kehinde

Kehinde is a given name of Yoruba origin commonly used in Nigeria and by Yoruba communities in the diaspora. In Yoruba naming practice, Kehinde is traditionally associated with the second-born child in a set of twins. The first-born is typically named Taiwo, while Kehinde designates the twin who arrives second. The name reflects a cultural emphasis on birth order and the special significance attached to twin births.

Beyond its use as a personal name, Kehinde may appear in families across varying regions and sometimes as part of full names in different life contexts. The spelling and pronunciation can vary slightly in diverse Yoruba-speaking communities, but the meaning tied to birth order remains a central aspect of the name’s cultural sense.

Notable people named Kehinde include Kehinde Wiley, a Nigerian-American contemporary portrait painter known for large-scale works and his portrait of Barack Obama; Kehinde Andrews, a British author and professor of Black Studies who advocates for racial justice and curriculum reform; and Kehinde Bankole, a Nigerian actress recognized for roles in Nollywood films. These individuals illustrate the name’s diasporic reach across arts, academia, and entertainment.

Related names in Yoruba culture include Taiwo, the name typically given to the first-born twin, highlighting how twin births are reflected in naming traditions. The name Kehinde thus functions as part of a broader set of culturally meaningful Yoruba names that convey birth order and family identity.