God is being regarded in monotheistic thought as a principal object of faith, supreme being and creator deity. Different people have different ways of painting the image of God. He is often known as the omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful) and omnipresent (all-present) according to the Christians. There are some religions that even describes God without a gender. They don’t regard God to be a male or a female.
We can’t deny there the vast majority of names for God. In Nigeria, every tribe in their own language reference God in so many ways. Let’s take the Yoruba language for example. This language is popular in the Southwestern part of Nigeria. The people in this part reference God by many names in their language. So we will be looking at the names of God in Yoruba language and their meaning in the English language.
Names of God in Yoruba Language and Their Meaning
This list contains various names the people from the Southwestern part of Nigeria use in referencing God in the Yoruba dialect. The referencing might be in praise, worship, prayer or even during bad times.
• Oluwa – God or Lord
• Olorun – God or Lord
• Oluwa Wa – Our Lord
• Olorun Wa – Our God
• Oluwa Awon Oluwa – The Lord of lords, the king of kings.
• Olorun Awon Olorun – The God of all other gods.
• Kabiyeesi – The King of the world
• Oba Awon Oba – King of Kings
• Olodumare, Atobiju – The Almighty God
• Arugbo Ojo – Ancient of days, the beginning and the end.
• Olorun Agbalagba – Ancient of days
• Adagba Ma Paaro Oye – Unchanging God/Lord.
• Olorun Ti o Yipada – The unchanging/unchangeable God
• Olorun kan lai-lai – The only God
• Ikan Lana, Ikan Loni, Ikan Lola – Same yesterday, today and forever
• Okan titi aye ainipekun – The same forever and ever
• Oba ti mbe nibi gbogbo nigba gbogbo – the universal and omnipresent God
• Metalokan, Ologo meta – The Trinity (Three in one God)
• Olorun Baba, Olorun Omo, Olorun Emi Mimo – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
• Olorun Abrahamu, Olorun Isaki, Olorun Jakobu – God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• Olorun owu – The jealous God.
• Olorun ti kii s’enia ti yio paro – The God that no man that can change. The unchangeable changer.
• Alewilese, Aleselewi, Owibee sebee – The God that cannot only speak but act.
• Awimayehun – A God who speaks and cannot change his words.
• Asoromaye – He who prophesize and comes to past.
• Onimajemu – Covenant-keeping God. A God that keeps covenants with his worshipers.
• Olulana – The only one who makes a way where there is none.
• Olorun oro – A God of spoken word.
• Oba to ti o gbe oro Re ga ju Oruko Re lo – The Lord who exalts his word more than his name.
• Olufe okan wa – My lover.
• Oba t’o yan wa fe – God who has predestined us.
• Olusegun, Ajasegun – The conqueror.
• Gbanigbani ni’jo ogun le, Atofarati bi oke, Odi wa – Our defence against the plans of the wicked.
• Ogbagba ti ngb’ara adugbo – Our Protector.
• Oba t’o pin okun pupa n’iya – The mighty one who parted the red sea for his people.
• Olorun t’o mu Jodani sa niwaju awon omo re – God who parted the river Jordan.
• Oba t’o bi odi Jeriko wo – The lord who destroyed the walls of Jericho.
• Olorun t’o kolu Egipiti l’ara awon akobi re – God who killed all the firstborns of the Egyptians.
• Oba t’o ju gbogbo orisa lo – The Almighty Lord.
• Olorun t’o tobi ju gbogbo aye lo – He who is greater than all the nations of the earth.
• Oba t’o da monamona fun ojo – The God who created lightning.
• Oba to ni owa t’owa, Oba t’oni olo, t’olo, Oba t’oni k’owa, t’owa – The God who commands.
• Oba t’oni k’omasi, ti o si si mo – The God who can close a door that no human can open.
• Oba t’ao ri, sugbon t’ari ise owo re – The unseen God but his people feel his impacts.
• Olorun t’o n gbo adura – A God who hears prayers.
• Oba t’o n dahun adura – The Lord who answers prayers.
• Olutoju wa – Our Keeper.
• Onibuore – One whose stores are full of abundant blessings.
• Afunni ma s’iregun – The God who blesses without asking for a reward.
• Adanimagbagbe – The creator of all things.
• Oyigiyigi – The great and mighty God.
• Alakoso orun at’aye – The God of Heaven and the earth.
• Atogbojule – A dependable God.
• Alagbawi eda, Atofarati – Our defender.
• Alagbada ina – He that covers Himself with fire branded robe.
• Alawotele oorun – The one whose underwear is Sun.
• Asorodayo – The God who gives joy to his people.
• Oba t’o mu ‘banuje tan – The one who puts end to sorrow.
• Ogbeja k’eru o ba onija – A God who fights for the defenseless.
• Jagunjagun ode orun – The great warrior of the heavenly.
• Olowogbogboro – One whose hand is long enough to reach at any length of the earth.
• Olorun awon omo ogun – The great warrior.
• Aduro tini bi akoni eleru – One who is ever faithful.
• Eru jeje l’eti okun pupa – The Most powerful by the red sea.
• Oba t’o mu iji dake roro – A God who commands the storm to stay still.
• Alaabo, Olupamo – Our keeper and guide.
• Oluso – Our guard.
• Oludande – Our Deliverer.
• Olugbala – Our saviour.
• Olutusile – The God of freedom.
• Oludariji – A God who forgives.
• Oba t’o se’gun agbara ese – The Lord who delivers from the bondage of sin.
• Oba t’o san gbogbo ‘gbese wa – One who pays the price for our sins.
• Olorun ajinde – The resurrected one.
• Olutunu – Our comforter.
There are more names used in referencing God out there in the Yoruba language. But these are the ones that are quite common and you will likely come across someone using it.
