GLORIA EGBEYAN OJIEMOLON

The aim of this project is to conduct a semantic analysis of child-related personal names in the Edo community to uncover the underlying cultural meanings and social implications they convey. The objectives are to categorize child-related names in the Edo community by their semantic themes, including struggle, aspiration, blessings, and authority to analyze the cultural significance of these names and their role in shaping individual and familial identities within the Edo society; and to explore how these names reflect and influence the community's perceptions of child and success, highlighting their societal relevance. The method of data collection for this study was a mixed-methods approach, combining both primary and secondary language samples. The findings interpreted the data collected by linking the semantic themes to Ẹdó cultural beliefs. It showed how names involving Òmo "Child" are not arbitrary but are meaningful expressions of faith, identity, social values, and divine connection. The study recommends further studies by researchers, scholars or anyone interested in the sematic implicature of “Omo” child can vary based on social, cultural and situational factors. The exact meaning is therefore not strictly lexical but its inferred through context and shared cultural knowledge. Thus the use of “omo” child demonstrate how Edo speakers employ pragmatic reasoning to move beyond literal meaning, highlighting the role of implicature in understanding every day communication.