A Partial List Of Yoruba Names With The Prefix "Ogun"

Edited by Azizi Powell

[Latest revision October 5, 2017]

This post presents a partial list of Yoruba given names (first or second names) or surnames (family names) with the prefix "Ogun".

"Ogun" is the name of the orisa (also spelled orisha, meaning god) of iron in the traditional Yoruba religion. Information about Ogun is presented in Part #1 of this post's Preface.

Part #2 of this post's Preface presents an excerpt from Fela Sowande's 1966 book that provides some information about Yoruba given names/surnames.

My notes on Yoruba names are also given after Part #2 of this Preface.

The Addendum to this post presents meanings for two Yoruba names that include the suffix "ogun" or a shortened form of the name "Ogun".

This is the first post in an ongoing series on Yoruba (Nigeria) given names/surnames that include an orisa prefix or suffix and given names/surnames that otherwise refer to traditional Yoruba religion. Click the tag "traditional Yoruba religious given names/surnames" for other pancocojams posts in this series.

All content remains with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
PREFACE
Part #1
From https://www.embracingspirituality.com/2015/02/25/archetypes-of-orisha-ogun-god-of-iron-god-of-war-ogun-yayyyy/ IFA/ORISA TRADITION: ARCHETYPES OF ORISHA OGUN – GOD OF IRON – GOD OF WAR
February 25, 2015 Obara Meji
..."Ogun, God of Iron and of War is an Orisha who is easily mis-understood, and this maybe because he is referred to as God of War.

First for those who may not be able to understand the use of the word God when it comes to describing some deities, many people are under the misconception that God should only be used to describe the Almighty creator, the supreme being, not realizing that the word God is actually a title and although there is only one supreme God, there are many Demi- Gods, ruler of their own domain and energy which the supreme being, has placed them in charge.

This explanation is for the benefit of those who may take offense to the use of the word God when it comes to any other deity.

Here is Ogun who is God of Iron, Steel and of War. Ogun is ruler over these elements of nature,Iron/Steel, it is this realm where Ogun is from and so are his children,people who are his archetypes. As to the referred title as God of war, it is the implements which are made out of the natural resources of nature of which Ogun represents and is ruler of. Iron and Steel. It is with these that weapons are made, the Gun, the cutlass, the knife, and so on. In war, soldiers arm themselves for battle with Ogun (weapons made from him, by him, from iron and steel). Ogun”s Job here on earth is Agbede (Ag-beh-deh) the Black smith, one who forges Iron. Ogun works without rest, he is constantly working.

[...]

The woods,forest, bush is sacred to Ogun, woods and barks are his own also, so woodsmen are also children of Ogun.

Without Ogun, society would stand still, civilization as we know it would not be possible.... Ogun’s color is black and green (red and black beads/elekes are worn here in Nigeria by his initiates).

[...]

Police men and anyone who is in the position of defense, with the use of weapon or technology.

Soldiers

Mechanics

Surgeons or Doctors

Barbers

Computer Tech persons,or anyone who works in the area of Technology, programmers and all

Drivers

Pilots

Carpenters

Jewelry Makers

Musicians

Film Makers

Engineers

Anybody who not only work with Iron or steel but have a passion, great passion or are successful with their works is Ogun….Ogun Yayyyyyyyyy!, this is how we cheer him in Yoruba Land."...

****
Part #2
Here's an excerpt from the "Yoruba Names And Their Meanings" chapter in Fela Sowande's 1966 book The Mind Of A Nation- The Yoruba Child (Ibadan: Ibadan University, 1966).
"Page 41
Yoruba names are therefore much more than mere identification tags, much more than mere "luggage labels"; each has a reason (a) for being just what it is; and (b) for being given to a particular individual. Yoruba names embody circumstances of birth, history, family, religion, or some other equally pertinent facts relevant to that particular individual bearing the name. Yoruba names are, in fact, in most cases contractions of whole sentences...

