Efik Ibibio names
We will be sharing a few Cross River/Akwa Ibom names and their meanings here; in case you want to borrow one for your child or your friend has a name you don’t understand. We will be looking at Efik Ibibio names and their meaning so that when you hear it you can recall what it means
Ifiok means “Wisdom.”
Ima-Obong means, “God’s Love.” Ima is Love. So, this is a way of appreciating God’s love.
Imo OR Imoh means, “Wealthy” or “Wealth/Rich.”
Inemesit means, “Happiness.”
Itoro means, “Praise.” An extended version, “Itoro-Obong” or “Itoro-Abasi” meaning, “God’s praise.”
Kufre means, “Don’t forget.” It’s like a shorter way of saying, “Kufre-Abasi” which means, “Do not forget God.” Kufre could also be attached to events of life or a present condition.
Mfon-Obong means, “God’s grace”.
Mkpo-Uto means, “Precious”.
Ndifreke-Abasi means, “I will never forget God.” But people also bear “Ndifreke” in short, which means, “I will never forget” or “unforgettable” either to honour God or in memory of an event or something that they will never forget.
Nsemeke means, “I will not lament.”
Okon? To be frank, I don’t know the meaning of this name. Maybe it’s just a name. You know those kind of native words that you try to trace their meanings but you can’t fine? Okon is one of them. But somewhere in Ibibio, “Okon” although pronounced differently means, “Night.” Maybe that’s while the “Okons” I know are dark in complexion. They were either born at night, or their parents did it at night.
Check: Ibibio Traditional Wedding Guide
Oto-bong, meaning, “From God.” This means that the parents of the child acknowledge God as the giver of every good thing, including children. Somewhere in the Bible says, “Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord.”
Ubok-Obong/Ubok Ababsi means, “God’s hand.”
Still on Efik Ibibio names and their meaning
Ubong means “Glory.”
Akpan means, “First Son.” People bear this as their names too. I’m sure that you have seen a few “Akpans” in your life.
Aniefiok means, “Who-knows?” But it’s the short form for “Aniefiok mkpong” meaning, “Who knows tomorrow?” It presents God as the omniscience—the one who knows everything and has the future in his hands.
Aniekeme means, “Who can?” The concept is to point people to the fact that only God can do anything, and everything.
Anietie is the short form for “Anietie-nte-Abasi” which means “Who is like God?”
Edara means, “rejoice.”
Edikan means, “Victory.”
Ekanem – this is just a name. I don’t know the meaning, but it has its root in the Efik culture.
Ekemini means, “Appointed time.”
Ekpo means, “Ghost” or “Masquarade.” However, I don’t know if there’s another meaning to it that pertains to just names.
Eno-Obong means “God’s gift” or “a gift from God.”
Etiowo – Although not a very common name, “Etiwowo” means “Good Person”.
Idara means “JoyUdo means, “Second Son.” An extended version, “Udo-Obong” does not have a literally meaning. I only think that it’s a way to remind them that they are God’s kind of second son because these people are always stubborn, if you’ve noticed. It was the second son (the prodigal son) that asked his father to give him his share of the property in the Bible story and it was Jacob (the second son) that the Bible called a trickster for all that he did. Some spellings come with “h” – that’s “Udoh” and are pronounce with respect to the consonant, “H”
Uduak means, “Will” and “Uduak-Obong” means “God’s will”.
Uforo means Progress.
Read: How to Marry the First Daughter (Adiaha) in Ibibio land
More on Efik Ibibio names and their meaning
Ukeme means, “Might.” An extended version of the name, “Ukeme-Obong” or “Ukeme-Abasi” means, “God’s might.”
Uko means, “Courage.” I know one Uko that is the opposite of his name. He will never shout for joy in the church, but he does that for cockroaches at home whenever he sees one.
Unwana means, “Light.” Of course, we are the light of the world.
Unyime – is a common name too, but it has no meaning literally. Maybe, it’s just a name. But we often joke that people who bear “Unyime” are selfish/stingy people because “unyim” means “selfish.”
Utit-ofon means, “the end is good.” But its deeper meaning is that it is always good to rejoice at the end. It is also a shorter way of saying, “Uti-ofon-Idara” which means, “the end is worth rejoicing.” This means that whatever you do in life, or whatever you face in life, the end justifies the means, and you should only rejoice when you’ve gotten the end, or have overcome all.
Uwen means, “Life”.
Uyai means, “Beauty.”
Uyo-Obong means, “The voice of God.”
Summary of Efik Ibibio names
* Uduak-Abasi — Godswill
* MfonObong — Godsgrace
* Itorobong — Godsglory
* Enobong — Godsgift
* Iniabasi/Iniobong — Godstime
* Akpan — first son
* Udo — second son
* Ekaette — father’s mother/grand mother
* Unwana — Bright
* Okon — male child born in the night
*Akon—female child born in the night
* Utibe-Abasi — wonderful God
* Edidiong — Blessing
* Emem — Peace
* AniebietAbasi — who’s like God
* Akaninyene — above riches
* Ukeme — ability
* Uwakmfon — abundant grace
* Edikan — Victory
* Emediong — Blessed
* Mbuotidem — Faith
* Idoreyin – Hope
That is it for now on Efik Ibibio names and their meaning. We hope to add more