O*

OBIAGELIAKU [O bia ga-eli aku = She has come to enjoy wealth; she comes in the midst of plenty]

DWV: OBIAGELI [This is the most popular version], OBII

Gender: Strictly female

OBIANUJU: [O bia na-uju (mmadu/aku)  = S/he who comes in the midst of plenty (of people/wealth)] depending on which, this name signifies that the child will not want. Besides, in Igbo culture, "mmadu ka ego" = people are greater than money]

DWV: OBINUJUAKU, UJU, UJUNWA]

Gender: Both, mostly female

OGBUNEECHENDO [Ogbu na-eche ndo = Acacia that provides shade]

OCHIABUUTO [Ochi abu(ghi) uto = Smile/Salutation is not love]

ODILI: [(Ka) O dili Chukwu = (Let it) be up to God)

ODINAKACHUKWU [O di n’aka Chukwu = It is in the hands of God]

DWV: DINAKACHI, DINAKA, ODINAKA, ODINAKANNA, ODINAKAOLISA

Gender: Both [ODINAKACHI would be more apt for female]

ODOEMENE [Odo emene = May it not happen again] See also OZOEMENE

Interpretation: This name often comes after a family or society has gone through a period of hardship. In saying “Never again,” the name-giver is praying for a trouble-free environment where the child can use diffine attribute to achieve full potentials.

OGAADI [O ga-adi? = Will she live?] This is the name of a dear friend. Her mother had a girl first. Very pretty. People take it from her and simply wander away. Expectant mothers come and cue up to stay with her. Which probably made the husband go back to work so soon. Three girls followed, but each died before their seventh-day outside the womb. Nameless. Now comes this chick. Seven days and she was still hanging in there and looking like she wanted stay. Okay, woman, lets name her: "Why, will she live"! Of course she stayed. Her name: "Ogaadi."

DWV: OGADI

Gender: Both

OGOAMAKA [Ogo amaka = Charity is noble or An in-law in great!]

Interpretation: Here I am not playing on words. It depends on how you pronounce it. If you have a second daughter, who is most likely the reincarnation of your mother-in-law, and everything suddenly turns out great.... especially since inception, you name her accordingly: "My mother-in-law is great"! Of course, mother-in-law = ogo m nwaanyi. My sister is so named.

DWV: AMAKA

OGOCHUKWU [Ogo Chukwu = God’s Gift]

Interpretation: The trend is toward female children; I have no idea why. It may be like Ngozi, which in Northern Igbo no male bears; but in Imo area, some men bear and us! An extended version is OGOCHUKWUNYEREM [The gift/good deed God gave/did to me] I use “good deed” because that is what “ogo” means in “Ogo i mere m di mma.” Attention: ogo is also in-law... with a

different tone, of course.

DWV: CHUKS, as in all Chukwu name];OGONNA, OGOCHI is not popular.

Gender: Both

OGUELI

Interpretation:

DWV: OGUERI

Gender: Male

OGUINE [Ogu ine = Battle of pride]

OHALE [Oha lee! = Folk, behold!] See also ORANENWA

Interpretation: Only the name giver who suddenly decided to use this version would know what he wants his folks to behold. However, I assume that it is a bouncing baby boy, as in Oha lee nwa nwoke nwunye m mutaara anyi [Folks, behold the baby boy my wife delivered for us.]

DWV: ORANE,

Gender: Female

OKUAZA [Oku aza (oku) = Prosperity does not answer (to calls)

Interpretation: The name glorifies the virtue of hard work; you have to get up and get going.  

Gender: Female

ONUEKWUGBULEM [Onu ekwugbule m = May words (slanders) never be my ruin.]

Interpretation: The Igbo recognize the power of words., especially slanders. A slander is like an open sore on the leg; even when healed, the scar lasts a life time. This is a plea that whatever people find necessary to concote, which no one can control, may it not lead to the demise of an honest person.

ONUKWUBE

ONUOHA [Onu oha = Voice of the people]

Interpretation: This name recognizes the good wishes of the community. Through their good words and encouragement, parents who received such support are most likely to choose this lovely name: Voz populi. On the other hand, the name might be a short version of an exactly opposite meanig. “Onuohaegbulem” [May the words of the people not kill me]

DWV: ONUORA [The most popular version] ONUORAAMAKA

Gender: Male

OÑUORA [Oñu ora = The pride of the people]  

Interpretation: A parent whose child arrived amidst the great jubilation of the community might want to revel in the fact.

