baba
/bà.bá/
The Yoruba word for daddy is baba.
baba is an informal term used to refer to a father.
Meaning: (informal, usually childish) father (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables: /bà.bá/.
When do people say it?
In Yoruba culture, calling an older man baba is a common way to show respect, even if there is no biological relation.
Did you know?
- The word baba is a linguistic curiosity because it is believed to have been borrowed from the English word 'barber'.
- In some traditional Yoruba settings, the title baba is integrated into formal chieftaincy titles to denote a 'father' or protector of a specific guild or town.
- Yoruba is a tonal language, meaning that shifting the pitch on the syllables of baba can change the word's meaning entirely.
Examples in context
- Baba mi, e ku isinmiDaddy, have a good night's rest
- Baba, jọ̀ọ́ ràn mí lọ́wọ́.Daddy, please help me.
- Baba ti dé láti ilé.Daddy has arrived from home.
Example conversation
A young girl is talking to her brother about their father.
- OlumideTiti, àná baba wá?Titi, has daddy come?
- TitiBà, baba ti dá rá ná.Yes, daddy has already arrived.
- OlumideBaba má ra àtoyá fá wa?Will daddy buy toys for us?
- TitiMo ràá pèlé, baba má ra nkan.I think daddy will buy something.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daddy” translations and entries baba, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries baba, CC BY-SA 4.0.
