yoruba Oriki names and top facts you should know about them

Yoruba Oriki names are names Yoruba people give to their children for symbolic reasons. It is a popular thing mostly among the people of the Yoruba descents. 

Continue reading to find out more about Oriki. Also, you will find some interesting Yoruba Oriki names and meanings of these names that we have listed below.

Yoruba names are grouped into five categories. They include:

“Oruko Amutorunwa” meaning Destiny Names

“Oruko Abiso” meaning Acquired Names

“Oruko Oriki” meaning Panegyrics

“Oruko Abiku”

“Oruko Inagije” meaning Alias

In this article, we are focusing on Oruko Oriki.

Oriki is cultural thing associated with the Yoruba culture. The word ‘Oriki” can be translated as panegyric which is a form of praise poetry. In the Yoruba culture, each settlement or minor tribe has its own Oriki. 

Each household within a tribe or settlement has it own Oriki. Even each individual has his/her own Oriki.

The name usually carries a praise poetry with it which is used to inspire the bearer of the name. 

The name and the praise poetry associated with the name varies in length depending on whether the name was given to a child to as a recital of the accomplishment of his/her family line or to describe his/her future destiny. 

The name is also given to praise a child for the pride they bring to the family or to describe and summon particular character traits that they believe a child was born with.

We have created for you a compilation of top Yoruba Oriki names and their meanings, for your convenience, the list is divided into male and female names.

Akanbi – It means one that is consciously or deliberately born.

Alabi – It means one born to the white cloth (of Ọbàtálá).

Ayinla – A child meant to be praised, feted, and disciplined.

Àjàní – Yoruba Oriki name meaning a child we fought for to have. It is a name given to a son that is valued and cherished because of the victory fought and overcame to have him.

Adisa – The literal meaning of this Oriki is one bundled up and spread to dry.

Ajadi – Yoruba Oriki name meaning the end of a conflict.

Akanni – It means one that is special to have.

Alani – It means one we survived to have.

Ayinde – Meaning one who arrives when praised.

Adigun – It means the perfectionist.

Àkànde Àgàn – Yoruba Oriki name meaning favourite of the prince.

Ajala – It means the one who has fought and survived.

Akande – It means one who purposefully came.

Alade – It means one who survives to arrive.

Àjàgbé – Yoruba Oriki name meaning fought to carry this child.

Akangbe – It means one consciously or deliberately carried.

Alagbe – It means the one who survived to be carried.

Akanmu – Yoruba Oriki name meaning personally chosen.

Aremu – It means the one needing to be consoled before being picked up.

Atanda – This name one created to shine brightness.

Àkànní – Yoruba Oriki name meaning “met only once to have this child.” It is also a Yoruba Oriki given to a first male child.

Àkànjí – Akanji means the one whose touch gives life.

Ariyo – Yoruba Oriki name meaning someone that people rejoice at the sight of him.

Some other Yoruba male Oriki names that we could not find their meanings: Akanda, Ajasa, Asamu, Ajabi, Adio, Aweda, Akano, Amoo, Ajao, Alao

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AWON Abiku Nile Yoruba, Oruko won ATI itumo

AWON Abiku Nile Yoruba, Oruko won ATI itumo 

Abiku

: "Bo ku o te" meaning "If you die you disgrace yourself", revealing that this woman had had "abiku" (short- lived) children prior to this one

"Biobaku," i. e., "Bi (iwo) ko ba ku," or in English: "If (you, or ) this one does not die" an inconclusive phrase requiring a "then" part to complete it; a "then" part of the name of "My heart will rejoice", or "God will have heard my prayers," or "My sorrows have ended, " or some such phrase".

Aiyédun – Life is sweet

Aiyédun, = Life is sweet, don’t go (die) again

Aiyélagbe = in the world we live, do not go

A já – Dog, do not break the rope, sorry, do not go

Ajéigbe Wealth is not lost

Aklsatán – Rag has finished, do not use more rags

Akújí What are you dead, awakens

Akúji, knife sorts of sleight of hand

Apara . He who go to the heaven and return

Aybrunbò Go to Heaven and back

Bánjókó - senta-se comigo

Bánjókó, sits/rests/stay with me

Dúródólú, = wait and see good things

Dúrójaiyé = wait and enjoy life

Dúrdorlike -= Stay, thou shall be spoiled (in this world) (àbíkú name for a girl)

Dúrósomo stay and do child 

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Oruko Oriki Nile Yoruba (Yoruba Praise name and their meanings)

Oruko Oriki Nile Yoruba (Yoruba Praise name and their meanings)

Akanbi = A male child born after many female children (the parent are looking for female)

Alabi. = A male child born after many female children or born by another wife after the first wife have given birth to many children.

