Ijaw Names and Their Meanings

Ijaw (Izon) names carry meaning — most of them praise God, mark how a child was born, or express a hope for the child’s life. The Ijaw are the fourth-largest ethnic group in Nigeria, living across the Niger Delta in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, and parts of Ondo, Edo, and Akwa Ibom. Fishing is central to life in this riverine region, and the land is rich in crude oil. Below you will find Ijaw naming customs, the common roots that build these names, and a long list of Ijaw names with their meanings.

They have a very rich culture, with fishing as their main occupation since they are located in the riverine area. The Ijaw land is rich in crude oil, making them one of the major stakeholders in the Niger Delta region.

Ijaw naming customs

• Names that praise God. Most Ijaw people are Christian, and most names reference God through the roots Tamuno, Ayiba, Oyin, or Woyin — as in Tamunotonye, “God’s will.”
• Names from the circumstances of birth. A child can be named for how, when, or where they were born — Arukubu (“born in a canoe”), Poukon (“born on the riverside”), or Ebizimo (“born in a good season”).
• A feminine Creator. In traditional Ijaw belief the Creator, Woyengi, means “Our Mother” — the Ijaw pictured God in the feminine before Christianity added the father image.

Common Ijaw name roots

Learn a few roots and you can read the meaning of many Ijaw names:

Tamuno / Ayiba / Oyin / Woyin	God
Woyengi	“Our Mother” — the Creator
Ebi	good, beautiful, kind
Ere	woman
Owei	man
Keme	person, human being
Pere	wealth, king, rich
Preye	gift, blessing
Ama	town, community, land
Akpo	life, world
Tari	love
Ala	royalty
Layefa	“nothing compares to…”

Below is a list of Ijaw names and their meanings:

1. Derioteidou – Free from laughter
2. Woyengi-momoemi – God is with me
3. Tubokebima – The Good Child
4. Perelayefa – Richer than the richest or Nobody richer
5. Tari – Love
6. Tamarapreye – God’s gift
7. Ebiere – Fine Lady
8. Okubo-ere – Money woman
9. Ayiba tari – God’s Love
10. Beinmonyo – Fulfilled
11. Ayebatari – God’s love
12. Ina’ngo – My wealth
13. Ikaebinyo – I will be good also
14. Ayebabomote – God’s praise
15. Ngoebiye – Wealth is good
16. Baratuipre – Helping hands
17. Ayebaidobamo – God has made me great
18. Nengimote – Above all
19. Iniye – My own
20. Inemo – Endurance
21. Tamaranlayefa – There is nothing that reach God
22. Ayetamaranbrakemi – life is in the hands of God
23. Ebipade – Goodluck
24. Timiebi – Be patient, and you will be rich.
25. Tamaraudoubra – Godswill
26. Akpoebi – Life is good
27. Ebi-akpo – Good Life
28. Seimieghan – Do no harm
29. Ebiperemene – it will be good to me
30. Teinane – God has answer
31. Ebiegberi- Good news
32. Torukro – Be Strong
33. Emomotimi – stay with me
34. Tarilayefa – Nothing like love
35. Ebikabowei – Comes with good
36. Pereotu – Wealthy people
37. Douere – Patient
38. Ekio – Wisdom
39. Ebipade – Blessing has come
40. Ebiboseineyagha – The Blessing are mine
41. Egirigi – Great
42. Seipaleyagha – Stainless
43. Funpere – Education is wealth
44.  Odounkakpo – Long life
45.  Ezoukumor – Be steady
46. Ebiowei – Kind one
47. Ebiowou – Good way
48. Kromor – Energetic
49. Bulokakotua – Hope
50. Tolumu – Counselling
51. Benatu – Family
52. Anetorufa – Excellent
53. Enieyekeye – Self-appointed
54. Timiebibo – The joy of living
55. Eyerinmene – Lively
56. Peremoboere – Good fortune
57. Poweide – Happiness
58. Apamor – Volunteer
59. Tokeere igien meiseifa – Guiltless
60. Imomotimi – Stay with me
61. Owoufimiuowei – A man who opens way
62. Owoufiniere – A woman who opens ways
63. Ebiere – Fine woman
64. Oyeinketonperemunu – God will plan for me
65. Oyeinmiebi – The good deeds of God
66. Tubolayefa – There is nothing like child
67. Inakposeimokumo – Don’t destroy my life
68. Ebiketon – Plan good
69. Youbaitongha – There is no forbidden day for travelling
70. Oifie – This is our season
71. Ondotimi – Stay alive
72. Timioyeinkedi – Stay and look up to God
73. Ebiakpo – Good life
74. Perepakerekere – There are different types of riches
75. Pereozoukumo – Don’t rush for riches
76. Oyeinbirakemi – Its in the hand of God
77. Binalayefa – There is nothing like relations
78. Birakumo – Don’t forget me
79. Ayibapreye – God Gift
80. Ayiba-womoemi – God’s with us
81. Ayibaseighe – God is not bad
82. Ayibaseinghe – God is not asleep
83.  Ayiba-eninidetei – God has shown mercy
84. Ayiba-deinyefa – Nothing is greater than God
85.  Ayiba-tari – God’s blessing
86. Ayiba-tonbra – God’s plan
87.  Ayiba-emomoemi – God is with me.
88.  Ayiba-emi -God is
89. Endutimi – Long-life
90. Okobatin – Money tree
91. Okoba-ere – Good woman
92. Pere-owei – Rich man
93. Pere-ere – Rich woman
94. Ayebanua – Thank God
95. Kurokeme – Strong man
96. Awoala – Chief of children
97. Awoalaye-ofori – There is nothing like children
98. Ibigibo – Good mother
99. Awongo – Children are wealth
100.  Da omuna – God is not sleeping
101. Daowaninami – God is with us
102. Daowanate – God has heard u
103. Daobomate – God bless
104. Tamunusaki ibitam – God’s time is the best.
105.  Ebieya – Yours is good
106. Kemelayefa – Nothing can be compared to a person
107. Enai – My own
108. Pere – King / wealth / riches
109. Tamarakarena – God has heard my prayer.
110. Seigha – Nothing spoils
111. Ebiyipreye – It is well with you
112. Brasin – Leave it with God
113. Dimbainimibofa – Nobody knows tomorrow
114. Brakemi – Its in your hands
115. Ebitare – Love good
116. Tamarataena – God heard my prayer
117. Ekiyor – Wisdom
118. Doubra – The way God wants it
119. Ebimini – It will be well
120. Nimi – Knowledge
121. Ebisuode – Good has entered
122. Tamaraleyefa – Nothing Equals God.
123. Tamarakru – God is strong
124. Ebidisebofe – There is no one that does not like good
125. Ebimoboere – Woman that brought good
126. Yoroakpo – Woman’s life
127. Ebiarede – My eyes have seen good
128. Ditorusin – Look and remove your eyes
129. Tamaramiemini – God will do it
130. Inemoweri – Endurance
131. Zibepreyi – God gift.
132.  Ebipadie – It has been accomplished
133. Tonye- What he created
134. Oyin-miesidou – God has done it for me
135. Oyin-nimi – God knows
136. Oyinegberi – Gospel
137. Fun-ebi – Knowledge is Good.
138. Oyin-kuro – Gods power
139. Yenimi-ere – Intelligent woman
140. Perekeme – Rich man
141. Ebiarere – good gain