The names of God in the Yoruba language depict supremacy – God as all-powerful, all-knowing, and who can do all things. The common names of God in the different religions that Yoruba people practice include Olorun or Olodumare (Almighty).
For Yoruba people, the concept of the name of God is important in many aspects. Little wonder, there is often a calling of the name of God in moments of worship, praise, finding mercy, times of doubts, fear, despair, thanksgiving, and as a reminder in daily activities among other reasons.
The meaning of the names of God in one of the most religiously diversified ethnic groups in Nigeria – Yoruba! is vast. For instance, how Yoruba people will greet God (Oba Aye- the king of the world) may be different from the name of God in confession (Olorun Aanu – God of Mercy).
100 Names of God in Yoruba Language
1. Olorun (Olohun)/Olodumare
- Meaning: God, Lord, The ruler of heaven, supreme God or almighty. This name of God suggests that He is above any other being and rules over heaven and earth.
- Commonly used: It is mainly said as a petition prayer and is a common name of God in Yoruba and is mainly used to praise God while admitting admit his supremacy
2. Ikan Lana, Ikan Lola, Ikan Loni
- Meaning: Same as yesterday, today, and tomorrow (always)
- Commonly Used: In the exaltation of God as One who is unchangeable
3. Arugbo Ojo
- Meaning: Ancient of days. This attests that God is timeless, and no matter how time goes by, He will still maintain His position as a ruler
- Commonly Used: It is used in reverence of God as being the same without minding time, and neither does He change
4. Oluwa Awon Oluwa
- Meaning: The Lord of lords; the King of kings. This name, meaning God captures, places him at the forefront of any other ruler on earth
- Commonly used: It is a name used in exalting God
5. Eledumare
- Meaning: Supreme creator
- Commonly Used: In hallowing or thanksgiving, when one concedes to have been in existence due to a creator -God!
6. Orun
- Meaning: Heaven (a place of peace, eternity, and where only the pure exist)
- Commonly Used: In magnifying God in relation to heaven, which is also his dwelling place.
7. Jagunjagun Ode Orun/Ajagun Alailegbe
- Meaning: The great warrior of heaven/The extraordinary warrior. This shows God as one who does not turn his back on any fight but win
- Commonly Used: It is a name used for God in Yoruba in terms of praises or calling on him to fight any battle one is involved in
8. Olorun Ayo/Asorodayo
- Meaning: The Lord who gives joy
- Commonly Used: it is used to seek blessing. In times of sorrow, many Yoruba people of different religions believe in God as a comforter and peace giver who would restore joy
9. Akoda Aye/Asheda Orun
- Meaning: The creator of the heaven and earth
- Commonly Used: Used in times of praise as a reminder of one’s existence through a creator – God!
10. A Dani Wa Ye
- Meaning: The one who creates us and places us on the planet earth
- Commonly Used: In praise and adoration when one acknowledges God as his only source. It is also used by people who trust God for intervention where there is seem to be an impossibility
11. Alaanu/Oba Aanu
- Meaning: Merciful God or father of Mercy. It is believed that God is forgiving without minding how big a person’s sin maybe
- Commonly Used: It is a used in times of confession – mostly when a person acknowledges his sin and trusts God for mercies
12. Adunbalo
- Meaning: He who is worth following
- Commonly Used: One of the names of God in Yoruba, Adunbalso, is used in adoration and thanksgiving to affirm one’s faith and trust in God
13. Aribirabata/Araba Ti Ki Ku
- Meaning: The Great Lord
- Commonly Used: in worship, veneration, and adoration
14. Asorodayo
- Meaning: Lord that Gives Joy
- Commonly Used: in giving honor, adoration, and supplication. This name of God is used when one is expectant of God to give him joy or as thanksgiving for the joy bestowed on the person
15. Atobiju
- Meaning: The Almighty
- Commonly Used: in praises and adoration while declaring that God has no competitor in might
16. Atofarati bi oke
- Meaning: He who defends and supports
- Commonly Used: This God’s name is used when calling him for help in times of need, weakness, trials, and tribulations
17. Kani oo Si O
- Meaning: The Unquestionable
- Commonly Used: In times of veneration to God as above any another person and whose ways are perfect
18. Oba Awon Oba
- Meaning: King of Kings
