Ni àṣà Yorùbá, ni ayé àtijọ́, ọjọ́ keje ni wọn ńsọmọ obinrin ni orúkọ, ọjọ́ kẹsan ni ti ọmọ ọkùnrin, ṣùgbọ́n ni ayé òde òni, ọjọ kẹjọ ni wọn sọ gbogbo ọmọ lórú̀kọ.  Yorùbá ki sọmọ lórúkọ ni ọjọ́ ti wọn bi,ṣùgbọ́n Yorùbá ti ó bá bimọ si òkè-òkun lè fún ilé-igbẹbi lórúkọ ọmọ gẹgẹ bi àṣà òkè-òkun ki wọn tó sọmọ lórúkọ.

Òwe Yorùbá ni “Ilé làńwò, ki a tó sọmọ lórúkọ” nitori eyi, Bàbá àti Ìyá yio ronú orúkọ ti ó dara ti wọn yio sọ ọmọ ni ọjọ́ ikómọ.  Orúkọ Yorùbá lé ni ẹgbẹ-gbẹrun, àwọn orúkọ yi yio jade ni ipasẹ̀ akiyesi iṣẹ̀lẹ̀ ti o ṣẹlẹ̀ ni àsikò ti ọmọ wa ni ninú oyún; ọjọ́ ibi ọmọ; orúkọ ti ó bá idilé tabi ẹsin àtijọ́ àti ẹsin igbàlódé mu.

A o ṣe àyẹ̀wò àwọn orúkọ igbalode àti àwọn orúkọ ibilẹ ti ó ti fẹ ma parẹ.  A o bẹrẹ pẹlu orukọ ti o wọpọ ni idile “Ọlá”, “Ọba”, “Olóyè” àti “Akinkanjú ni àwùjọ ni ayé òde òni.  “Ọlá” ninú orúkọ Yorùbá ki ṣe owó àti ohun ini nikan, Yorùbá ka “ilera” si  “Ọlà”.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

In Yoruba culture, in the olden days, girl child is named on the seventh day, boy child is named on the ninth day, but nowadays, all babies are named on the eigth day.  Yoruba do not name their babies on the same after birth, but Yoruba in diaspora particularly abroad (Europe/America) could give name at the Maternity Ward according to the tradition there before the naming ceremony.

According to the Yoruba Proverb “Home is examined before naming a child”, as a result, father and mother often reason together to arrive at a beautiful name to give the child on the day of Naming Ceremony.  There several thousands of Yoruba names, these names are derived from the circumstances during pregnancy and the child’s birth; in line with family names; or derived from traditional beliefs or modern day religion.

We shall examine some of the contemporary names and the traditional names that are almost extinct.  We shall start with common names relating to “Wealth”; “Kingship”; “Chieftaincy” and “Valiant families within the communities”, in the modern day.  “Wealth” in Yoruba names is not restricted to “Money” or “Properties” as Yoruba regard “Health” as “Wealth”.

Originally posted 2014-07-01 20:03:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter