As we said in the last update, we are opening up the dictionary database to you because it has reached a stage where more hands (and eyes) can help us spot issues we may have missed over the past couple of months. You will have just two weeks for the beta stage and we hope that you enjoy every part of it.

By giving you access to the dashboard, you will be able to do the following:

1. Add new names to the database. One of the first things people do when they reach the dictionary homepage is to search for their names, the names of their loved one, or a name they love. We will expect that you’d do the same. If the names are not there, you will be able to add them to the database, even if you don’t know everything about all its attributes.
2. Improve existing names in the database. If the names are there but don’t have all their attributes properly listed, you will have a chance to edit the entry and add all the relevant information necessary. Your submissions will be sent to the administrators who will then approve it for the public.
3. Suggest changes to the dashboard, homepage, and other functionalities. The work we currently have is not perfect. It will always be a work-in-progress. But our role from now on will be to improve it to be as great as it can possibly get. And for that reason, you will have a chance to let us know what part of the project needs to be improved on, especially before the public launch. Our tech hands are on site to fix any issue raised.

If you are interested in being a beta tester for the Yorùbá Names Dictionary, please send us an email at project@yorubaname.com with “Beta Tester” as the subject. If you can, also, send us a few lines about yourself and your motivations. There are giveaways (including Yorùbá Name T-shirts and postcards) for selected volunteers, but we hope that being a part of this phase of the project will be a sufficient-enough motivation at this stage.

Thank you. We look forward to your mails.