I

IBEETO [Ibe eto = The kindred/colleagues do not praise.]

Interpretation: This is a statement of the fact that one should not expect undue praises from his kindred. A similar English equivalent will be “a prophet is not known in his native land,”but this name does not go that far. It probably enjoins colleagues to be candid with each other. 

DWV: IBETO [The pronunciation is the same, but the rush to shorten has taken off the second “e” and therefore the corrct written form.

Gender: Male

IBEZIMAKO [Ibe zi m ako  = Kinsfolks, show me wisdom.] This may be

interpreted as "Wisdom can be learned from others," especially friendly

neighbors and kinsfolks.]

SF: IBE, ZIMAKO, ZIRIBEAKO

Gender: Male

IGBOAMAEZE

Interpretation: One thing to note here is that “Igbo” may not necessarily apply to the Igbo as a people. It is often used for people, maybe in an era of unexpanded cultural horizon. Hence, this name may be similar to MBAAMAONYEUKWU [People do no recognize a prominent peason]; and an “eze” is a VIP. But the name is now applied rigidly to Ndi Igbo as being ruggedly republican.

DWV: IGBOAMAGH (IEZE)

IGBOELI

IGBOENWEEZE

IGBOENWEZU

IGBONAEKWU

IFEANYICHUKWU [Ife anyi Chukwu = Nothing is impossible with God.]

Interpretation: With God all things are possible.

DWV: IHEANYICHUKWU, IFEANYI

Gender: Male

IFEEYINWA [Ife eyi nwa = Nothing resembles a child]

Interpretation: Establishment of the supremacy of a new life to anything material. There is nothing comparable to the miracle of a new life.

DWV: IFEYINWA [This is the most popular version.] IFEYI, IFII, IFFY, IFEEYI, IFIE

Gender: Female

IFEDI [Ife di..... = There is something.....]

IFEOMA [Ife oma = Good thing]

Interpretation: Ifeoma means "good thing" and implies "Precious." "Ife" = thing "oma" = good. It does not mean that the child is a thing. It means that the birth of the child is a good thing  that has happened or has come to the family. The name is also a statement which states: "Ife oma bialu anyi" = Something good or precious came to us. This name also come as a short form of Ife oma Chukwa ka = Divine goodies are the greatest. And what other better divine goodie than a child!

DVW: IHEOMA, IFIE, IFY, IFFY, IFEOMACHUKWU

Gender: Stricly female

IFEOMACHUKWU

IFII [see IFEANYI, IFEANYICHUKWU, IFEOMA, etc.]

IGWE [Igwe = Sky] 

Interpretation: "Igwe" is currently used to mean "Royal Highness" in northern parts of Igboland.

IHEANYICHUKWU [See IFEANYICHUKWU] 

IHEOMA [See IFEOMA]

IHEONUKARA ["Ihe onu kara" = What the mouth said]; The name signifies that someone had prophesied the arrival of the child, and that greater things will happen.

Gender: Male

PP:  Dr. Michael Iheonukara (MI Power) Okpara.

IHEUKWUMERE [Ihe ukwu mere = Something big happened]

Interpretation: Childbirth is a miracle, a very big event, no matter how many time we witness the rites that lead to conception and even observe the actual delivery. Each time a new baby arrives, a big time surely happens. 

DVW: IFEUKWUMERE

Gender: Male

IHEANAACHO [Ihe a na-acho = What is being sought]

Interpretation: This name is very apt and obvious statement of a parent who has been looking for a particular sex in a child, especially male. This does not mean that a family may not be looking for a girl. However, nature has a way of making female children more readily availbale, and by some social acceptance, a parenbt who has had four -five females in a row has cause to expect at least one male. Where the case is reversed, the name Obianuju is a natural choice, for the girl has come in the midst of many other children.

DWV: IHEANACHO, IFEANAACHO, IFEANACHO

IHUMARULA [Ihu m arula = May my face not be marred/disgraced.]

Interpretation: It is obvious that this name packs punches. It is either the child has come to lift some social shame, or the parent is not quite happy with the circumstances of the birth. Whatever, this is a prayer that the child grows up to remove a certain stain of disgrace.

IJEAMAKA

IJENWA

IJEOMA

IJEUWA [Ije uwa = The trials of life]

IKEAJA [Ike aja = The power of sacrifice]

IKEAKO [Ike ako = Nhever a scarcity od power]

IKEELIONWU [Ike eli onwu = Power does not swallow death]

IKEJIANI [Ike ji Ani = The power that holds the Earth Deity.]

Interpretation: “Ikejiani,” as a word qualifies for the English equivalent of “Gravity.” However, it is not known how it came to become a name nor what the name-giver had in mind. It is most likely that this stuck as a family name from a “society” name, a praise name more than a name given at childhood. It means the person must have been so powerful they nicknamed him the ultimate power known to man, even if it bothers on blasphemy.

IKEMEFUNE [Ike m efune: May my struggles/efforts not be in vain]

Interpretation: This is a plea parents make in expectation that whatever they went through to get the child shall not be lost, either by the child not chieving his full potentials or abandoning them at old age. In Igbo society, a child is expected not only to take care of younger ones and less fortunate members of the agnate but also to bear the burden of looking after his parents in their old age.

DWV: IKEMEFUNA [This is popular but, in accordance with modern written Igbo and some dialects, it is not grammatically correct. This version is made popular by Chinua Achebe in Things Fall Apart.] IKE, IKEM, IKEMEFU, EFUNE, EFUNA

Gender: Male

IKENNA [Ike nna = The power of father/God]

IKEOTUONYE [Ike otu onye = The power of one person]

Interpretation: Thuis one cames for the society name category. It reside in Igbo anals as a surname. 

IKWUAKO [Ikwu ako = One never lacks relations]

Interpretation: A normal human person must not be without relations. In the extended family system of Igbo societies, this is morte a reminder that one must stay close to his relations, and not that one never lacks relations: no one does.

ILOELUNACHI [Iro elu na Chi = Enemies do not ascend to God}

Interpretation:

DWV: IROELUNACHI

IROAGANACHI [Iro aga na chi = Enemies do not go to the gods]

Interpretation:

DWV: ILOAGANACHI

Gender: Male

IRODINAMBA [Iro di na mba = Enemies abound in foreign lands]

Interpretation: A man who left the local politics of his native land, arrives in a foreign land seeking the good things in life, might end up with more enemies that he ever bargained for. If he feels he has done everything to prove his neighborliness, and the new neighbors still won’t let sleeping dogs lie, the man might consider this name out of exasperation.

DWV: IRODUMBA

Gender: Male

IROADINAMBA [Iro (uno)  adi(ghi) na mba = (Local) enmity does not exist in foreign lands]

Interpretation: The Igbo society can be unfogiven. A parent who feels that he has done all he could to pay for whatever his crime was, may opt to leave town. If his Chi follows him and he eventually, becomes prosperous, marries the woman of his choice and they have a bouncing baby, he might opt for this name. 

IROMUANYA [Iro mu anya  = Enemies are wide awake]

IZUKANACHI [Izu ka na Chi = Better to dialogue with one's guardian angel]

DWV: IZUKA, ZUKA, KANACHI

Gender: Female