Táíwò, Kẹ́hìndé — Names given to twins
Category: Names
Traditional names for the first-born and second-born of a twin pair.
Yorùbá culture has one of the highest twin-birth rates in the world, and twins hold a special cultural significance.
Despite emerging first, Táíwò is traditionally regarded as the younger of the two in spirit — sent ahead to "taste the world" first — while Kẹ́hìndé, arriving after, is treated as the elder, wiser sibling.
Because twins are seen as carrying unusual spiritual significance, a rich set of customs and related names surround them beyond just Táíwò and Kẹ́hìndé, including the name Ìdòwú traditionally given to the sibling born right after a pair of twins.
Example: Táíwò àti Kẹ́hìndé jẹ́ ìbejì — wọ́n jọ bí wọ́n ní ọjọ́ kan náà. — "Taiwo and Kehinde are twins — they were born on the same day."
Related words:
- Ìbejì — Twins
- Ìdòwú — The name given to the child born right after twins