Ajani. = A baby boy born after the dispute between the parents settled.

Akano. = A male child born when parent are looking for female

Akanni = As Akano

..Alake. = Baby girl born after many male children or born by another wife after many children by another woman.

Ajoke. = Born to be taking care.

Ajoke = We are to take care of this together.

Asabi = Baby girl born after many boys or special baby to parent

Alamu = same as Alabi.

Another set of names are ;

Ojuolape = Those to take care of this child are available or completed

Omobaonikee = The child meets those to take care of him her

Onikeepe = Those to take care of him/her are completed

Onipede. = The child born after a disaster in a family (the child to plead to the family)

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Twins family, their name and meaning in Yoruba

Twins family, their name and meaning in Yoruba 

Baba ibeji……… Twins father

Iya ibeji………….Twins mother

Iya ibeta……….Triple’s mother

Baba Ibeta……..Triple’s father

Ibeta…………….Triplet

Omo meji /ibeji /ejire (eji ore)

Kedunwa = A child born before a set of twins. (this name is given after the birth of a set of twin)

Taiwo = The first child of a set of twin/ triplet

Kehinde = the second child of a set of twin/ triplet

Idowu = Child born immediately after a set of twin/ triplet

Etaoko / Idowu.. the third child of a set of triplet

Ato = .The only girl in a set of a triplet.

Alaba = .Born after Idowu

Idogbe = Born after Alaba

Idoha = .Born after Idogbe

Kokorugudu. = Born after Idoha

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Oruko Amutorun wa ( Named you bring from heaven and their meanings)

Oruko Amutorun wa ( Named you bring from heaven and their meanings)

Ajayi. = Child faced down immediately after the birth

Ojo = A baby boy born with umbilical cord round his neck

Aina = A baby girl born with umbilical cord around her neck (note; Egba people give Aina to baby boy)

Ilori = Child born without mother menstruates

Joojo.. = The child who his or her mother dies immediately after the delivery of the baby.

Olugbodi. = The child that born with six fingers.

Oke. = The child who folded with membrane (sac like) during birth.

Oni. = (today) The baby who cries always

Ola. = (tomorrow) Child born after Oni

Otunla. = (day after tomorrow) Child born after Ola

Babatunde. = Baby boy born after the death of one’s grandfather

Yetunde/Iyabo/Yewande = Baby girl born after the death of grand mother

Babarimisa = The child whose father dies after the delivery

Yeyerimisa = The child whose mother dies after the delivery (not that day but befor the naming ceremony).

Abiiba = The child who did not meet his father.

Abiara.. the child who did not know his/her father.

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Traditional Yoruba names relating to IFA and ORISA and their meanings

Traditional Yoruba names relating to IFA and ORISA and their meanings 

Ogundele= Ogun (the Orisa) has reached (his) home.

Ogundare(Ogun da are) = Ogun has found in my favor, acquitted me.Ogunsola= Ogun se ola = Ogun has created (ie. e. clothed me with ) honor.

Ogundehin= Ogun dehin (wa) = Ogun has turned back to come to us.

Egunleti= Egun ni eti = The Ancestral Spirit (Rgun) has ears (to hear us through this baby)

Ojediran= Oje di (ohun) iran (diran) = The cult of the Ancestors has become part of our family heritage (something handed down from one generation to the next, down the line forever and a day.

Abegunrin= Eniti o mba Egun rin = One who walks with the Ancestral Spirit ( i.e. , who communes with the Ancestral Spirit).

Sangowanwa= Sango wa mi wa = Sango has come looking for me.

Sangodijo= Sango has closed the ranks (of our group).

Sangolaja= Sango la ija = Sango has made peace (has settled the dispute).

Oyagbaro= Oya gbo aro = Oya has heard our grief (and turned it into joy).; [Oya is the wife of Sango]

Oyabunmi= Oya bun emi = Oya has given me (this child).

OyatundeOya tun de = Oyahas come back again.

Oyagogun= Oya to ogun = Oya to ogun = Oya is (in herself) effective magic.

Ayangbami= Ayan gba emi = Ayan has accepted me [could also mean: 

Ayan has saved me(from childlessness).]

Ayandiran= Ayan di [ohun) iran(diran) = Ayan has become an heirloom; i. e., the worship of Ayan (the patron god of drumming and drumming styles)has become something handed down from generation to generation in our family.

Alayande=Eniti o nsin Ayan de = The devotee of Ayan has arrived.

Ayanlaja = Ayan la ija = Ayan has made peace, replaced strife with concord.

