| Ife | Taiwo | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Love | First-born of twins |
| Origin | yoruba | yoruba |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | EE-feh | TIE-woh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1970 | 0 |
| Peak year | 1977 (16) | 1992 (10) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ife | Taiwo |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 42 | 24 |
| 2000s | 18 | 29 |
| 1990s | 20 | 48 |
| 1980s | 40 | 18 |
| 1970s | 82 | 28 |
From Yoruba ife, 'love.' It also serves as a short form of theophoric names such as Ifeoluwa ('love of God'). A distinct, unrelated Yoruba word Ife also names the ancient city Ile-Ife.
A Yoruba twin-order name for the first-born twin, from a phrase meaning roughly 'the first to taste the world' (to-aye-wo). Paired with Kehinde, the second twin; unisex.
Ife and Taiwo are given to a similar number of US babies today.
Ife means Love (yoruba origin), while Taiwo means First-born of twins (yoruba origin).
In US records, Ife first appears in 1970 and Taiwo in 0, so Taiwo has the longer recorded history.