Yetunde () is a traditional name of the
Yoruba ethnic group for females which factors into
Yoruba religious beliefs, meaning "Mother has returned".
This is the name the Yoruba give to a daughter born shortly after the death of a paternal grandmother.
[ Ogunyemi, Chikwenye Okonjo, Africa Wo/Man Palava: "The Nigerian Novel by Women." University of Chicago Press (1996), p. 76, ]
Accessed 31 March 2025 In essence, the baby is regarded in Yoruba society and worldview as the
reincarnation
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the Philosophy, philosophical or Religion, religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new lifespan (disambiguation), lifespan in a different physical ...
of their grandmother.
[Indiana University. Archives of Languages of the World, "Anthropological Linguistics, Volumes 19-20." Department of Anthropology, Indiana University (1977), p. 59] In similarity, Babatunde (father again come) and Babajide (father wake come) are the male equivalent.
Spelling variations
Iyabo, Iyamide, Yetunde, Yedjide, or Yewande, meaning "Mother has returned".
Notable people with the name include
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Anthonia Yetunde Alabi, Nigerian musician and businesswoman.
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Yetunde Barnabas
Yetunde Barnabas () is a Nigerian model, beauty queen, actress and film producer. She initially gained recognition as the winner of ''The Most Beautiful Girl in Abuja'' pageant in 2017 and was crowned '' Miss Tourism Nigeria'' in 2019. She is bes ...
, Nigerian actress
*
Yetunde Onanuga
Yetunde Onanuga (born 11 September 1960) is a Nigerian politician who served as deputy governor of Ogun state from 2015 to 2019.
Life
Yetunde Onanuga was born at Adeoyo Hospital in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State in Nigeria. Her father was F. ...
, Nigerian politician
*
Yetunde Price
Yetunde () is a traditional name of the Yoruba ethnic group for females which factors into Yoruba religious beliefs, meaning "Mother has returned". This is the name the Yoruba give to a daughter born shortly after the death of a paternal grandmo ...
, the elder half-sister of tennis players Venus Williams and Serena Williams.
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Yetide Badaki, American actress
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Yejide Kilanko, Nigerian-Canadian writer
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Agnes Yewande Savage
Agnes Yewande Savage (21 February 1906 – 7 September 1964) was a Nigerian-Scottish medical doctor and the first West African woman to train and qualify in orthodox medicine. Savage was the first West African woman to receive a university degre ...
, Scottish-Nigerian physician
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Yewande Osho, British comedian and actress.
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Yewande Adekoya, Nigerian actress.
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Yewande Akinola, Nigerian engineer
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Yewande Olubummo
Yewande Olubummo (born February 8, 1960) is a Nigerian-American mathematician whose research interests include functional analysis and dynamical systems. She is an associate professor of mathematics at Spelman College, where she served as chair of ...
, American scientist
*
Yewande Komolafe, American chef
Notable people with the alternative name form include:
*
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello
Iyabo Obasanjo (born 27 April 1967) is a Nigerian academic, epidemiologist, and former senator. She is the daughter of former president of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife Oluremi Obasanjo.
Early life and education
Obasanjo attended Cor ...
, daughter of Nigerian former president.
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Iyabo Anisulowo
Iyabo Veronica Anishulowo (née Ajibogun) is a Nigerian educator and elder stateswoman who served the Federal Government of Nigeria at various levels, she is one of the most prominent female political personalities and proponents of gender equali ...
, Nigerian politician
*
Iyabo Ojo
Alice Iyabo Ojeli (born 21 December 1977) is a prominent Nigerian film actress, director, and producer popularly known for her contributions in the Nollywood film industry.[Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu
Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu or Funke Osibodu is a Nigerian banker who led Ecobank Nigeria and the Union Bank of Nigeria.
Life
Funke Osibodu was born in January 1959. She attended the University of Ife and the Harvard Business School.][< ...]
, Nigerian banker
*
Iyabode Ololade Remilekun Wallinkoski, Finnish model.
*
Comfort Iyabo Momoh British-Nigerian nurse/midwife.
See also
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Babatunde
Babatunde (variant forms: Babatunji, Babajide, Babawande, Babaside, Babatide, Bababode, Babs) is a male given name. In the Yoruba language, it means 'father returns', or ' a father has returned'. This generally refers to a male ancestor such as ...
*
Tunde
Tunde is a unisex name, originally a diminutive form of a Yoruba language, Yoruba name for a native of Nigeria which also means "returns". Hence, when ''Tunde'' is combined with other Yoruba words such as ''Baba'' (father) or ''Yeye/Iya/Mama'' (mo ...
References
Yoruba given names
Nigerian feminine given names
Feminine given names
Reincarnation
{{given name