Haaa Izon!
Looking for beautiful traditional Ijaw female names? We’ve got you covered.
The Ijaw people, historically referred to as Ijo or Izon people, make up the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria.
With a teeming population of over 15 million people, they are the most populous indigenous inhabitants of the oil-rich Niger Delta. They are spread across Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Akwa Ibom and Rivers State.
The Ijaws take pride in their rich cultural heritage, and also their highly sought after roasted plantain and fish. Their famous local delicacies are made possible by the fact that farming and fishing are the predominant occupation in the area.
In terms of language, the Ijaws speak 9 distinct Niger-Congo languages, all of which belong to the Ijoid branch of the Niger–Congo tree.
Izon is more predominant and is spoken in the eastern part by about 5 million people, while Kalabari is spoken in the western part.
Just like other Nigerian tribes, the events or circumstances surrounding a child’s birth influence the names parents choose for the child. Most names are also attributed to God, as over 70% of Ijaws are professed christians.
In some Ijaw tribes such as Kalabari, European names are a common feature. This is as a result of their early interaction with the European merchant traders and slave traders.
Our list focuses on native Ijaw names. View our list below:
| NAME | MEANING |
|---|---|
| Abinla | Princess |
| Abiye | What I want or need/ my desire |
| Adenbofa | There is no one greater than her |
| Adibobouigbe/ Adibo | Head turner/ Whoever takes a look at her hits the bush |
| Agake-ere | A woman's character makes her a wife |
| Akpotutari | Let the people of the world love me |
| Akumoere | The only woman amongst women |
| Alaere | Queen/ A woman of substance |
| Alakere | Royalty makes a woman |
| Alali | Festival |
| Alayingi | Royal mother |
| Amafini-ere | A woman who opens up the glory of a town/ community |
| Anitorufa | None like her |
| Ayakpo | New life |
| Ayawari | New house |
| Bekeara | English woman |
| Beleuzi | First born |
| Beredugo | Judgement |
| Beriyai | Rejoice/ jubilate |
| Bibinidei | I have been accepted |
| Bibobra | Destiny |
| Biboye | Destiny |
| Biobele | Happiness/ joy |
| Birakumo | Don't forget me |
| Bobolayefa | Nothing can be compared to my own |
| Bobomiegha | I didn't do it on my own |
| Bodisere | A woman who likes to come into the world |
| Boma | Praise |
| Boyelayefa | Nothing like your own |
| Braibi | Victory |
| Buboupakumo | Don't grow alone |
| Dabota / Data | Father's beloved/ Father's wife / Daddy's girl |
| Dedelolia | Morning Star |
| Deina | Peace |
| Dirimoebi | Black beauty/ African beauty |
| Diseiin | Peace, tranquillity |
| Disemi | God's work / I like it |
| Diseye | Desired |
| Doubra | Desire |
| Douye | Desire |
| Ebeleakpo | Sweet life |
| Ebi | Good |
| Ebiakpo | Good life |
| Ebiarede | My eyes have seen good |
| Ebiarere | Good gain |
| Ebiasuode | I have come into goodness |
| Ebibani | Good water |
| Ebidein-ere | Best woman/ Most beautiful lady |
| Ebideseghabofa | There's no one who doesn't like good/ good things |
| Ebidisebofa | Everybody likes a good thing |
| Ebidomere | A woman who wants or likes good things |
| Ebidouere | A woman in search of good things |
| Ebiere | A beautiful woman/ Good woman |
| Ebierediseghakimifa | Everyone loves/ craves for a good woman |
| Ebierelayefa | There's nothing better than a good woman or wife |
| Ebieridei | I have seen good |
| Ebieya | Yours is good |
| Ebikake | Accept good things |
| Ebilamobofa | Most beautiful / There will be none more beautiful than you |
| Ebimeisegha | Doing good is not bad |
| Ebimie | Do good |
| Ebimini | It is well |
| Ebimoboere | Woman born with blessings/ A Woman who has brought good |
| Ebimotimi | Good stays with me |
| Ebipade | Goodness/good fortune has happened to me |
| Ebipatei | Goodness/ good fortune has happened to me |
| Ebisinkumor | Don't praise beauty |
| Ebisuode | Good has come in |
| Ebitare | Love is good |
| Ebitari | Good love |
| Ebiwou | Good road/ path |
| Ebiye | A good thing |
| Ebiyopreye | It is well with you |
| Ebrakumo | Don't forget me |
| Edubamo | Honour me |
| Egbesopiriye/ Sopririye | Egbesu's gift/ Divine gift |
| Egbesupiriala/ Supiriala | Egbesu has given me wealth/ Divine wealth |
| Ekiyor | Wisdom |
| Elayokon | Take what reaches you |
| Emeleakpo | Good life |
| Emomoemi | Stay with me |
| Emomotimi | Stay with me |
| Enai | Mine |
| Endiseimokomor | Do not look down on who I am today |
| Enemo | Endurance |
| Eneyi | My own |
| Enibraye | Mine |
| Eniye | My child |
| Erebemoboyiama | Specifically sent to me |
| Erebi | The beauty of womanhood |
| Eredapa | Women household |
| Erefagha | My name is not lost |
| Erekpodesiemi | I love woman too |
| Eremiemi | My name shall live on |
