200 names of God in Yoruba language as well as their meanings

The Yoruba are an ethnic group mostly found in the southwestern part of Nigeria and a few other West African countries. They are among the largest ethnic groups in Africa, currently numbering over 20 million. Like numerous other ethnic groups, the Yoruba have a rich history, characterized by well-defined beliefs, rituals, and structures. Some of these aspects, especially religion, have changed over time because of modernization. What are the names of God in Yoruba?

Most modern-day Yorubas are either Christians or Muslims, with a few holding on to their traditional religion. Still, there are numerous names used to refer to the Yoruba deity.

The different names of God in Yoruba and their meaning

Here is a look at the different names Yorubas use to refer to their God and the meaning behind each.

Common names of God in the Yoruba language

The Yoruba culture has a rich heritage. These West African people had names for their deities even long before the arrival of British imperialists. Here are some of the most common Yoruba names for God.

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• Oba ti nti t'enikan o lesi: He who closes, and no one can open
• Atorise: The God who can turn bad situations into good ones
• Akoda aye, Asheda orun: He who created heaven and earth
• Alawo tele orun: Full of light.
• Olorun Baba, Olorun Omo, Olorun Emi Mimo: Means God the Father, God the son, God the Holy Spirit.
• Eleti gbo aroye: Her who listens
• Oba t'o mo wa: He who knows us
• Olubukun: Blessed
• Alatilehin: Our assistance
• Oluwa Wa: Our Lord
• Onimajemu: The covenant-keeping God.
• Araba ti ki ku: Eternal Oak.
• Oba ti ko ni pin ogo Re pel'enikankan: The God who does not share his glory with any man
• Oba ti mbe nibi gbogbo nigba gbogbo: The omnipresent God
• Aduro tini bi akoni eleru: The faithful God
• Atogbokanle: The trustworthy God
• Arugbo ojo: The one from ancient days
• Oba ti nyoni kuro ninu ofin aye: The God who rescues us from the dungeon
• Onise nla: Means Great God
• Alaabo: Our keeper
• Oba t'o n dahun adura pelu ina: The one who answered by fire
• Metalokan: The trinity
• Oluranlowo: Means our helper
• Arinu r'ode: The one who sees the visible and the invisible
• Olorun Awon Olorun: Means the God of all other gods
• Oludariji: The God who forgives
• Oba onise nla: The great worker of good
• Oba t'o pin okun pupa n'iya: God who parted the red sea
• As'ore kiiri: He who goes about doing good
• Olutoju wa: Means Our Keeper
• Oluso: Means our guard
• Adagba ma paaro oye / Olorun ti o yipada: God who does not change.
• Kabiyeesi: The King
• Olorun awon olorun: The Lord of lords
• Olutunu: Our comforter
• Oba t'o ju gbogbo orisa lo: The almighty God
• Olutunu: Means Our comfort
• Olorun owu: The jealous God
• Aribirabata: The Great Lord.
• Olorun ayo: The one who gives joy

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Unique Yoruba names of God

Unlike the names outlined above, some of God's names in Yoruba are a bit less common. Here are some rarer names and meanings.

• Oba ti ntu won ka nibi ti won nti da'na iro: He who confuses the camp of the enemy.
• Olorun awon omo ogun: The great warrior
• Ibi isadi wa: Our refugee
• Awiiro alaafia: The Prince of peace.
• Alaanu: Means one who shows mercy
• Ologojulo: He whose glory belongs to
• Atererekariaye: He that spreads out across the earth
• Oba t'o mu iji dake roro: The one who commands the storm to be still
• Olodumare: He who is mighty
• Oba t'o yan wa fe: The God who has predestined us
• Oloruko nla: He whose name is great
• Atofarati bi oke: Our defence and support
• Aduro gboingboin lehin asotito: Protector of the truthful
• Oba aseyiowu: The unquestionable God
• Olorun Baba: Our Lord, our father
• Olotito, Olododo: The source of truth
• Olorun kan lailai: The one and only God
• Gbongbo idile Jesse: The root of the tribe of Jesse
• Aisa: The faithful one
• Agbo ma te ni o: He who is ancient but has never become weka
• Olorun ti kii s'enia ti yio paro: The one whom no man can change
• Emi ni ti nje Emi ni: I am the I am
• Olorun t'o tobi ju gbogbo aye lo: Means the God who is greater than all the nations of the earth
• Oba to joko soke orun to f'ile aye se itise Re: He who makes the heaven his seat and the earth his foot stool
• Aseda orun: The one who established the heavens
• Oba ti gbobo oba nt'owo Re gb'ase: The one from whom kings take directives
• Abiyamo ode orun: The great mother of heaven
• Oba to ni owa t'owa: The Lord who commands
• Olorun Abrahamu: The God of Abraham
• Eru jeje l'eti okun pupa: The Most powerful by the red sea
• Adunbarin: The one who is worthy to walk with
• Onise iyanu: Means miracle worker
• Asorodayo: The Lord who brings joy
• Ikan lana: The one who is the same as yesterday
• Adajo ma fi t'enikan se: The ever-just Judge
• Olufe okan wa: Means our lover
• Atogbojule: The highly dependable God
• Olorun Isaki: The God of Isaac
• Olupese: Means Our provider
• Iye: The resurrected one
• Oloore ofe: The ever-gracious God
• Oba t'o mo ohun gbogbo: The all-knowing God

