child_care First names

Names that tell the story of the birth: twins, Sunday, feet first

Among the Yoruba as among the Fon, a name isn’t chosen at random: it keeps a trace of the birth. Twins, a birth on a Sunday, an absent father, a child born feet first: here are the names that say so.

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Twins

Twins: Taiwo, Kehinde, Idowu, Alaba

Twin births have their own names. Taiwo (“taste the world, taste life”) and Kehinde (“the one who comes last”) are twin names, according to Wikipedia: Kehinde is generally given to the second. The child who follows also receives a dedicated name.
First nameMeaningCircumstance
Taiwotaste the world, taste lifetwin name
Kehindethe one who comes lastgenerally given to the second twin
Idowuborn after twinschild born after twins
Alabasecond child after twinssecond child after twins
On the Fon side, the child who follows twins also receives a special name; see the comparison of Fon and Yoruba twin names.
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Where these meanings come from

The meanings are those of the list of Yoruba names from Behind the Name. When two references contradict each other about a name, we don’t publish it. A Yoruba name often has several readings: take these meanings as guidelines, not as official records.

2

The day, the hour

A Sunday, a feast day, an absent father

Some names capture a moment. Abosede is given to a child born on a Sunday. Abiodun means “born on a feast day”. Abidemi, “born in my absence”, is given to the child born while the father is away.
First nameMeaningCircumstance
Abosedecomes with the start of the weekgiven to a child born on a Sunday
Abiodunborn on a feast dayborn on a feast day
Abidemiborn in my absencegiven when the father is away

Speak the language of these names: Parlons Fongbe Academy — 79 video lessons with a native speaker.Discover

3

An unusual birth

Feet first, curly hair, misfortune avoided

A delivery or a physical detail can also give the child its name.
First nameMeaningCircumstance
Igeborn feet firstchild born feet first
Dadacurly hairname linked to curly hair
Abayomithey would have mocked mekeeps the memory of a misfortune avoided
4

In Benin

The same logic in Benin

This link between birth and name is very present in Benin. According to Wiktionary, Alihonou (“the child of the road”) is given by the Goun to a boy born on the road before his mother reached the maternity ward, and Babatoundji, among the Nago, to a child born just after the death of a family member, especially a grandparent.
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To go further

The Fon system of names by day of birth is detailed in Fon names by day of birth ; the Parlons Fongbe Academy course teaches you to introduce yourself and ask someone’s name from its very first chapter.

A name is a story

Behind every name, there is often a day, a place, a family. That’s why we ask for it with respect, and listen to it.

Nɛ a nɔ nyi ?
“What’s your name?” — lesson 3, chapter 1
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Behind every first name, there is a whole language.

A Fon name is a sentence. To truly hear it, you need the language: 79 video lessons with a native speaker — greet people, introduce yourself, talk about your family, understand your grandmother on the phone.

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