DVW: OÑUOHA

Gender: Both, probably more female, as Onuora is more male.

ONWANEETILIORA [Onwa na-etili ora = The moon the shines for all]

Interpretation:

DWV: ONWANETIRIOHA

Gender: Male

ONWUAMAEGBU [Onwu ama egbu = Death  is not selective.]

ONWUAMAIBE [Onwu ama ibe = Death is not nepotic.]

ONWUATUEGWU [Onwu atu egwu = Death  is not afraid.]

ONWUASOANYA [Onwu aso anya = Death respects no one.]

Interpretation: This is not a cheerful name to belabor a child with, but it is quite popular as a surname, which means it was once a man’s name. For whatever reason a name-giver should choose this, the fact remains that death is no respecter of persons.

Gender: Male

ONWUDIWE [Onwu di iwe = Death is terrible]

ONWUDINJO[Onwu di njo = Death is bad.]

Interpretation: The name states the obvious: no one thinks think is a neccesary evil; it is always a sad news when it hit a family or a friend’s family or the kindred.

Gender: Male

ONWUEGBUCHULEM 

Interpretation: This is possibly the full meaning of Egbuchulem. This is an improvement on ONWUEGBULEM; here it pray to be spared untimely death.

ONWUEGBULEM 

Interpretation: This may be seen as wishful thinking--since everyone must die. But them, a person who lived his full live here on each and “passed on” to the spirit world was not actually ‘killed by death”; he just transited to a higher realm. So this prayer must be seen in the light of one living a full live and not succumbing to death (untimely).

ONWUMECHILI

ONWUEMELIE [Onwu emelie = Death has triumphed]

ONWUTUBE [Onwu tube.... = Death bequeaths....]

Interpretation: Unless the entire sentence is known, this one is hard to guess. “Itube” is to bequeath something on someone, especially something positive. It is not clear what positive legacies death bequeaths on humans --unless one truly want to go academic. 

ONONIBAAKU [O no n’iba aku = He is in the midst of plenty.]

DWV: ONONIBAKU

ORANEENWA [Ora, nee nwa = Folks, behold the child]

Interpretation: Why would parent ask the community to behold the child? In one case I know, this name is a story of many lives. The woman was one great lady; everyone loved her. But she could not conceive. A second wife arrived and produced two girls in quick succession. On her third pregnancy, this wonderful lady took in too. They both had boys! Alas, the senior wife who was mother to everyone in the family, could not make it though the rigors of labor. Her son was hence dedicated to the community, which apparently could not stop wishing that she got her own child. So, it is either the man was saying, “you wanted a child, you have: but I lost a wife”; or he is genuinely beckoning on the community to look after the motherless baby boy

DWV: OHALE, OHALEE, OHALEENWA, OHALENWA, ORANE, ORANENWA,

Gender: Male

ORAJIMETOCHUKWU [Ora ji m eto (Chukwu)  = The community/public is praising God because of me]

Interpretation: A child is a thing of joy, and joy is divine inspired. The source of joy is therefore a call for celebration and praises. 

DWV: ORAJI, RAJIMETO, ORAJIMETOCHI, OHAJIMETO, OHAJI, JIMETO, 

Gender: Male

ORAZUNWA [Ora (na-a)zu nwa = The community raises the child ]

Interpretation: The so-called African saying “It takes a village to raise a child” is a passive translation of this name. That a child is a community’s to raise is not a request; it is an order: Ora na-azu nwa. Some parents specify that they are making this philosophical statement by using the entire sentence, but the few instances I have heard, Ora zu nwa [Community raises the child] is used. 

DWV: OHAZUNWA, OHANAAZUNWA, ORANAAZUNWA 

Gender: Male

OSA [Osa =  God (in Edo Language)]

Interpretation:  The appearance of Osa in Igbo names is a direct legacy of the Great Bini Kingdom. The Igbo of hinterland do not bear names with Osa.

DWV:  

Gender: Male 

OSADEBE [Osa debe.... = If God wills/keeps.....]]

Interpretation:   See CHUKWUDEBE 

DWV:   

Gender: Male

 OSAEMEKE

DWV: OSEMEKE, OSEMEKA

OSANEEME

DWV: OSANEME, OSINEME

OSAELOKA

DWV: OSELOKA

OSABUE

OSABULU