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Modern names of God in Yoruba

Today, it is not uncommon to come across a name of God in Yoruba that has strong undertones of Christianity. This happened because of the integration of western culture into Yoruba traditions. Here are some of these modern deity names and their meanings.

• Ogbeja k'eru o ba onija: He who fights for the defenseless
• Adunkepe: The one you can call on
• Alakoso orun at'aye: The Lord of heaven and earth
• Olorun Abrahamu, Olorun Isaki, Olorun Jakobu: The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
• Akoda aye: The first among everything
• Olorun awon omo ogun: Means the great warrior
• Okan titi aye ainipekun: The one who remains the same forever
• Oba t'o san gbogbo' gbese wa: The God who pays the price for our sins
• Atofokante: He who we can confide in.
• Oba alaya funfun: The immaculate God
• Ikan loni: The one who is the same today
• Adakedajo: He who Judges silently
• Oba ti ki sun, ti ki togbe: The king who neither sleeps nor slumbers
• Olorun ajinde: The resurrected Lord
• Apata wa: The rock of ages
• Oba t'enikan o le pe l'ejo: He who cannot be judged
• Ireti wa: Our hope
• Oba t'oni k'omasi, ti o si si mo: He who can close a door and no man can open
• Oba ti nsi t'enikan o leti: He who creates a path no one can shut
• Oba awon oba: King of kings
• Olorun t'o n gbo adura: Means the one who hears prayers
• Gbanigbani ni'jo ogun le: Means our defense in time of war
• Awamaridi: The unsearchable God
• A dani wa ye: He who created us and put us on this planet.
• Olododo: The truthful one
• Oba t'ao ri, sugbon t'ari ise owo Re: The unseen God whose impact we can feel
• Oluwa Awon Oluwa: Means the Lord of lords, the king of kings.
• Oba tii s'agan d'olomo: He who opens the womb of the barren
• Oba t'oni k'owa, t'owa: The God who commands
• Olorun kan lai-lai: Means The only God
• Olowogbogboro: Means the one whose hand is long enough to reach any length of the earth
• Odi wa: Our shield
• Olusegun, Ajasegun: Means the conqueror
• Aleselewi: He who can act and speak
• Baba mimo, Omo mimo, Emi mimo: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
• Oludande: Means our deliverer
• Adanimagbagbe: The creator who never forgets the created
• Oba t'o f'oro da ile aye: He who created all things by his spoken word
• Jagunjagun ode orun: The great warrior of heaven
• Atofarati: Our unshakeable defence
• Eletigb'aroye: He who hears all over the world

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Traditional Yoruba names for God

Here is a look at some of the names the Yoruba people have traditionally used to refer to the Almighty God.