Normally, however, Yoruba names are contracted sentences. Abimbola is short for "A bi mi ba ola" or "I was born in the midst of honor" (or prestige, or renown). This is a very useful method for deriving the meaning of Yoruba names, and words, for most Yoruba words respond to the same treatment. This is possible, partly on account of the monosyllabic base on which Yoruba language rests. Compound words are, in the vast majority of cases, but single words joined together to make longer ones.

There is, of course, what we may call "the intermediate" type of Yoruba name, in which the name is neither a contraction of a whole phrase or sentence, like "Atolye", nor is it a whole sentinece [sic] in itself, like "Bo lu o te," but is 'in-between'-usually a complete but inconclusive phrase like "Abayomi" i. e. "My vilifiers would have rejoiced at my misfortune," or "I would have been held up for ridicule," each requiring an "if" phrase which has been left unexpressed....

Page 42
Therefore, it is proper and valid to derive the meanings of Yoruba words-certainly of Yoruba proper names-by amplifying them into their original components, thus getting at the meaning of the word, or name, by summation of the meanings of its individual components. This process we might term "derivation through amplification." It is a valid process, but within certain limits only, and with the added proviso that, in amplifying words into their original components, we do not play about with tonal inflections, without clear and justifiable reasons.

But for the moment we are primarily concerned with the distinctive character of Yoruba names. By comparison, European names like Jack, Mary, Joan, Edward, etcetera, seem tame. A boy named Edward is not thereby and therefore identified with Edward the Black Prince of history; neither does a Joan automatically consider herself in some way related to the famous Joan of Arc, or to any other historically famous Joan. In Yorubaland, on the contrary, the name itself tell us so many things about that thing or person bearing that name....

Page 43
It is therefore one of the basic characteristics of Yoruba names that they are meaningful in a precise and specific way, and that they contain, virtually, the essence of the nature or being of the thing named, be it a town, or a person, a leaf, an animal, a tree, or even man-made objects like drums, baskets, water-pots, etcetera."...
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/11/yoruba-names-and-their-meeanings-by.html for a 2014 pancocojams post which presents the complete chapter on Yoruba names from that book by Fela Sowande.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
Yoruba names can be used as given names (first or middle name). Yoruba names can also be surnames (family names; last names), or titles.

**
From what I've read, a number of Yoruba names are unisex, meaning they can be given to males or to females.

**
A Yoruba woman who I met decades ago in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suggested that I use the vowel sounds for Spanish for Yoruba pronunciation (for instance "a"= "ah", "e"= "a", "i"="e", "o"=oh, "u"=oo". This is probably not the way that Yoruba vowels are always pronounced.

**
Most of the Yoruba names that are found online are given without the accent mark or accent marks that they have in Yoruba writing. I assume that those marks determine how those names are pronounced.

I'm not sure if there is a standard rule for which syllable in Yoruba words/names is usually emphasized. Although it probably isn't correct, I've gotten into the habit of applying the same rule for pronouncing Yoruba (and other non-English languages) that Americans (people in the United States) use for most "English" words, including names: Put the emphasis on the second to the last syllable. Using that rule, the name "Olatunji" is pronounced "oh-lah-TOON-jee.", but that may not be the way that Yoruba name is supposed to be pronounced.

I'd love to know how these words are really pronounced by Yorubas.

****
PARTIAL LIST OF NAMES WITH "OGUN" PREFIX
These excerpts are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. The examples given within each excerpt are also numbered.

EXCERPT #1
From the "Yoruba Names And Their Meanings" chapter in Fela Sowande's 1966 book The Mind Of A Nation- The Yoruba Child (Ibadan: Ibadan University, 1966).

[Note: These are the numbers that are given in that book.]

23. Ogundele
= Ogun (the Orisa) has reached (his) home.

24. "Ogundare"
Ogun da are = Ogun has found in my favor, acquitted me.

25. Ogunsola
= Ogun se ola = Ogun has created (ie. e. clothed me with ) honor.

26. "Ogundehin"
= Ogun dehin (wa) = Ogun has turned back to come to us.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/11/yoruba-names-and-their-meeanings-by.html for the complete chapter of that book.

