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Ṣàbẹ́ is a locality of the Collines region in the Republic of Benin, whose inhabitants are linguistically and culturally part of Yorubaland. In most Ṣàbẹ́ clans, personal clan names are assigned to the children and there is a host of such names for both girls and boys.

These clan names are often related to the order of birth but one must bear in mind that they are different from another set of names especially dedicated to the child’s position in the family. Clan names and birth rank names are indeed two different things: the birth rank names used by the Ṣàbẹ́ were borrowed from the Bàátọ̀nú with whom the Ṣàbẹ́ are linked by a kinship-based joking relationship (gonẹ̀cí). In contrast, clan names will in most cases simultaneously identify a person’s clan affiliation, their sex and their birth rank.

Ajàsọ̀ clan

Children of this clan are given names such as:

Akọ clan

Akútúànbẹ clan

Amùcù clan

This clan is also known as Ońlẹ̀. It is a princely clan like the Ọ̀tọ́lá clan (see below). Children born to this clan bear names such as:

Eegú clan

This clan worships a deity called eegú, hence its name. Descendants of this clan are given the same clan names irrespective of sex or order of birth.

• Eegújọbí  “we are all descendants of eegú”
• Jẹ̀níhẹn   “Jẹ̀ has a lineage”
• Eegúlétí  “Eegú has granted my wish”
• Jẹ̀gbèmí  “Jẹ̀ supported me”

Names bearing the prefixes Eegú- or Jẹ̀- indicate that their bearers are members of this clan.

Ọgá clan

Ọgá clan names do not refer to the order of birth but they do provide a differentiation based on the child’s sex.

Male

• Ayédìtẹ̀n   “the world has become history”
• Ayédìlú     “the world has become a village”
• Ayélàùn     “the world is scary”
• Ayélòmí     “the world disgusts me”
• Kúbíyà       “death causes sorrow”
• Ayédẹgẹ́     “the world is fragile”

Female

• Ilétíkú         “it is from our surroundings that death arises”
• Inọ́nihan     “the belly is inscrutable”
• Kámia         “let’s be cautious”
• Lèéminọ̀      “who can read someone else’s thoughts?”
• Kámáhòtẹ́n  “let’s not think about all of life’s sorrows”

Ọ̀tàà clan

It is worth pointing out that in this clan, several personal names are specifically meant for the first born child of a given family, whether they be a boy or a girl.

Ọtọ́lá clan

It is a princely clan whose children bear the following names:

Jàbàtá clan

Jàlúmọ̀ clan

Sẹ̀ngà clan

Male

• First born: Sẹwọ́ “to vomit”, Ògídí, Àsùní “a God-given child”
• Second born: Dẹ̀nọ̀

Female

• First born: Idóó “bereavement”
• Second born: Onẹ̀dọ̀n “man is pleasant”, Onídọ̀n “today is better”
• Third born: Olúpé  “we are all here”

Sọ̀lọ́ clan

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Contributor’s profile

Dr. Moufoutaou ADJERAN is a sociolinguistics lecturer at Abomey-Calavi University (Republic of Benin). He is also a member of the Sociolinguistics and Yoruba Studies research centre and of the Francophone Sociolinguistics Network.

The original post was published in French on YorubaName.com. Translation into English by Laila Le Guen.