- Commonly Used: in the prayer of thanksgiving, praise, and adoration to give God the highest seat as above kings of Yorubaland or other kings of the earth
19. Atofokante
- Meaning: The One we can confide in
- Commonly Used: People call God “Atofokante” in prayers of praise and faith. It is used mostly when people need to vent their problems and caste their burdens
20. Awimayehun
- Meaning: A God who speaks and cannot change his words
- Commonly Used: In prayer for declaration and blessing. One declares God as unchangeable and when asking for blessing while keying into promises made by God through his children in time (e.g., promises to Abraham in the Holy Bible and Qur’an)
21. Alewilese, Aleselewi, Owibee Sebee
- Meaning: God who speaks and acts
- Commonly Used: It’s mostly used by people in need while reminding God of his ability to make things happen
22. Alagbada Ina
- Meaning: The one that clothed himself with fire
- Commonly Used: In Praise and when calling on God to stand on one’s behalf in times of war – whether spiritually or otherwise
23. Imole Ninu Okunkun Aye
- Meaning: The light in the darkness
- Commonly Used: Mosty used by people in need and worship
24. Oba Alagbada Imole
- Meaning: The One whose clothes are light
- Commonly Used: In praise to show the uniqueness of God through purity, goodness, holiness, and perfection associated with light
25. Alawotele Oorun
- Meaning: He whose clothing is sun
- Commonly Used: In praise to declare God’s greatness, power, and grace
26. Awa Ma Ri Di
- Meaning: Mysterious Lord
- Commonly Used: People call God mystery in Yoruba to show that his ways are not of humans. They are mainly used when miracles happen or one is expectant
27. Oluwashindara
- Meaning: God still performs wonders
- Commonly Used: For respect for God and trust that nothing is too small for him to handle. It can also be used when in need
28. Mimo L’oluwa
- Meaning: Holy is the Lord
- Commonly Used: In worship, praise, and adoration
29. Oba Nla
- Meaning: Great King
- Commonly Used: In veneration and praise while accepting the greatness of God
30. Baba Wa
- Meaning: Abba father
- Commonly Used: In thanksgiving, supplication, thanksgiving, worship, praise, and petition. It is said to remind God of his position as a father, and it is one of the most common names of God in Yoruba
31. Adagagodo Emi Gbogbo Eniyan
- Meaning: The padlock over the life of all humanity
- Commonly Used: When searching for blessings that include doors to be opened or for the door of the enemy to be shut
32. Ologojulo
- Meaning: Glorious God
- Commonly Used: Praise, adoration, and thanksgiving
33. Ibere Ati Opin
- Meaning: The Alpha and Omega
- Commonly Used: Mostly used in worship and declaring God as unstoppable
34. Olowogbogboro
- Meaning: The One with an outstretched arm
- Commonly Used: Praise, worship, adoration, prayers of petition, and in search of blessing from God
35. Awiiro Alaafin
- Meaning: The Prince of peace
- Commonly Used: in worship to declare God as one who brings peace. It is often used by those in sorrow or afflicted; in times of wars, sickness, and hunger, among others
36. Olupese
- Meaning: Our provider
- Commonly Used: People use it in petitions, especially in times of lack
37. Ireti Wa
- Meaning: Our hope
- Commonly Used: When in need and turning to God for help
38. Olufe Okan Wa
- Meaning: My lover
- Commonly Used: In veneration to show one’s affection to God and also attest to the love of God to them
39. Alatilehin
- Meaning: Our succor
- Commonly Used: as a prayer of petition, especially by people in need of assistance or healing
40. Onikokoro Aye Lowo
- Meaning: He holds the key to life
- Commonly Used: For praise and worship of God and stating the powers of God over things that concern life. It is also used when in need as a reminder of the ends that only God has the ability to reach
41. Awuwo Ma Se Gbe
- Meaning: He who cannot be overthrown
- Commonly Used: In praise, it is used while accepting God’s eternal supremacy
42. Emi Ni Ti Nje Emi Ni
- Meaning: I am that I am
- Commonly Used: Usually used by people who trust God, It is used in praise and as a prayer of faith
43. Baba Mimo, Omo Mimo, Emi Mimo
- Meaning: The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit
- Commonly Used: By Christians who believe in the holy trinity (3 God in 1)
44. Awamaridi
- Meaning: The indescribable, unsearchable God
- Commonly Used: To honor God while attesting that words cannot be used to him and since he is vast and eternal, he cannot be searched entirely