****
EXCERPT #2
Ten examples of names beginning with the prefic "Ogun" names from http://yorubaname.com/ Yoruba Name.com

Pancocojams Editor's Note: Yoruba Name.com indicates that that site has "5787 Yoruba names and growing". [The word "Yoruba" written with marks.] These names are presented on that site in alphabetical order, based on its beginning letter, but aren't presented in spelling order. Each name is hyperlinked to its own page.

There are lots of examples of names beginning with the prefix "ogun" on that page. These examples are somewhat randomly selected by me for this pancocojams poSt:
1.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/Ogu%CC%81ntil%E1%BB%8D%CC%81la%CC%81
"Ogúntilọ́lá

Meaning of Ogúntilọ́lá
War has brought success/wealth.

Morphology
ogun-ti-ní-ọlá

Gloss
ogun - war
ti - has
ní - to have
ọlá - wealth, success, nobility

Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL
IBADAN"

**
2.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CC%81nda%CC%81i%CC%80si%CC%81
"Ògúndáìsí

Meaning of Ògúndáìsí
Ògún has spared this.

Morphology
ògún-dá-èyí-sí

Gloss
Ògún - the Yorùbá god of iron
dá...sí - spare
èyí - this (one)

Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL"

**
3.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CC%81nde%CC%80yi%CC%81
"Ògúndèyí

Meaning of Ògúndèyí
Ògún became this.

Morphology
ògún-di-èyí

Gloss
Ògún - Ògún
di - become
èyí - this (one)

Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL"

**
4.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CC%81nlu%CC%81si%CC%80

Ògúnlúsì

Meaning of Ògúnlúsì
Ògún has fame/notability.

Morphology
ògún-ní-ùsì

Gloss
ògún - Ògún the god of iron
ní - have
ùsì - notability, fame, success

Geolocation
Common in:
ILESHA
ONDO"

**
5.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CC%81ny%E1%BA%B9%CC%80mi%CC%81
"Ògúnyẹ̀mí

Meaning of Ògúnyẹ̀mí
1. Ògún befits me. 2. Herbs/medicine benefit me.

Extended Meaning
For the second meaning, the second syllable in the name is stretched to realise the grammatical tone which is elided in the spelling. Hence Òògun-ún-yẹ-mí.

Morphology
ògún-yẹ-mí

Gloss
Ògún - the Yorùbá god of iron
òògun - medicine, herbs, supernatural healing
yẹ - befit
mí - me

Geolocation
Common in:
ABEOKUTA
GENERAL"

**
6.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CD%81nde%CD%81
"Ògúndé

Meaning of Ògúndé
Ogún walks in.


Morphology
ògún-(rì)n-dé

Gloss
ògún - Ògún, the Yorùbá god of iron
rìn - walk
dé - arrive, return

Geolocation

Common in:
OGUN"

**
7.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CD%81nb%E1%BB%8Dwa%CD%81le%CD%81
"Ògúnbọwálé

Meaning of Ògúnbọwálé
Ògún returns home.

Extended Meaning
See also: Olúbọ̀wálé, Oyèbọ̀wálé, etc

Morphology
ògún-bọ̀-wá-ilé

Gloss
Ògún - the Yorùbá god of iron
bọ̀ - return
wá - come
ilé - home, house

Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL"

**
8.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CC%81n%E1%B9%A3%E1%BA%B9%CC%80y%E1%BA%B9
"Ògúnṣẹ̀yẹ

Meaning of Ògúnṣẹ̀yẹ
Ògún makes honour.

Morphology
ògún-ṣe-ẹ̀yẹ


Gloss
ògún - Ògún, the Yorùbá god of iron
ṣe - make, create
ẹ̀yẹ - honour, chieftaincy

Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL"

**
9.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CC%81nra%CC%80yi%CC%81
"Ògúnràyí

Meaning of Ògúnràyí
Ògún bought this.

Morphology
ògún-ra-èyí

Gloss
Ògún - the Yorùbá god of iron
rà - buy
èyí - this (one)

Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL"

**
10.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/O%CC%80gu%CC%81nsu%CC%80si%CC%80
"Ògúnsùsì

Meaning of Ògúnsùsì
Ògún achieved fame.