• Olutusile: Means the God of freedom
• Oba t'o n dahun adura: The prayer-answering God
• Oba ti n p'ojo iku da: The God who can change appointment with death
• Oba t'oni gbogbo ope: He who deserves all praise
• Olorun t'oni gbogbo iyin: He who deserves all honour on earth
• Olumoranokan eda: Means the one who sees the intent of the heart of every man
• Alagbara l'orun ati l'aye: Mighty in heaven and on the earth
• Eleeda ohun gbogbo: He who created all things
• Oba alade Alafia: The Prince of peace
• Abetilukara bi ajere: Means the God who is all ears
• Onise ara: Means the wonderful God
• Olorun Jakobu: The God of Jacob
• Imole ninu okunkun aye: The bringer of light in the darkness
• Olorun Ti o Yipada: Means the unchanging/unchangeable God
• Oludamoran: Means the great adviser
• Arewa ti n be lorun, oba waa, oba woo, oba wawa wowo: The overseer of the entire galaxies.
• Olorun ayo: He who brings joy
• Oluwosan: Means the great healer of the sick
• Oba ti o ma wa nigba t'aye o ni si mo: He who will remain at the end of all things
• Alagbada ina: He who covers himself with a fire-branded robe
• Oba t'o fi'di aye s'ole s'ori omi: He who established the earth on waters
• Oba to ti o gbe oro Re ga ju Oruko Re lo: He who exalts his word more that his name
• Oba ti kii s'ojusaju: The ever just God
• Adunbalo: He who is worth following.
• As'oloriburuku d'olorire: The God who can remove the inadequacies from one's life
• Oba t'o da monamona fun ojo: He who creates lightning for the rain
• Eleda: The eternal creator
• Ogbagba ti ngb'ara adugbo: The protector
• Oba t'o bi odi Jeriko wo: He who brought down the walls of Jericho
• Olorun t'ape t'o n je: Means He who answers whenever we call
• Asoku d'alaye: The God who can bring the dead back to life.
• Olorun t'o kolu Egipiti l'ara awon akobi re: Means the God who killed all the firstborns of the Egyptians
• Oba t'o mo wa: The potter
• Alagbawi eda: Defender
• Aabo wa: The Lord, our protector
• Oba t'o mu' banuje tan: The God who puts an end to sorrow
• Ajasegun: The conqueror
• Oba t'oni olo, t'olo: The God who commands
• Olorun ajinde: Means The one who resurrected others
• Eleburu ike: whose care for us is endless
• Elewu oye: He who is clothed in royalty.

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Yoruba names of adoration for God

Here are some of the names the Yoruba people use to show adoration and reverence to God.

• Olorun alaaye: The God of the living
• Ologo meta: The holy trinity
• Adagba ma paaro oye: The never changing God
• Oluwa: God or Lord
• Oyigiyigi: The great and mighty God
• Oba ti emi gbogbo enia wa l'owo Re: He who has the keys to our existence
• Onibuore: The one whose stores are full of abundant blessings
• Olorun: Means the Lord our God
• Apata ayeraye: The rock of ages
• Awuwo ma se gbe: The God who cannot be overthrown.
• Oba ti aanu Re duro lailai: The God whose mercies endure forever
• Atobiju: The almighty God
• Asoromaye: He who was prophesied and came to pass
• Olugbala: Means our saviour
• Olorun Emi Mimo: God the Holy Spirit
• Aiku: The living God
• Oba to ti wa k'aye o towa: The God who was in existence before creation
• Oba t'o ninu mimo: The ever righteous God
• Alfa ati Omega, Ibere Ogbon, Opin Imo: He who is the Alpha and the Omega, the origin of wisdom and the ending of knowledge.
• Olorun t’o mu Jodani sa niwaju awon omo re: Means the God who parted the river Jordan
• Olulana: Means the one who makes a way where there is none.
• Olorun Wa: Means our God
• Awimayehun: He who speaks and does not change His words
• Oba t'o se'gun agbara ese: He who delivers from the hold of sin
• Olorun Omo: God the son
• Akiri s'ore: He who goes about doing good
• Oba ti ohun gbogbo nbe n'ikawo Re: He who has the whole world in his hands
• Olorun oro: Means the God of spoken word
• Mimo, Mimo, Mimo: Holy! Holy! Holy
• Olorun ife: Means God of Love
• Olorun agbalagba: The ancient of days
• Alabarin aye wa: He who is our companion
• Oba t'o ti wa, t'o si wa, ti o si ma wa lailai: The God that was, that is, and that will remain forever
• Ikan lola: He who will be the same tomorrow
• Baba wa: Abba father
• Olorun ife: The God of Love
• Afunni ma s'iregun: He who blesses without asking for a reward

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How do people praise God in Yoruba?

While Islam and Christianity have become integral parts of the Yoruba culture, some of the members still practice traditional religion. This is characterized by the performance of rituals in honour of Olorun, the creator, as well as the Orishas (spirits). In addition, followers of this religion often participate in celebrations during which they offer sacrifices to the various deities that control harvests, rain, sunshine, and peace.

What is Aleselewi meaning?

The name Aleselewi is Yoruba for he who says he can do all things and can.

What are the top 10 God's names in Yoruba?

The most common ones include Aleselewi, Olorun, Emi Mimo, Aiku, Baba wa, Olorun ife, Olorun oro, Alabarin aye wa, Ajasegun, and Olorun ayo.

There are numerous names of God in Yoruba. These include those from the traditional Yoruba religion and those taken from other religions such as Christianity. All the names have different meanings behind them.

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