Sociology is defined as the scientific study of society. Culture is described as the way of life of individuals living in society, under culture, we have marriage customs, names, foods, housing, traditions, languages, and many more. The author of this article would only look into the naming of a child aspect of culture for the aim of her writing. Names are identification tools used in society.

Nigeria is a country in the Western Hemisphere of Africa which houses 520 tribes, three major ethnicities (Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo) and five hundred and seventeen minor ethnic groups such as Egun, Ebira, Igala, Nupe, Tiv, Edo, Fulani, Idoma, Efik, and five hundred and eight more. The Nigerian ethnic group that would be elucidated on is Yoruba. Yoruba language is also spoken in Ghana (called Fon), Togo, Republic of Benin, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

There are various religious practices in the world which include Islam, Christianity, Baha’I, Hinduism, Shintoism, Judaism, and etcetera. The writer would focus mainly on Islam. According to an article titled Islamic World, it mentioned that “The main regions of the World with a predominantly Islamic population are located in Central Asia, the entire Middle East and Western Asia (except Armenia and Israel), all of North Africa, and many countries in West Africa, South Asia, and Maritime Southeast Asia. There are about 50 countries in the World where the majority of the population is Muslim. Among them are about 30 countries with a majorly Muslim population, where more than 90% of the inhabitants belong to Islam. There are another 20 countries with a Muslim population of between 50%-80%. In 26 countries, Islam is the state religion by constitution” (Islamic World, 2023). Islam is derived from the word SALAM which means PEACE, making Islam to be THE RELIGION OF PEACE. The followers are called Muslims. Its Holy Book is the Quran which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) on Mount Hira by Angel Jibril. Islam is one of the monotheistic religions in the World. According to the website aforementioned, “Today, adherents of Islam constitute the world’s second-largest religious group. An estimated 1.8 billion or more than 24% of the world population identify themselves as Muslims” (Islam World, 2023).

The writer of this article would explain the naming of an individual, avoidance of abbreviating names, and rightly pronouncing names using the Islamic and Yoruba views.

When a baby comes into a Yoruba home, the isọmọ lorukọ (naming ceremony) is next, and this is done after the eighth day of the child’s birth. Before giving the baby his/her name, items are brought to bless the child such as honey, sugar, salt, bitter kola, kola nut, alligator pepper called atare in Yoruba, sugarcane, palm oil and liquor. The sugar and honey are meant to bring happiness into the baby’s life. Depending on the religion of the family, money would be dropped in a bowl in front of the parents of the child, this is meant for prayers said by well wishers to the baby born. In the Yoruba language, it is said that ile la n wo ka to sọmọ lorukọ which means we look into the family background before giving a child a name. For example, names in Yoruba can have ADE and OYE (Royal and Chieftaincy) this is to say the bearers of the names are to be revered, ỌLA (wealth), OLUWA and ỌLỌHUN (God or Lord), AYAN (Drumming/Drummer), IFẸ (Love) just to mention a few. Yorubas also have personal oriki (eulogies) for children. Orikis have four types: 1. Personal 2. Family 3. State and 4. Town/Community

When a child is born into a Muslim home, he/she should be named after the seventh day which is called or known as or referred to the aqeeqah. The father of the baby has the responsibility to name his child. This is very important because a child’s name tells on the child in his or her future endeavors. The father should avoid names that would become hindrances to the babies. Islamically, children are given names of Allah Azzawajal, but must have ABDUL, ABDUS, and ABDUR which means servant of because it is only Allah Azzawajal that can bear AL, AS, and AR. Secondly, Muslim male children can be named after the Prophets. Thirdly, Muslim boys can have Allah at the end of their names. While the Muslim girls can be given feminine names of the boys or names of Prophet Muhammad wives and children.

