“Abazu Ig/B also Abazue, Abazuo. Completion of wealth. The new born is the crown jewel of the family wealth. In this circumstance, the family has acquired enough financial wealth but needed a male child to carry on with the family name and inherit the wealth.”
– an excerpt from the book
ARPress is honored to publish African Baby Name Dictionary: Igbo and Yoruba Nigeria by Ifeanyi Kennedy Onyenkwere Ugbo. This book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress website.
In Igbo culture, names are traditionally constructed without family surnames, with individuals identified through their immediate male lineage. A child receives a name at birth that often references an event, a deceased ancestor, or the time and place of birth. Igbo names can express gratitude, proclaim a child’s greatness, affirm family honor, express optimism, or lament misfortune preceding the child’s birth. Many Igbo names begin or end with Chi or Chukwu, reflecting the influence of Christianity. A naming ceremony takes place shortly after birth, often involving a diviner to determine which ancestor has reincarnated through the baby.
Similarly, the Yoruba people believe that names influence a person’s destiny, and they put great effort into selecting a child’s name. Yoruba names fall into five categories: Destiny Names, Acquired Names, Panegyrical Names, Abiku Names, and Epithetic Names. Traditionally, male children were named on the eighth day after birth, while females were named on the seventh day, though today, both genders are often named on either day. Names can be derived from divination, family ranking, or ancestors. Twins are called Ìbejì, with the firstborn named Taiwo and the second Kehinde, based on the belief that the firstborn is sent to “test the world” before the second arrives. The naming ceremony, Isomoloruko, occurs seven days after birth, where family and elders bestow names reflecting heritage, blessings, and aspirations for the child’s future.
Ifeanyi Kennedy Onyenkwere Ugbo earned his B.Sc. in Business Management from Southern University and an M.A. in Mass Communications. He is currently the Chairman and Publisher of Unlimited Magazines, Inc. Financial Services, as well as the owner of Xpress Tax and the Chairman & CEO of On-Time Dump Truck Group Contractors Services of North America, Inc. He is also the author of the upcoming publication Time in Focus. Previously, he served as Vice President of the Nigerian Association in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA, and he has run for political office in Baton Rouge.
A name is not a mere label; it is a deeply conceived, meditated, and prayerful gift. Parents pray over their child’s name, asking God to grant them the destiny they envision. Since a child spends nine months, more or less, in the mother’s womb, the choice of a name is a sacred act—one that requires thoughtful reflection and divine guidance.
This dictionary of names serves as a valuable resource in making a wise and meaningful choice based on your family’s circumstances. A name is the first and most important gift you give to your child.
Unlike many global naming conventions, Igbo names are given based on specific circumstances, situations, events, and expectations surrounding the family at the time of the child’s birth. Additionally, in traditional African culture, a husband may give his wife a name based on his aspirations for her role in the family. Names in Africa carry deep significance, often reflecting the dignity of the circumstances in which they are given.
A name should be deeply rooted, original, and memorable. It must reflect the family’s history, present circumstances, or future aspirations. Naming is not just about identity—it is about legacy, meaning, and purpose.
“African Baby Name Dictionary: Igbo and Yoruba Nigeria” by Ifeanyi Kennedy Onyenkwere Ugbo is now available for purchase via ARPress Bookstore: