Names of animals in Yoruba and English.
For the preservation of the Yoruba Language, culture and traditions, I have painstakingly tried to compile over 100 names of animals in Yoruba Language…
Here are some I can think of right now:
Ẹkùn – Leopard
Kìnìún – Lion 🦁
Àmọ̀tẹ́kùn – Cheetah 🐆
Ìkookò – Spotted hyena
Ẹtà / Ọlọ́gẹ̀dẹ̀ – African civet
Eerin – Elephant 🐘
Ehoro – Hare
Ikún – Ground squirrels
Ọ̀kẹ́rẹ́ – Squirrel 🐿️
Ọ̀wàwà – Tree hyrax
Àjàò – Flying squirrel
Igúnnugún – Vulture
Òdèrée Kókò – Laughing dove
Ẹyẹlé – Pigeon 🐦
Òwìwí – Owl 🦉
Àdàbà – Dove 🕊️
Pẹ́pẹ́yẹ – Duck 🦆
Tòlótòló – Turkey 🦃
Adìẹ – Hẹn/Chicken
Àkùkọ́ – Cock/Rooster 🐓
Ògòǹgò – Ostrich
Àgùfọn – Giraffe 🦒
Àfèrèmọ̀jò – Aardvark
Akika – Pangolin
Ìrá – Hartebeest
Kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́ – Donkey
Ẹṣin – Horse 🐎
Ẹfọ̀n – Buffalo 🐃
Ìgbàrìgbá – Rhinoceros 🦏
Erinminlókun – Hippopotamus 🦛
Ìnàkí – Gorilla 🦍
Irò/ Elègbèdè – Chimpanzee
Ìlábùrù – Baboon
Àdán – Bat 🦇
Yímíyímí – Dung beetle
Àrígiṣẹ́gi – Bagworm moth
Kúlúsọ – Antlion larvae
Ìmúùmúná – Firefly
Aláǹtakùn – Spider 🕷️
Ẹ̀fọn – Mosquito 🦟
Àkekèé – Scorpion
Ìdun – Bedbug
Ikán – Termite
Ìjàlọ – Army ant
Ọká – Gaboon viper
Mọ́námọ́ná – Ball python
Erè – African rock python
Paramọ́lẹ̀ – Puff adder
Líìlí – Hedgehog 🦔
Òòrẹ̀ – Porcupine
Ìmàdò – Warthog
Túrùkú – Red river hog
Adárípọ́n – Agama Lizard
Ọ̀gà – Chameleon
Wall gecko – Ọmọńlé/ Ọmọ onílé
Ọ̀ọ̀nì – Crocodile
Ẹlẹ́gungùn – African dwarf crocodile
Jellyfish – Ọ̀wàrà
Shark- Yányàn/Légùrẹ́
Dolphin- Òbéjé
Whale- Àbùnmábùntán
Crab- Akàn
Squid- Fọ́ntọ́nfọ́ntọ́n
Octopus – Pọ̀tọ̀kú
Tilapia – Èpìà
Mullet fish – Ìtókò
Tongue sol – Abólíbó
Croaker- Ipòkun/Apó
Bracuda- Kútà
Crayfish – Edé
Shrimps- Ìpá
Ẹtà – Civet
Àkókó – Woodpecker
Ọ̀gà//Alágẹmọ – Chameleon
Àparò – Partridge
Kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́ Abilà – Zebra
Akalamagbo – Vulture
Erinla/Eila – Cow
Eleyoro – Jackal
Ògòǹgò – Ostrich
Egbin – Zebra
Wild dog…..oloogede
Wolf… Oloogede
Ikoko – black panther
Cobra – sebe
Peacock – okin
Hippopotamus – erinmi
Butterfly – labalaba
There is no native word for tiger in Yoruba, because tigers are not indigenous to West Africa.
However, there are a few ways it’s expressed:
1. Kìnnìún India – Indian lion
2. Kìnnìún ọdẹ̀ India – Hunter lion of India.
3. Tágà – This is a borrowed/modernized word used
