Yoruba Last Name Generator
Yoruba family names and what their openings mean
Browse 500 Yoruba family names, surnames only, from Ade names like Adeyemi and Adewale to Ola, Olu, Ogun, Akin and Ifa names such as Olatunji, Oluwole, Ogunleye, Akinwande and Fagbemi, plus praise names like Alabi and Akanbi.
About Yoruba last names
Most Yoruba surnames began as the given name of a forebear, kept by his children once fixed family names came into use. That is why one name can be a first name in one family and a last name in the next, and why almost every entry is a short sentence. Adeyemi is "the crown suits me", Babatunde "father has returned", Fagbemi "Ifa supports me".
The opening element is the key. Ade is the crown, Ola is honor and wealth, Olu is a lord or, as short for Oluwa, God. Oye is a chieftaincy title, Oba a king, Akin a brave man, Ayo joy, Omo a child. Ogun is the god of iron, Ifa (often cut to Fa) the oracle of divination, Awo its secret knowledge, Osun a river goddess and Sango the god of thunder. Ode is a hunter and Ayan the spirit of drumming. A second group comes from praise names and birth names: Alabi, Akanbi and Ajani, or Taiwo, Kehinde and Idowu for twins and the child born after them.
Yoruba is written with tone marks and underdots, as in Adéyẹmí. Passports leave them out, and so does this list. The dotted s is an "sh" sound that families spell either way, so each name appears once, in one common spelling: Fashola, Soyinka, Shonekan.
How to choose Yoruba last names
- Read the first element before you choose. Ade, Oye and Oba names speak of crowns and titles, Akin names of courage, Ola names of honor and wealth, Ayo names of joy.
- Pair the surname with a Yoruba first name that opens with a different element. Two Ade names or two Olu names in a row are possible, but a contrast such as an Ayo first name with an Ogun surname is easier on the ear.
- In fiction, let the element fit the family's story: an Ayan name for a line of drummers, an Ode name for hunters, an Ogun name for smiths. In real life a surname proves nothing about a family's work, town or faith.
- Pick one spelling and keep it. Fashola and Fasola, or Omotosho and Omotoso, are the same name written two ways, and a family uses only one of them.
- Add tone marks and underdots only if you know them. A wrong mark changes the word, and the plain spelling is what most documents show anyway.
Frequently asked questions
What do Ade, Ola, Ogun and Akin mean in Yoruba last names?
Ade is the crown, as in Adeyemi, Adewale and Adeleke. Ola is honor and wealth, as in Olatunji and Olaniyan. Ogun is the god of iron, as in Ogunleye and Ogundipe, and Akin is a brave man, as in Akinwande and Akintola. The rest of each name completes a sentence about that element.
Why can a Yoruba name be both a first name and a last name?
Because most Yoruba family names started as someone's given name. When fixed surnames came into use, children kept the name of a father or grandfather, so Babatunde, Ayodele, Kayode or Abiodun can be a first name in one household and a family name in another. The list here gives them as surnames only.
Does an Ifa, Ogun or Sango name say anything about a family's religion?
No. Names such as Fagbemi, Ogunbiyi or Sangodoyin record what a forebear honored when the name was first given, often many generations ago. Families of every faith carry them today, so the name tells you about the language, not about the person.
Why are names like Bello, Lawal or Williams not in the list?
Many Yoruba families carry Arabic-derived surnames, and others carry surnames brought back by returnees from Brazil and Sierra Leone. They are real Yoruba family names, but this list keeps to names made from Yoruba words, such as Balogun, Afolabi, Owolabi and Makinde.