| Eremina | Women household |
| Erewarifagha | A house with women shall live on |
| Eyerin-ama | Life |
| Eyoroki-ebidein-emi | Woman is the best |
| Faghafagha-ebi | Unending beauty |
| Fasingha | A name never dies |
| Fiberesima | Death is the end of everything |
| Fila | Blessing |
| Fimienye | What death has done |
| Funakpo | Book life |
| Funebi | Knowledge is good |
| Funere | Book woman |
| Funware | A family full of knowledge |
| Furopanye | My own blood |
| Furopanyekirim | Your child is your child |
| Ibiere | Beautiful woman |
| Ibifuro | Fruitful womb |
| Ibigido | Good mother |
| Ibime | I am good |
| Ibimina | Good relative |
| Ibinabo | Came with good fortune |
| Ibiso | I am well |
| Ibumieghaye | Not my making |
| Ikaebinyo | I will be good too |
| Ineboloubelemere | The woman who makes my heart rejoice |
| Inekidou | Look for your own |
| Inemo/ Inemoweri | Endurance |
| Ineye | My own |
| Inibrakemi | Your destiny is in your hands |
| Iniebi | My good |
| Iniye | Mine |
| Iso | God's will |
| Itohan | I don't wish you bad |
| Itorufa | There is none like you (refering to God) |
| Izibekien | God's gift |
| Kalaya | Little grandmother |
| Kariara | I prayed for her |
| Kariebi | The blessing we prayed for |
| Kemelayefa | Nothing can be compared to a human being |
| Korimodi | Head turner/ Branch to take a look |
| Leleru | Happiness/ joy |
| Lolia | Star |
| Luckere | Lucky woman |
| Makuere | Cute woman |
| Naden | I understand |
| Nengimote | Above all |
| Ngoebi | Money is good |
| Nimi | Knowledge |
| Ogbotubo | Child of the soil |
| Ogola | Judgement |
| Okoba-ere | Good woman |
| Okubo-ere | Money woman |
| Orubai-ere | Old-fashioned woman |
| Orubibisia | The Promise of the ancestral gods |
| Oyabrade | I have forgotten my sorrows |
| Oyeinkeperemo | God's gift |
| Oyin-efiye | God's time |
| Oyinagonoemi | God is in heaven |
| Oyinbodei | Our mother has returned |
| Oyinbra | God's hands |
| Oyinbrakemi | It's in the hands of God |
| Oyinenade | God has heard me |
| Oyinenetaena | May God hear my call |
| Oyinkarebi | The reward/ beauty of serving God |
| Oyinkenumuworimi | Only God knows |
| Oyinkuro | God's power |
| Oyinmeide | God has done it |
| Oyinmi-ebi | God is good |
| Oyinprebi | My gift from God |
| Oyinpreye | God's gift |
| Oyintari | God's love |
| Oyinteke | Beg God |
| Oyintokoni | Praise God |
| Pabura-ebiere | A beautiful woman/ An endowed woman |
| Paebi | Prosper |
| Père | Wealthy |
| Pere-ere | Wealthy woman/ Queen |
| Pereasuodei | Wealth has come to me |
| Perede | Freed |
| Peremobo-ere | Woman that comes with riches |
| Pinaere | Lightskinned woman |
| Powei | Happiness |
| Pówéìla | Receive happiness |
| Seiakumokumo | Don't take me in a bad way |
| Sobomabo | The one who praises heaven |
| Sodienye | Heavenly gift |
| Sotonye | Heaven's will / purpose |
| Suoton | Just as planned |
| Suoyo | Gain |
| Takumeire | My pretty daughter or woman |
| Tamara | God |
| Tamara-enikarinate | God has answered my prayer |
| Tamarabrakemi | It's in the hands of God |
| Tamaradenbofa | There is none greater than God |
| Tamaradenyefa | Nothing is greater than God |
| Tamaradoubra | God's will/ The way God wants it |
| Tamaraefie | God's time |
| Tamarakarena | God has heard my prayers |
| Tamarakarinate | God hears prayer |
| Tamarakru | God is strong |
| Tamaralayefa | Nothing is bigger than God |
| Tamaramiemini | God will do it |
| Tamaramieyeseigha | God never makes mistakes |
| Tamarapreye | God's gift |
| Tamarataena | God has heard my prayers |
| Tamaratare | God's love |
| Tamaratonye | God's will |
| Tamarau diepriye | God's gift |
| Tamarauemi | There is God |
| Tamarauifie | God's time |
| Tamaraukarina | God answered my prayer |
| Tamarautonbra | God's will |
| Tamunoibi | God is good |
| Tare | Love |
| Tari | Love |
| Tariebi | The goodness of love |
| Tariebi | Love is good |
| Tariemi | There is love |
| Tariere | Beloved woman |
| Tarikebuna | Love is relationship |
| Tarila | Lovely |
| Tarilayefa | Nothing is like love |
| Tarimoboere | A woman who comes with love |
| Tariperedei | Love has been given to me |
| Tekena | Hear my plea |
| Timiere | Live to see |
| Timipamo-ere | She who will survive |
| Tobolayefa | Incomparable child |
| Tokoni | Praise |
| Toruagbei | Admirable |
| Woyengi-inetemona | God answer my prayers |
| Woyengidiepeye | God's gift |
| Woyengiemi | God is alive |
| Woyengifie | God's time |
| Woyengitonye | God's will |
| Woyinbode | God has come |
| Yenimiere | Intelligent woman |
| Yinkeye | A mother is valuable/ great |
| Yinlayefa | Nothing can be compared to a mother |
| Yinlayefagha | Mother is supreme |
| Yoriyori | Sparkling/ shiny/ clean/ adorable thing |
| Yoroakpo | A Woman's life |
| Ziniebimiete | God has done another good/ great thing |
| Ziola | The last born |
| Zuo | Protection |
Were any names missed out? Please tell us, and their meanings too!
