Child Naming In Yoruba Culture

Child naming in Yorubaland

Hey People,

What are the procedures on child-naming in Yoruba culture when the Grand father is not alive?

Thanx

you're not yoruba so it doesn't matter.  do your own your own way 

The grandfather or whoever is the eldest member of the family tends to name the child.

Go and put your devilish leading question elsewhere

wonderful decision, Seun

anyway shouldnt the next elder in line do it? or even the grandmother?

Sorry Adeniyi, I didn't mean to take over your post    Can I be a nuisance and ask one more question about the grandfather - which grandfather names the baby? The baby will have 2 grandfathers, is it the mother's father or the father's father who traditionally names the baby?

I was told that the Yoruba custom was that all the older family members will suggest a name, and then the parents choose from those names. This was a Yoruba 'new' grandfather who told me this. Maybe the tradition varies a bit from family to family? Perhaps you could do this if you have no grandfather to name the child?

Or yes, name the child yourself! What happens if someone else gives the child a name you don't like?

Make una no fight, iti ogede no ko to'hun ta ya'da si.

As the world becomes a global village culture is having its share of infiltration but below is what the tradition looks like:

The child's paternal grandfathers' home is the venue of the naming especially for the couple's first child. (I strongly believe that this was due to the fact that the couple is youg and may not have enough friends and all that is required to entertain guests.) The paternal grandfather collects names and writes them down beginning with his own followed by that of his wife (often it is assumed that the paternal grandparents made the choice of the name presented by the granddad), the maternal grandparents and other elders in the family (anyone older than the grandparent is considered an elder). Since it is disrespectful to call elders by name a child is usally given the next choice of name if a chosen name is answered to by an elder e.g if an uncle names the child Seun and another uncle goes by Seun, though this name is listed the child is not called by that name. At the end of the day, the parents (if educated) still determine what goes into the birth cerificate, that is why you find some instance where a child is called by a particular name by the mothers family, another by his fathers family and a different name on his birth certificate. Some family members simply stick to the name given.

The long list of names is called out during the ceremony by the paternal grandfather and echoed by everyone present as a way of establishing the names. In recent times paternal grandparents ask the couple what they'D like to name the child and simply add their choice to it. But when it's time to make the presentation, the paternal grandfather presents the names or hands it over to the couple who hand it over to the pastor (for Christians).

Other things happen during naming which includes the use of adun, orogbo, atare, iyo, sugar, ireke, obi, oyin etc,  all these are highly symbolic and used to make prophetic proclamations into the life of the child.

Money given during the naming is meant for the woman and in recent times used to open an account for the child. Usually the man and woman should be very well dressed up for the occasion but in recent years its not unusual to find the man in jean while the woman is all done up like the mother of the man.

Any question? No querries.

Moving to 'culture' section.

Please bring this discussion to the new Yorubaland web site at www.yorubaland.org