Yoruba Baby Names

183 Yoruba names with researched meanings, U.S. popularity, and audio pronunciation on every page.

Yoruba names are among the most meaningful anywhere — often whole sentences compressed into a name, describing the circumstances of a birth or a family’s gratitude. Yoruba baby names are musical, proud and increasingly heard across America and beyond.

Yoruba Girl Names

Amari and Ayani are lovely and accessible, while Morayo, Jadesola, Araoluwa and Ayomide carry fuller traditional meaning. Yemaya and Oshun have deep cultural resonance.

Yoruba Boy Names

Ajani, Tayo and Tobi are warm and easy to wear. For fuller traditional names, Ayodeji, Ayomide, Iremide and Akin.

Names That Tell a Story

A Yoruba name frequently records something real — joy at an arrival, thanks given, a hope declared. That makes it less a label than a small piece of family history your child carries with them.

Every name below links to its own page with a sourced meaning, U.S. popularity, famous bearers, and a clear audio pronunciation — so you can hear it before you choose.

Yoruba Girl Names

Amari#380 in the U.S.In Yoruba contexts the name relates to strength; in East African (Amharic/Oromo) usage it can m▶Yemaya#3684 in the U.S.Mother goddess of the sea; from Yoruba Yemoja, 'mother whose children are the fish' — orisha of▶Ayani#4891 in the U.S.From Yoruba Ayanniyi/Ayan (a praise/drum-deity element); also a modern -ani coinage echoing Aya▶Ayomi#4893 in the U.S.From Yoruba ayo, 'joy', plus mi, 'my/me' — 'my joy'; also a Japanese name, 'walk/step of beauty▶Amarii#5146 in the U.S.Double-i spelling of Amari — variously 'strength' (Yoruba), 'eternal' (an Amara echo), or 'moon▶Tomi#5754 in the U.S.From Japanese tomi, 'wealth, riches, fortune'; also a Yoruba short form (Oluwatomi, 'God is eno▶Sola#5917 in the U.S.A Yoruba short form (Adesola, 'honour/wealth produces this'); also Latin/Italian sola, 'alone, ▶Oluwadarasimi#6083 in the U.S.From Yoruba (Nigeria), 'God is good to me' (Oluwa, 'God, the Lord', plus dara si mi, 'is good t▶Tiaraoluwa#6117 in the U.S.From Yoruba (Nigeria) — 'the crown/glory of God' (tiara, 'a crown', plus Oluwa, 'God, the Lord'▶Derin#6205 in the U.S.From Turkish derin, 'deep, profound'; also a Yoruba name, 'wealth/good things are near'; here f▶Iya#6232 in the U.S.A short modern name, variously a coinage and an echo of the Yoruba iya, 'mother'; the route is ▶Olani#6316 in the U.S.A modern name, variously echoing the Yoruba ola, 'wealth, honor', and the Hawaiian -lani, 'sky,▶Amary#6386 in the U.S.A spelling of Amari — variously 'strength; a builder' (Yoruba), 'eternal' (linked to Amara), an▶Ireoluwa#6463 in the U.S.From the Yoruba ire Oluwa, 'the kindness, goodness, or blessing of God' (ire, 'kindness, blessi▶Tobi#6879 in the U.S.Variously a pet of Tobias (Hebrew, 'God is good') and the Yoruba Tobi, 'great; big' (a short fo▶Ola#7149 in the U.S.Variously a short form of Olga/Aleksandra (Scandinavian/Slavic, 'an ancestor's descendant; defe▶Adelani#7228 in the U.S.From Yoruba — variously read 'the crown (royalty) has prosperity/wealth' (from ade, 'a crown');▶Oshun#7485 in the U.S.From Yoruba — Oshun (Osun), the orisha (deity) of love, beauty, fresh water/rivers, and fertili▶Shardey#7581 in the U.S.Shardey is a phonetic respelling that writes out the sound 'shar-DAY,' the pronunciation of Sad▶Ase#7613 in the U.S.From Old Norse asa/ase, 'a goddess; of the Aesir (the gods)'; also Yoruba ase, 'power; authorit▶Asiri#7615 in the U.S.From Yoruba, variously 'a secret; mystery; magic; a wonder'; also used as a modern coinage; rou▶