Morphology
ògún-ṣe-ùsì

Gloss
ògún - the Yorùbá god of iron
ṣe - make
ùsì - fame, notability

Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL"

****
EXCERPT #3
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
These are selected comments from a fifteen page nairaland.com discussion on Yoruba names that began in November 2013.

The original poster [OP] provided a long list of Yoruba given names/surnames, but was criticized by some commenters because that list didn't include any names that began with the names of orisas (orishas), such as names beginning with the prefix "Ogun". However, that list did include names that began with the names or clips of names for the Supreme God in the Yoruba religion ("Oluwa"; Olorun"). Those names are used by Yoruba Christians to refer to God.

1.
From
http://www.nairaland.com/1506134/lists-yoruba-names-english-meaning/3
Re: Lists Of Yoruba Names And Their English Meaning. by PAGAN9JA(m): 3:34pm On Nov 09, 2013
..."THE OP IS BIASED!

ANY NAMES WHICH HAVE TO DO WITH YORUBA RELIGION WAS LEFT OUT! AND THOSE NAMES ARE VERY COMMON ONES!"...

**
2.
From http://www.nairaland.com/1506134/lists-yoruba-names-english-meaning/4
Re: Lists Of Yoruba Names And Their English Meaning. by tayooluwole: 3:40pm On Nov 09, 2013
"OP... Y u ommit ma name naoooo.....ur list nvre complete if some names re missing in d list...names like, OGUNYEMI, OGUNDIPE; OGUNNIYI; OGUNDEYI; OGUNNOWO; OGUNGBENRO; OGUNFOLAJU; OGUNSHAKIN; OGUNGBILE; FALOSHEYI; FALADE; FAFOWORA; FABUNMI; FAKANLU; OGEDENGBE; PETIIRIN; OYATOMI; OYATOMIWA ETC...."

**
3.
From http://www.nairaland.com/1506134/lists-yoruba-names-english-meaning/5
Re: Lists Of Yoruba Names And Their English Meaning. by tayooluwole: 4:06pm On Nov 09, 2013
"

Mintayo:
loool,thought abt that too but, what is d English meaning of 'Ogun','Ifa', 'Oya' etc.
Though the meaning of Bunmi for instance is known but what abt the 'Ifa',mayb you can help us with that...

OGUN: GOD of iron...
IFA: oracle beleived in yorubaland(typical yoruba society) to be a messanger and intermediary btw humanbeing and GOD...
OYA: wife of GOD of IRON...
Names having OGUN nd IFA as prefix are undisputeably d most popular nd acient surnames in Yorubaland... I am proud to be OGUNYEMI...dis does nt mean i they worship God of iron oooooo"
-snip-
"Bunmi" = "my gift" http://www.thisismybabyname.com/listings/bunmi-is-yorubanigeria-baby-name/

**
4. from http://www.nairaland.com/1506134/lists-yoruba-names-english-meaning/12
Re: Lists Of Yoruba Names And Their English Meaning. by tpia5: 8:31pm On Nov 10, 2013
"

macof:
Dude "ogun" in names doesn't mean war, it refers to Ogun god of war, Iron and justice.
Stop interpreting "ogun" in names like ogungbemi to mean war. Ogungbemi lit.- ogun carries me, which could be interpreted as "Ogun helps me"

Stop trying to distort Yoruba language.

KDULAR: And to answer your question concerning the prefix Ogun, have you heard Ogungbende ( war brought me) Ogungbemi (War helped me, the god of thunder helped me and my inheritance helped me ) spelt the same but different tones. Or the Remi which may be pronounced raimy ( meaning I'm desirous of )or the common known meaning Remi ( comforts or eases me ).

ogun [prefix] means the deity

ogun [suffix] means war.

generally speaking, and also generally not interchangeable.

Balogun - Oba l ogun

the leader at war.

Oba - king but in this context means leader.