45. Adagba Ma Paaro Oye
- Meaning: Unchangeable God
- Commonly Used: In prayer and praise by those trusting God with a reminder that in whatever circumstance, he cannot be changed
46. O ki Iba Idajo Ati Opolopo Otito
- Meaning: The virtuous judge
- Commonly Used: It is a prayer by those trusting God to vindicate them and as a reminder that God controls destinies
47. Atofokante
- Meaning: Our confidence
- Commonly Used: In worship, praise and said as a prayer of hope and trust by people who intend to take a step to do something
48. Olutunu
- Meaning: Our comforter
- Commonly Used: This one of God’s names in Yoruba is used as a reminder that no matter what one goes through, God is always a comforter in times of grieving or difficulty
49. Olorin Ayo
- Meaning: He who brings joy
- Commonly Used: As a prayer of thanksgiving, of praise, and used in times of worship and in times of sorrow to remind God to restore joy
50. Olotito (Olododo)
- Meaning: The truthful
- Commonly Used: Worship and praise
51. Atorise
- Meaning: The only one who can turn a bad situation into good
- Commonly Used: In supplication, thanksgiving, and worship and praise. It is said one attests to how things have turned for the better for them or when they are expectant that things will turn out good
52. Ibi Isade Wa
- Meaning: Our refuge
- Commonly Used: In prayer by those going through different problems, including shelter. It is also a reminder that God is always a help
53. Aabo Wa
- Meaning: Our protector
- Commonly Used: In spiritual warfare, physical or psychological battle. Used mostly in praise and worship
54. Oluwosan
- Meaning: The great healer of the sick
- Commonly Used: as a prayer of supplication, worship and praise, petition or intercession, and thanksgiving to prompt God of one’s acceptance that he has the ability to heal
55. Olorun Alaaye
- Meaning: The God of the Living
- Commonly Used: Mostly used in worship
56. Oyigiyiyigi
- Meaning: Great and Mighty
- Commonly Used: In praise to show the greatness of God at all times – this means that God has the power to do and undo as well as answers prayers
57. Atogbojule
- Meaning: Dependable God
- Commonly Used: In praises, thanksgiving, and in the prayer of supplication to nudge a person of God’s ability to be loyal
58. Alagbawi Eda
- Meaning: Defender
- Commonly Used: as in assurance that God defends his people no matter what
59. Oba Onise Nla
- Meaning: The great worker of good
- Commonly Used: In thanksgiving, worship, and praise
60. Apata Ayeraye
- Meaning: The rock of ages
- Commonly Used: in praise to mean an infinite source of strength
61. Oba T’ao Ri Sugbon T’ari Ise Owo Re
- Meaning: The One we cannot see but can feel the actions of
- Commonly Used: As a prayer of faith and worship
62. Adajo Mama Fo T’enikan Se
- Meaning: The judge
- Commonly Used: in praise to serve as a reminder of God as holy and cannot be wrong. It is also used in prayer of petition to call on God to stand as judge or defender.
63. Olorun Ajinde
- Meaning: The Lord who was resurrected
- Commonly Used: In worship and praise while seeing God as one who is immortal and hence, nothing is hard for him to do
64. Olugbala/Oludariji
- Meaning: The one that saves
- Commonly Used: In prayer for God to save and in praise for how much God’s intervention has saved
65. Majemu Pa Olorun
- Meaning: Covenant keeping God
- Commonly Used: it is a prayer of blessing and praise to remind God of the promises he has made through his children or his word
66. Olorun Awon Omo Ogun
- Meaning: God of hosts
- Commonly Used: In praise to mean God who has the forces of angels
67. Olorun Pipe
- Meaning: Perfect God
- Commonly Used: Praise and worship in reference to God who does not make any mistakes
68. Olorun Rere
- Meaning: Good God
- Commonly Used: In worshiping and praises buttressing on the excellence of God and well as how exceptional he is in his ways
69. Olumoranokan Eda
- Meaning: He who can see a heart’s intent
- Commonly Used: in praises while referring to God’s omniscient and omnipotent state
70. Ore Wa
- Meaning: Our friend
- Commonly Used: This is mostly used with respect to praising God and portraying his simplicity even though he is filled with light and grace
71. Olorun Ti O Ri Ohun Gbogbo
- Meaning: God who sees all things
- Commonly Used: Glorifying God for seeing even the things that humans cannot
72. Olorun Ti O Lele
- Meaning: The reliable God
- Commonly Used: Praise and in the prayer of supplication or thanksgiving
73. Ajasegun