Fatoyinbo= Ifa to Oyinbo = Ifa is to be equated with Oyinbo. Here, "Oyinbo" is not [Note "not" is underlined] the white man," but the Yoruba child of Yoruba parents who at birth is light-skinned, and is held to bring good fortune to himself and to all connected with him.

Fatoyinbo

This Yoruba name is salutary reminder that the most obvious-and seemingly correct amplification of Yoruba compound words is just as likely as not to lead us astray, and

Fabunmi = Ifa bun emi = Ifa has given me [this child].

Fagbemi = Ifa gbe emi+ Ifa is on my side. [Ifa supports me].Falana = Ifa la ona = Ifa has opened (or has shown)the way.

Odutola = Odu to ola = Odu is equivalent to (is worthy of) honor. (Odu can be rep[ace with, Ifa, Ogun, Ade etc)

Odun eye =Odu ni eye = Odu intrinsically possesses adoration (is such that men automatically adore and worship it).

Odulate = Odu la ote =Odu has made conspiracy ineffective (has cut conspiracy open as with a knife).

Awotunde = Awo tun de = The mysteries (Awo) have a new lease on life (or the Adept=Awo-has returned again).

Awolaja = Awo la ija = The adept (by his birth) has brought peace.

Awolowo = Awo ni owo = Rhe adept has reverence (shown to him; or The Mysteries are holy, sacred).

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Names In Yoruba Land

Names In Yoruba Land 

Yoruba names are much more than mere identification tags, much more than mere "luggage labels"; each has a reason (a) for being just what it is; and (b) for being given to a particular individual. 

Yoruba names embody circumstances of birth, history, family, religion, or some other equally pertinent facts relevant to that particular individual bearing the name. 

Yoruba names are, in fact, in most cases contractions of whole sentences.

 "Atoloye," for example [see above list], is but the shortened form of

A to ni oye," and could be amplified into "Eniti o to lati fi je oje= He to whom a Chieftancy is but right and proper".

"Atoloye" is perhaps more properly amplified into "A to ni oye", i.e ‘’Eniti o to ni oye", where "to" is a verb that means "to be durable"

 The only question here is, can this apply to a person on his accession to the Chieftaincy, at which time nobody could possibly know what the future held in sure for the new Chief?" 

On the other hands, the salutation to a Yoruba chief, from the moment of his accession, is "Ade a pe l'ori, Bata a pe l'ese, olori a sise ebi, Esin oba a ma j'oko!-which is to say-

"Long will the crown remain on the chief's head; long will the shoes remain on the chief's feet; the chief's wives will bear children; the chief's virile member will always be fully active (literally: the chief's horse will eat fodder), "at a time when no one knows what the gods have planned for the chief. 

By the same token, the derivation of "Atoloye" as "He who is durable as Chief" (with 'durable' being used in the sense outlined abive), is perhaps to be preferred

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Chieftaincy name in Yoruba land and their meanings

Chieftaincy name in Yoruba land and their meanings

Adenekan = Ade ni eniti o nkan = Crown (or honor) comes only to the chosen.

Adedoyin= Ade di oyin = (My) crown had become (sweet as) honey.

Adeyinka= Ade yi mi ka = (My) crown surrounds me: i.e. , all those things associated with a king's crown-prestige, honor, authority, etcetera-surround me.

Adeniji= Ade ni iji = (My) crown has a shade (under which I rest).

Adetoro= Ade mi toro = (My) crown is without blemish (is unruffled).

Oyerinde= Oye rin de = High rank has walked in (to me).

Oyesiku= Oue si ileku(n) = High rank has open the door (to all good things).

Oyerola= Oye to ola = High rank is equivalent to (i. e., is such that it has brought) honor (or authority, dignity).

Okunowo(Okun ni owo )= Okun ni owo-The strings (of beads) commands respect.

Okuneye= Okun ni eye = The string (of beads) commands adoration.

Okunbajo= Oku(n) ba eni (pe) jo = The string of beads gather together .ith us.

Here, "Okun" is the string of beads, one of the insignias of the powerful.

Olayinka= Ola yi mi ka =Honor (authority, dignity) surrounds me.

Olatunde= Ola tun de. i. e., tun (pada) de = Honor has returned again.

Olabopo=Ola bo si ipo (re) = Honor has returned to its rightful place.

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Yoruba names that has to do with your star and where you are born

Yoruba names that has to do with your star and where you are born

Another names are those or the types the star with ‘a bi’ meaning ‘born to’

Abiola =Born during the time of a festival.

Abiola = Born into wealth

Abiona = Born on the road

Abioye = Born after the installation as a chief or a king

Abidemi = Born before the arrival of the father.

Abidekun = The last born ( No child is born after the child)

Abodunrin = Born when a festival is approaching.

Note; These names are unisex names.

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