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Yoruba Boy Names

Ajani#2070 in the U.S.One (we) fought to have▶Darey#3276 in the U.S.Most plausibly from Yoruba Dare — short for names like Oladare, 'the crown does justice' / 'cro▶Tobi#4168 in the U.S.From Yoruba (a short form of names like Oluwatobi, 'God is great/good'); also a short form of T▶Ayomide#4569 in the U.S.From Yoruba ayo, 'joy', plus mi-de, 'has come to me' — 'my joy has arrived'▶Shade#5602 in the U.S.From the word shade — 'shadow; shelter from light/heat' (Old English sceadu); also a pet form o▶Tayo#5615 in the U.S.From Yoruba, a short form of names like Adetayo/Omotayo, 'joy is enough; happiness has come; wo▶Tifeoluwa#5617 in the U.S.From Yoruba — 'God's love; what God loves; the love of the Lord' (ife, 'love', plus Oluwa, 'the▶Emma#5710 in the U.S.From Germanic ermen, 'whole, universal'; overwhelmingly a girls' name; here for boys (and a Nig▶Amarri#7247 in the U.S.A spelling of Amari — variously from Arabic ('strength; a builder') and Yoruba ('eternal; of gr▶Inioluwa#7406 in the U.S.From Yoruba, 'that which belongs to God; God's possession/wealth' (ini, 'possession', + Oluwa, ▶Ireoluwa#7407 in the U.S.From Yoruba, 'the goodness/blessing of God; the kindness of the Lord' (ire, 'goodness; blessing▶Kayin#7517 in the U.S.Kayin is the Hebrew form of Cain, the elder son of Adam and Eve in Genesis, who killed his brot▶Obaloluwa#7579 in the U.S.From the Yoruba (Nigerian), 'the king is the Lord; God is the king' (oba, 'king', + Oluwa, 'the▶Olamide#8129 in the U.S.From the Yoruba (Nigerian), 'my wealth/prosperity has come; my riches have arrived' (ola, 'weal▶Oreoluwa#8132 in the U.S.From the Yoruba (Nigerian), 'a gift of God; God's gift/bounty' (ore, 'a gift; kindness', + Oluw▶Oshun#8133 in the U.S.From the Yoruba, the name of Oshun — an orisha (deity) of love, beauty, fresh water and rivers ▶Akin#8308 in the U.S.From the Yoruba akin, 'a hero; a brave/valiant one; a warrior'▶Ayo#8360 in the U.S.From the Yoruba ayo, 'joy; happiness; gladness' (also a short form of names like Ayodele)▶Demilade#8467 in the U.S.From the Yoruba Demilade, 'crown me with wealth' or 'mine is now a crown' — a name of blessing ▶Oluwaferanmi#8762 in the U.S.From the Yoruba (Nigeria) Oluwaferanmi — Oluwa, 'God/the Lord', + feran mi, 'loves me', hence '▶Sosa#8849 in the U.S.Variously a Spanish/Portuguese surname (from a place, 'a salty/barren place') and the Yoruba So▶

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Frequently Asked

What are popular Yoruba girl names?

Popular Yoruba girl names include Amari, Ayani, Morayo, Jadesola and Yemaya.

What are popular Yoruba boy names?

Popular Yoruba boy names include Ajani, Tayo, Tobi, Ayodeji and Akin.

Do Yoruba names have long meanings?

Frequently — many are full phrases describing joy, gratitude or the circumstances of a birth. Each page gives the sourced meaning and audio pronunciation.

How many Yoruba baby names are on More4Kids?

More4Kids lists 183 Yoruba baby names, each with a sourced meaning, U.S. popularity, and an audio pronunciation.