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All 500 Yoruba last names
A: 172 names
- Abayomi
- Abegunde
- Abidoye
- Abimbola
- Abiodun
- Abiola
- Abiona
- Abioye
- Aboderin
- Abodunrin
- Abolade
- Aborisade
- Adebayo
- Adebisi
- Adebowale
- Adeboye
- Adedeji
- Adedokun
- Adedoyin
- Adegbite
- Adegboyega
- Adegoke
- Adejumo
- Adekoya
- Adekunle
- Adelabu
- Adelaja
- Adelakun
- Adeleke
- Adeleye
- Ademola
- Adeniran
- Adeniyi
- Adenuga
- Adeola
- Adeoti
- Adeoye
- Adepoju
- Aderibigbe
- Aderinto
- Adesanya
- Adesida
- Adesina
- Adetunji
- Adewale
- Adeyemi
- Adeyemo
- Adigun
- Adio
- Adisa
- Afolabi
- Afolayan
- Afonja
- Agagu
- Agbaje
- Agbebi
- Agbede
A, continued
- Agboola
- Agoro
- Agunbiade
- Aina
- Aiyegbusi
- Ajadi
- Ajakaiye
- Ajala
- Ajanaku
- Ajani
- Ajanlekoko
- Ajao
- Ajasin
- Ajayi
- Ajetunmobi
- Ajewole
- Ajibade
- Ajibola
- Ajiboye
- Ajimobi
- Ajisafe
- Ajose
- Ajuwon
- Akanbi
- Akande
- Akanji
- Akanni
- Akeredolu
- Akerele
- Akinbiyi
- Akinbode
- Akinfenwa
- Akingbade
- Akingbola
- Akinjide
- Akinkugbe
- Akinkunmi
- Akinlabi
- Akinlade
- Akinleye
- Akinloye
- Akinmade
- Akinnifesi
- Akinola
- Akinosho
- Akinpelu
- Akinremi
- Akinrinade
- Akinsanya
- Akinsola
- Akintayo
- Akintola
- Akintunde
- Akinwande
- Akinwunmi
- Akinyele
- Akinyemi
A, continued
- Akiwowo
- Akomolafe
- Alaba
- Alabi
- Alade
- Aladesanmi
- Alaka
- Alakija
- Alalade
- Alao
- Alatise
- Alawode
- Aluko
- Amoo
- Amosun
- Amusan
- Anifowose
- Anjorin
- Apata
- Aregbesola
- Aremu
- Aribisala
- Ariyo
- Arogundade
- Aromolaran
- Arowolo
- Atanda
- Atolagbe
- Awe
- Awobuluyi
- Awodele
- Awofeso
- Awojobi
- Awokoya
- Awolesi
- Awolola
- Awolowo
- Awomolo
- Awoniyi
- Awonusi
- Awosanya
- Awosika
- Awoyemi
- Awoyinka
- Ayanbadejo
- Ayandele
- Ayankunle
- Ayanlaja
- Ayantola
- Ayantuga
- Ayanwale
- Ayeni
- Ayinde
- Ayinla
- Ayoade
- Ayodeji
- Ayodele
- Ayorinde
B: 17 names
- Babafemi
- Babajide
- Babalola
- Babarinde
- Babatope
- Babatunde
- Babayemi
- Badejo
- Balogun
- Bamgboye
- Bamidele
- Bamigboye
- Bamiro
- Banjo
- Banjoko
- Bankole
- Bolarinwa
D: 2 names
- Dada
- Durojaiye
E: 3 names
- Edun
- Ekundayo
- Esan
F: 33 names
- Fabunmi
- Fadahunsi
- Fadare
- Fadeyi
- Fafunwa
- Fagbemi
- Fagbenle
- Fagbohun
- Fagunwa
- Fajemirokun
- Fakeye
- Fakunle
- Falade
- Falana
- Faleti
- Falodun
- Falola
- Familusi
- Famuyiwa
- Faniran
- Fapohunda
- Farinde
- Fasanya
- Fashola
- Fasina
- Fatunla
- Fawehinmi
- Fayemi
- Fayose
- Folarin
- Folawiyo
- Folayan
- Folorunsho
G: 3 names
- Gbadebo
- Gbadegesin
- Gbajabiamila
I: 9 names
- Ibikunle
- Ibitoye
- Ibiyemi
- Idowu
- Ifaturoti
- Ige
- Ilesanmi
- Ilori
- Ishola
J: 2 names
- Jaiyesimi
- Jegede
K: 9 names
- Kayode
- Kehinde
- Kolade