After explaining the names an individual can be given, the writer of this writing would now give examples of the names and meanings. Some Arabic names given to individuals are ABDULLAH which means SLAVE OF ALLAH (male), ZAINAB means FRAGRANCE (female), SAIFULLAH means SWORD OF ALLAH (male), HAWWA means FIRST WOMAN TO BE CREATED (female), IDRIS means STUDIOUS or SMART (male), ALJANNAH means THE PARADISE or GARDEN (female), ABDULHAKEEM means THE SERVANT OF THE JUDGE (male), BARAKALLAH means BLESSINGS OF ALLAH (female), HABEEBAH means BELOVED, SWEETHEART or LOVER (feminine name for HABEEBULLAH), ABIDAH means WORSHIPPER or DEVOTEE (feminine name of ABDULLAH/ABDLLAH), RODIALLAH which means PLEASED (feminine name of RIDWANULLAH), RIDWANULLAH (male) has two meanings which are 1. PLEASED and 2.GATEKEEPER TO ALL SEVEN ALJANNAH (PARADISES), and many more.

Some Yoruba names given to individuals are AYANWALE means THE DRUMMER HAD COME HOME, ADETOKUNBỌ means THE CROWN HAS COME FROM OVERSEAS, ỌLỌHUNSUNMIBAYỌ means THE LORD HAS PUSHED ME TO JOY, IFẸMIDE means MY LOVE HAS COME, OYEKANMI means THE CHIEFTAINCY HAS REACHED ME, ỌLAOLUWAKITAN means GOD’S WEALTH NEVER FINISHES and many more. Some personal orikis are ADUKẸ (BELOVED), ADUNNI (THE ONE PLEASED TO HAVE), ADIGUN (THE PERFECTIONIST) and many more.

This section of the writing would focus on the abbreviation of Islamic and Yoruba names and their meanings. Some Islamic names that are always shortened by the bearers or their family members and friends and in Yoruba culture are a. AZEEZAH which means ESTEEMED, PRECIOUS to ZEEZEE or ZZ (the author couldn’t find the meaning per say) b. QADIJA/KHADIJA/KHADEEJAH which means EARLY BABY, TRUSTWORTHY or RESPECT shortened to DIJA which means PREMATURE BABY c. SULAIMAN means PEACEFUL shortened to SULA or SULE d. ABDULLAH or ABDLLAH means SERVANT OF ALLAH shortened to ABUDU, ABU, or ABUDULAI which ABUDU means TO WORSHIP or FEAR e. ABDULQADR which means SERVANT OF THE POWERFUL shortened to KADIRI (ABLE) or QADIRI just to mention a few.

Some Yoruba names that are cut short are 1. ṢIYANBỌLA means MEET WEALTH WITH MIRTH/CONVIVIALITY but when not called in full can be BỌLA means MEETS WEALTH, pronounced ṢIYAN means to MISCHOOSE or MISPICK or MISSELECT 2. IFẸDAYỌ means LOVE TURNS JOY, when shortened IFẸ means LOVE and DAYỌ means TURNS JOY 3. ADEDAMỌLA can be abbreviated as ADE (CROWN), or DAMỌLA (ADDS TO WEALTH) 4. OLAOLUWAKITAN means GOD’S WEALTH NEVER FINISHES can be abbreviated as ỌLA (WEALTH), ỌLUWA (LORD) or KITAN (NEVER FINISHES), ỌLADIPUPỌ means WEALTH BECOMES MANY can be abbreviated as ỌLA (WEALTH), LADIPUPỌ (WEALTH BECOMES PLENTY) or LADIPỌ (WEALTH BECOMES PLENTY) and to mention just a few.

This aspect of the article would discuss the mispronunciation of names. When names are mispronounced, they mean different things from the original etymologies. This is common in the African societies, but the writer would make use of the Yoruba culture (she is a Yoruba woman from Nigeria) because they are very fond of that. For example, A. DHIKRULLAH/DHIKRA which means REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH is pronounced SIKIRU/SIKIRA B. ZULFAH which means NEARNESS/CLOSENESS is called SILIFA C. SIDEEQ/SIDEEQAH means TRUTHFUL is pronounced SODIQ D. HUSSEIN means GOOD/HANDSOME is pronounced OSENI E. ISLAMIAH means PEACE, pronounced ISILA and many more.

This article is written by the author to advice and suggest to parents to always pronounce correctly and never abbreviate their children’s names because the children would be calling themselves that way, and when they (the parents and children) call their names in the wrong manner or shorten them, what would they say to other family members and friends who abbreviate and mispronounce their names? The glaring answer is NOTHING because Yorubas say bi o ni gba baṣẹ pe gba rẹ laraye ma ṣẹ bawọn gbe which in the English language means that people call you what you call yourself.

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