A Phonological Analysis of Tone Patterns in Yoruba Personal Names in Ekiti State

Personal names in the Yoruba language function as more than mere identifiers; they encode cultural philosophy, family history, spiritual beliefs, and tonal meaning specific to the Yoruba linguistic system. This study undertakes a phonological analysis of tone patterns in Yoruba personal names among residents of Ekiti State, South West Nigeria. Using a descriptive linguistic approach, the research documents and classifies a corpus of 300 personal names collected from birth registers and household interviews across Ado-Ekiti, Ikole, and Oye local government areas. The study examines how high, mid, and low tones combine to produce semantic distinctions and how tonal shifts may alter meaning in naming contexts. Previous studies on Yoruba phonology have largely focused on lexical tone in standard speech, with comparatively less attention given to onomastic contexts. This research therefore fills a critical gap in the literature by focusing specifically on names as tonal data. The framework of autosegmental phonology guides the analysis of tone spread, downstep, and floating tones observed in the corpus. Findings are expected to demonstrate that naming practices in Ekiti reflect both pan-Yoruba tonal conventions and locally specific phonological variations. The study further evaluates how urbanisation and contact with other Nigerian languages are influencing tonal precision in everyday name pronunciation. Recommendations will support the documentation of Yoruba onomastic traditions for archival and pedagogical purposes. Keywords: phonology, tone patterns, Yoruba names, Ekiti State, autosegmental theory.