- Kolawole
- Komolafe
- Kosoko
- Kuku
- Kumuyi
- Kuti
L: 5 names
- Ladapo
- Ladipo
- Lasebikan
- Lijadu
- Longe
M: 5 names
- Majekodunmi
- Makanjuola
- Makinde
- Makinwa
- Morakinyo
O: 207 names
- Obadare
- Obadina
- Obafemi
- Obafunwa
- Obanikoro
- Obasa
- Obasanjo
- Obayemi
- Obembe
- Obisesan
- Odebiyi
- Odebode
- Odebunmi
- Odedina
- Odekunle
- Odeleye
- Oderinde
- Odesanya
- Odetola
- Odewale
- Odeyemi
- Odubanjo
- Odugbemi
- Odukoya
- Odumosu
- Odunsi
- Oduntan
- Odusanya
- Odusote
- Odutola
- Oduwole
- Oduyoye
- Ogedengbe
- Ogunbanjo
- Ogunbanwo
- Ogunbiyi
- Ogunbode
- Ogunbowale
- Ogundare
- Ogunde
- Ogundele
- Ogundimu
- Ogundipe
- Ogunjobi
- Ogunkoya
- Ogunkunle
- Ogunlade
- Ogunlana
- Ogunlesi
- Ogunleye
- Ogunmodede
O, continued
- Ogunmola
- Ogunnaike
- Ogunniyi
- Ogunremi
- Ogunrinde
- Ogunsakin
- Ogunsanya
- Ogunseye
- Ogunsola
- Oguntade
- Oguntoyinbo
- Ogunwale
- Ogunyemi
- Ojediran
- Ojedokun
- Ojelabi
- Ojelade
- Ojetunde
- Ojewale
- Ojewole
- Ojikutu
- Ojo
- Okanlawon
- Oke
- Okediji
- Okeowo
- Okubadejo
- Okubanjo
- Okunade
- Okunnu
- Okunola
- Okunuga
- Okupe
- Okusanya
- Olabisi
- Olabode
- Oladapo
- Oladeji
- Oladele
- Oladimeji
- Oladipo
- Oladokun
- Olagunju
- Olaifa
- Olaitan
- Olajide
- Olajuwon
- Olaleye
- Olaniran
- Olaniyan
- Olaniyi
- Olanrewaju
O, continued
- Olaosebikan
- Olapade
- Olasupo
- Olatoye
- Olatunji
- Olawale
- Olawoyin
- Olawuyi
- Olayinka
- Olayiwola
- Olopade
- Oloruntoba
- Olowokere
- Olowu
- Oloyede
- Olubajo
- Olubiyi
- Olubode
- Oludipe
- Olufemi
- Olugbade
- Olugbemi
- Olukoga
- Olukotun
- Olukoya
- Olumide
- Olunloyo
- Olurin
- Olusanya
- Olusoga
- Olusola
- Olutoye
- Oluwasanmi
- Oluwole
- Oluyede
- Oluyemi
- Oluyole
- Omisore
- Omole
- Omoniyi
- Omotayo
- Omotola
- Omotoso
- Onabanjo
- Onabolu
- Onadeko
- Onafowokan
- Onagoruwa
- Onakoya
- Onalaja
- Onanuga
- Onasanya
O, continued
- Onayemi
- Oni
- Onibonoje
- Onifade
- Onigbinde
- Onitiri
- Opadokun
- Orekoya
- Oresanya
- Orimolade
- Osibodu
- Osibogun
- Osifeso
- Osikoya
- Osinbajo
- Osinowo
- Osinubi
- Osoba
- Osofisan
- Osundairo
- Osundare
- Osuntokun
- Otedola
- Otubanjo
- Owoade
- Owoeye
- Owolabi
- Owoseni
- Oyawoye
- Oyebamiji
- Oyebanji
- Oyebode
- Oyedele
- Oyedepo
- Oyediran
- Oyedokun
- Oyekunle
- Oyelade
- Oyelami
- Oyelaran
- Oyeleke
- Oyeleye
- Oyeneye
- Oyeniyi
- Oyerinde
- Oyesiku
- Oyetunde
- Oyetunji
- Oyewole
- Oyewumi
- Oyeyemi
- Oyinlola
R: 1 name
- Rotimi
S: 26 names
- Salako
- Sangodoyin
- Sangosanya
- Sangowawa
- Sanyaolu
- Shonekan
- Shonibare
- Sobande
- Sobowale
- Sodeinde
- Sodipo
- Sofola
- Sogbesan
- Sokoya
- Solanke
- Solarin
- Sonuga
- Soremekun
- Sosanya
- Sotunde
- Sowande
- Sowemimo
- Sowunmi
- Soyemi
- Soyinka
- Soyombo