**
5. Re: Lists Of Yoruba Names And Their English Meaning. by macof(m): 11:28am On Nov 11, 2013
“

tpia@:
ogun [prefix] means the deity

ogun [suffix] means war.
generally speaking, and also generally not interchangeable.

good point when u consider Balogun and Abisogun"
-snip-
There's a rather heated exchange in this discussion thread about whether the prefix or suffix "ogun" meant "war" or referred to the orisa "Ogun". The name (or title) "Balogun" came up several times in that discussion.

Read the Addendum below for a definition for "Balogun" and a few other names that have an "ogun" suffix.

**
From http://www.nairaland.com/1506134/lists-yoruba-names-english-meaning/13
6. Re: Lists Of Yoruba Names And Their English Meaning. by PrinceJustice(m): 4:54pm On Nov 11, 2013
“

[quoting the commenter ayooluwole]: OGUNYEMI: god of iron pleases me
OGUNDEPO: god of iron has ascended a thrown
OGUNOWO: god of iron has respect
OGUNDEYI: god of iron turn to this..
OGUNSHAKIN: god of iron exude valor

What of OGUN STATE"

**
7.Re: Lists Of Yoruba Names And Their English Meaning. by ladionline: 6:08pm On Nov 11, 2013
“Prince Justice:

What of OGUN STATE

I think this has to do with Wole Soyinka suggesting that the state be so called when it was about to be created. The state was named after odo [river] Ogun, which run through the state capital, etc. and emptied to the Lagoon somewhere at mcwen, via bonny camp."
-snip-
"Ogun is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Created in 1976, it borders Lagos State to the south, Oyo and Osun states to the north, Ondo to the east and the Republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state. The state's nickname is "Gateway to Nigeria". It was created in February 1976 from the former Western State. The 2006 census recorded a total population of 3,751,140 residents.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogun_State

****
ADDENDUM - A FEW EXAMPLES OF NAMES/TITLES WITH "OGUN" SUFFIX
EXCERPT #1 from Yoruba Names.com
1.
From http://yorubaname.com/entries/Balo%CD%81gun
"Balógun

Meaning of Balógun
Father in war. The general.

Morphology
ba(ba)-ní-ogun

Gloss
baba - father
ní - in
ogun - war


Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL"
-snip-
Notice the two different explanations for the source of the "ba" element in the Yoruba word "balogun": Excerpt 3, #4 indicates that "ba" is a clip of the Yoruba word "oba" meaning "king" and this entry indicates that "ba" is a shortened form of the word "baba" meaning "father".

**
2.
http://yorubaname.com/entries/Olu%CD%81%E1%B9%A3%E1%BA%B9%CD%81gun
"Olúṣẹ́gun

Meaning of Olúṣẹ́gun
The lord conquers. The prominent one triumphs.

Morphology
olúwa-ṣé-ogun, olúwa-ṣẹ́gun

olúwa - lord
ṣẹ́ - break
ogun - war
ṣẹ́gun - conquer

Geolocation
Common in:
GENERAL

Famous Persons
Oluṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ, former president of Nigeria. Olúṣẹ́gun Mímikò (governor of Ondo State)

Media Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olusegun_Mimiko

Variants
Olúwaṣẹ́gun, Ṣégun"

****
EXCERPT #2: Nairaland.com discussion "Yoruba People Help Me Out"
1. From http://www.nairaland.com/1511387/yoruba-people-me-out
Yoruba People Help Me Out by yorubaamerican(m): 11:50pm On Nov 09, 2013
"What does it mean if someone is the Aregbe Omo Balugun of Ibadan Land?"

**
2. Re: Yoruba People Help Me Out by hammedkola(m): 2:16am On Nov 10, 2013
"I think this is the correct write up; Aregbe omo balogun of Ibadanland

Well, Aregbe is a name.

Balogun is a name/title given to someone that leads the war in the olden days, though some people bear the name these modern day due to lineage, but the chieftancy title still exist till today.

Omo mean child in Yoruba language

Ibadan is the state capital of Oyo state in Nigeria, its popular called the largest city in West Africa and also known for red roofing sheet grin

So finally what your translation mean is

Aregbe the Son of Balogun of Ibadan land.

Hope this is helpful for what you need it for?"

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