On the seventh day after the birth of a Nigerian Yoruba baby girl and on the ninth day for a boy, the child is blessed with certain elements, which are usually delivered as a taste on the lips of the mother and baby. They are given water in order to have no enemies, palm oil in order to have a smooth and easy life, bitter Kola (a type of nut that is eaten in Nigeria) in order to have a long life, and pepper and salt in order to have a sweet life filled with excitement, substance, and happiness.

A name is then chosen for the baby. Apart from the family name, the child is given several other names. One of the names describes the circumstances surrounding the birth. For instance, the name Idowu means "child born after twins." Another example would be if an elderly woman in a certain community died just before the birth of a baby girl, in which case the girl would be called Yetunde, or "the mother has come back."

The parents often have a pet name that indicates what they hope for their child, such as Ayoke, meaning "one who is blessed," or Titilayo, meaning "an eternal happiness."

Then the parents announce the baby name and the relatives are invited to add extra names if they wish. Before they say the names, they are asked to place a token (a monetary contribution) in a basket for the child. After everyone has had a chance to give the child a name, the monetary tokens are collected and handed to the parent to open an account for the child, and the child may end with twenty or more names!

The ceremony closes with prayers, and then the meal begins.