Benin
/bəˈnɪn/noun
A country in West Africa, officially the Republic of Benin.
Did you know?The modern country took its name from the Bight of Benin, while the gulf’s name ultimately came from the historic Benin Kingdom farther east in present-day Nigeria.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval period
Edo
Ubinu
“A historical name associated with the Benin Kingdom and its royal capital; its precise original meaning is uncertain.”
15th–16th Century
Portuguese
Benim
“Portuguese rendering of the name of the Benin Kingdom or its capital.”
16th–19th Century
European usage
Benin
“Name applied to the kingdom, its capital, and the surrounding region in European maps and accounts.”
19th Century
English
Bight of Benin
“Name given by European geographers to the Gulf of Guinea coastline associated with the Benin region.”
1975
Modern English
Benin
“Adopted as the official name of the West African republic formerly known as Dahomey.”
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