Ibo
/ˈiːboʊ/noun
A variant English spelling of Igbo, referring to the Igbo people, language, or culture of southeastern Nigeria.
Did you know?“Ibo” is now generally considered an older English spelling of “Igbo,” while the deeper origin of the name Igbo itself remains disputed among scholars.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Igbo
Ìgbò
“The indigenous ethnonym and language name used in southeastern Nigeria; its ultimate origin is uncertain.”
19th Century
English
Ibo
“An English rendering of Igbo used in missionary, travel, and colonial writings.”
1880s–1900s
English
Ibo
“A common colonial-era spelling for the people and language of southeastern Nigeria.”
20th Century
English
Igbo
“The spelling increasingly preferred in scholarship and by the community itself.”
Modern English
English
Ibo / Igbo
““Igbo” is the standard form; “Ibo” survives as an older variant, especially in historical texts.”