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Abstract
The project focused on exploring the morphology and semantics of Urhobo names, specifically personal names. The primary motivation behind this research was to document the intricate cognitive aspects embedded within Urhobo names. The study specifically concentrated on Urhobo personal names and aimed to uncover the conceptual and contextual allusions found in these names. A total of two hundred names were gathered for the research, with data collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data involved oral information obtained from proficient Urhobo speakers, utilizing written notes. Secondary data were extracted from texts related to the Urhobo language, which contained Urhobo names. To analyze this data, the Socio-Cultural Linguistics Approach framework developed by Bucholtz and Hall in 2005 was employed. This framework facilitated the identification of semantic allusions within the Morpho-Syntactic structures of Urhobo personal names. The findings of the analysis revealed that Urhobo personal names carried semantic allusions that conceptually and contextually referred to various elements, including references to God, meteorological phenomena, physical objects, and more. Ultimately, the study unveiled that Urhobo personal names served a dual purpose. They were not only used for individual differentiation but also conveyed important aspects of the belief system, family values, and the circumstances surrounding an individual's birth, among other things. In essence, Urhobo personal names told stories, whether they were prayers, wishes, or reflections of societal philosophical beliefs.