- Meaning: The winner/The Conqueror
- Commonly Used: At times of praise and worship in acceptance that God never loses
74. Olupese/Oluso
- Meaning: Our guardian
- Commonly Used: In praise and prayer for protection
75. Oludriji
- Meaning: A God who forgives
- Commonly Used: at the time of confession for one’s shortcomings
76. Olutusile
- Meaning: The God of Freedom
- Commonly Used: By those who feel they’re in captivity, either spiritually, physically, or even as a result of sin; hence asking God to intervene and restore freedom
77. Eleda
- Meaning: The creator
- Commonly Used: In acceptance that one’s existence, as well as the beginning of heaven and earth, is a result of the existence of God
78. Olorun Ami Ati Iyanu
- Meaning: God of signs and wonders
- Commonly Used: at a time when one is in need of miracles or at a time of praise to focus on God, whose powers are enormous
79. Oba to ti Wa K’aye o Towa
- Meaning: He who existed long before the creation
- Commonly Used: in praises while paying attention to God who is ageless and to vindicate them from being judged by humans the coming of man
80. Adakedajo
- Meaning: He who judges quiet
- Commonly Used: In praises, at the time of confession, or supplication to God
81. Oba t’enikan o le pe l’ejo
- Meaning: The King whom we cannot judge
- Commonly Used: In a time of praises in affirmation to God as the only Judge and accepting His superiority overall
82. Gbanigbani ni’jo ogun le
- Meaning: Our barrier in times of war
- Commonly Used: at a time when one is faced with different challenges but turns to God in praise and entreaty to the almighty to shield them
83. Oba Alade Alafia
- Meaning: The prince of harmony
- Commonly Used: In worship, praise, and is used in prayer asking for peace or thanking God for the peace thus far
84. Oba t’o mo ohun gbogbo
- Meaning: The all-knowing God
- Commonly Used: In acknowledgment of God’s power to know beyond the human knowledge and to attest to his wisdom
85. Oloore Ofe
- Meaning: The charitable God
- Commonly Used: in thanksgiving and as a prayer of appeal to receive blessings
86. Oba Alaye Funfun
- Meaning: Immaculate God
- Commonly Used: when praising God for His purity and being without sin
87. Atofarati
- Meaning: Our protection
- Commonly Used: Mostly in times of trouble as one of the names of God
88. Adunbalo
- Meaning: Worthy to follow
- Commonly Used: In a prayer of faith and affirmation to be faithful; and in worship and praise
89. Abetilukara Bi Ajere
- Meaning: God who is paying attention
- Commonly Used: In times of worship and praises centered towards God’s inability to be careless over his people
90. Olorun Kan Lailai
- Meaning: The Only Lord
- Commonly Used: In praise and attestation of the existence of not more than one God
91. Eni Ti Nrin Lori Iye Apa Afefe
- Meaning: He who moves on wind’s wings
- Commonly Used: As a metaphor to mean that God is the driving force of life. It is mainly used as one of the names of God in the Yoruba language in times of praise and worship
93. Ofi Agbara Fun Esin
- Meaning: He who gave the horses their strength
- Commonly Used: In prayer for strength to go through any challenge in life and is said at the time when one praises God
94. Oludamoran
- Meaning: The One who offers great advice
- Commonly Used: In attestation to God’s words as true, filled with wisdom, and without an iota of deceit. It is mostly used in praising God.
95. Olorun Oluwosan
- Meaning: God my healer
- Commonly Used: In the belief that God has the power to heal diseases. While it is said as a plea prayer, it is also said in times of giving thanks for good health and praising God
96. Olorun T’o Fun Omo
- Meaning: God who gives children
- Commonly Used: As one of the names of God in the Yoruba language in praise for the children given to one or in plea to become a parent
97. Adunbalo
- Meaning: He who is worth following
- Commonly Used: It is used in prayer of faith and praise to show one’s trust in the ways of God
98. Elewu Oye
- Meaning: He who is clothed in royalty
- Commonly Used: In praising in worshiping God in connection to his majesty and royalty
99. Gbani, gGbani Tan Sa Ya
- Meaning: Who we run for help to
- Commonly Used: At the time of prayer that mainly focuses on God as reaching out to people for help in different aspects of their lives
100. Omini Mini Ti Mi Ile Aye
- Meaning: The One who can move mountains
- Commonly Used: to exalt God who has the ability to do great things no matter how difficult they may be