Yoruba Names

This book focuses on the naming tradition among the Yoruba, one of Africa's largest ethnic groups, consisting of over 40 million people.

Taiwo Ehineni is a Preceptor of African Languages in the department of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, USA.

Introduction: What's in a Name? 1. The Philosophy of a Name 2. Construct, Context, and Connections: The Semiotics of Yoruba Names 3. Naming as Act and Art: A Synthesis 4. Theorizing Names: Moving Beyond Western-Centric Models Chapter 1: Yoruba Naming and Meaning 1. Introduction: The Cultural Weight of a Name 2. The Pragmatic Theory of Properhood (TPTP): A Critical Review 3. Meaning in Yoruba Names: Beyond Referentiality *3.1 Denotation: Literal Meaning (Revisited) *3.2 Connotation: Cultural and Historical Meanings *3.3 Perspectivization: The Individual and Negotiated Meaning *3.4.Subversion and Re-semanticization: Turning Meaning on its Head 4. Conclusion: Reconsidering the Nature of Meaning in Proper Names Chapter 2: Personal Names: Constructing Identities and Narrating Social Experiences 1. Introduction: Names as Sites of Identity Construction 2. The Naming Context Among the Yoruba: A Socio-Cultural Ritual 3. Factors Motivating the Choice of Names: A *3.1 Family Situation or Parents' Experiences *3.2 Birth Circumstances *3.3 Birth Order *3.4 Sex *3.5 Religion *3.6 Profession *3.7 Death Situation 4. Conclusion: Names as Dynamic Narratives of Self Chapter 3: Oríkì: Praising Destiny, Constructing Identities in Yoruba Culture 1. Introduction: Oríkì as a Cultural and Linguistic Phenomenon 2. The Concept of Orí: Foundations of Yoruba Identity and Destiny 3. Oríkì as a Verbal Instantiation of Orí: Performance and Power 4. Types of Oríkì: Exploring Specific Forms * 4.1 Oríkì Àbís- (Attributive Personal Praise Names) * 4.2 Oríkì Orílé (Totemic Praise Names) * 4.3 Oríkì Àlàjé- (Praise Nicknames) 5. Conclusion: Reconsidering the Nature of Meaning in Proper Names Chapter 4: Place Names: Language and History 1. Introduction: Place Names as Embodied Histories and Ecological Markers 2. Yoruba Toponyms: A Tapestry of History, Ecology, and Social Life * 2.1 Flora Toponyms * 2.2 Hill Toponyms * 2.3 Hydro-Toponyms * 2.4 Topographic-Color Descriptive Toponyms * 2.5 Stone Toponyms and Forest Toponyms * 2.6 War-related Toponyms * 2.7 Agro-Toponyms * 2.8 Place names based on environmental changes 3. Conclusion Chapter 5: Pet Names: Language, Resistance, and Protest 1. Introduction: Naming as Resistance and Protest 2. The Yorubas and the Pet Culture 3. Pet Naming and Linguistic Creativity in Yoruba Culture: The Art of Subversion 4. Yoruba Pet Names: Sites of Resistance and Social Commentary * 4.1 Pet Names and Protest in Family Matters * 4.2 Pet Names and Protest in Communal Situations: Navigating Power and Conflict * 4.3 Pet Names and Protest in National Politics: Voicing Dissent 5. Conclusion Chapter 6: Hair Names: Language and Women's Agency 1. Introduction: Hair as a Site of Agency and Cultural Commentary 2. Hairstyling in Yoruba Culture 3. The Poetics of Plaiting: Creativity and Complexity in Yoruba Hairstyles Names 4. Crowning Glory: Hairstyle Names as Women's Agency and Individuality 5. Conclusion Chapter 7: Building Names: Language and Politics 1. Introduction 2. Architecture as a Reflection of Cultural Identity 3. Renaming of Buildings and Political Ideology 4. Building Names and the Politics of Prestige and Donations 5. Conclusion Conclusion: Everything Can Be in a Name: Reimagining Onomastics Beyond Referentiality 1. From Question to Affirmation: Reframing the Scope of Onomastics 2. Beyond Referentiality: A Multidimensional Understanding of Naming 3. Naming as a Performativity and Power: Reconsidering Agency 4. Towards a Culturally Sensitive Onomastics: New Orientations and Methodologies 5. Future Directions: Opening New Avenues for Inquiry Index