345 Yoruba Baby Names From West Africa

A popular Yoruba name that means peace is Alafia. It is a gender-neutral name. Ìdẹ̀raolúwa is another name that means ‘peace of god.’ Ifelayo is another Yoruba name that implies ‘love is peace.’

Most of the names in Yoruba culture are unisex. Names like Bolu, Bola, Dare, Yinka, Tola, Sola, and Tade are unisex and are fully acceptable by the cultural law of this place. The Yoruba language classifies pronouns according to a person and number and not based on gender (2). However, you will also find many gender-specific names.

The first-born twin in Southwest Nigeria, irrespective of gender, is always called Taiwo. It means 'having the first taste of the world.' The second twin is called Kehinde. It implies 'arriving after the other.' Between both, the firstborn, or Taiwo, is regarded as the younger twin sibling (3 ).

In the Yoruba culture, Olúwasanmí means 'God favors me' or 'God rewards me.' It is made of olúwa, which means God; san, which means benefit or favor; and mí, which means me.

Kamari is an African name that means 'moon.’ It has many variations like Kamaria, Kam, and Mari. Mawu, in the Yoruba language, is also associated with the moon. It's the name of a creator goddess linked to the Sun and Moon.

Religious and cultural traditions play a significant role in selecting Yoruba baby names. These names tell the story of the socio-economic backgrounds of families and showcase their religions and customs. Children are often named after significant cultural events surrounding their birth so they can recall the memories later. The names are important means of communication and sources of gender differentiation (4). There is also a tradition in the Yoruba culture about naming according to the background of a family, religion, or antecedents. Some examples include Ògúndìran, which means 'Ogun has become a living tradition in the family,’ and Ayanlowo, which means 'Ayan drumming tradition is honorable.'

According to the Yorubas, a given name has a profound effect. They have always believed that the name that a child bears can influence their entire life cycle from their behavior, profession, and success. From the beginning, Yoribas have regarded a name as representing the socio-economic and cultural characteristics, family background, occupation, place of origin, and political and economic class. Some examples of these names include Abiodun, which means 'born during a festival,' and Abosede, which means a child born on the first day of the week (5).