Folk etymology suggests it comes from ọ̀- (“nominalizing prefix”) + yẹ̀ (“to avoid, to dodge”) + ikú (“death”), literally “That which avoids death”. It is a possibility that the root term may relate to kú (to die) as the second part of the term stays relatively consistently throughout Volta-Niger languages, and kwu or ku is generally associated with old roots for death, however, in some cognate terms, it changes, so that assertion is unlikely, but possible. See Gun Ìyẹ̀kú, Itsekiri Akú, Igala Ọyẹkwu, Igala Akwu, Edo Àkó, Urhobo Àkó, Igbo Àhwụ, Nupe Eyako, Ebira Ọ̀hàkú. Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *V-kwú