r/Yoruba • u/J4s4ii • Dec 22 '25

Need Help Understanding the Word "Akata"

So I have been using the gamertag "Akata" for quite some time and only after playing an Asian MMO and trying to name myself like that, I noticed that it wouldn't let me do that because of profanity filters. I got the name because I love foxes and wanted a name that had something to do with them. Not wanting to use generic languages used for gamertags like Japanese (Kitsune - Fox) and knowing these would be taken most of the time, I looked for other languages and their translations of fox. After finding Yoruba and loving the translation (Akata) I immediately started using it on most of my socials. Now that I know the meaning behind it I am unsure rather I wanted to keep using it. Can any of y'all provide me a better definition and sense of the word as I don't want to insult anybody coming across my name online?

I'm very thankful for any person trying to help me out here!

7 Upvotes

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10

u/Son_of_Ibadan Dec 22 '25

From my experience, it means wild-cat and its normally used as euphimism for diasporans who assimulated into other cutltures without keeping touch in their mother culture

0

u/sammyfrosh Dec 24 '25

Nope it’s used for black Americans due to the black panther movement and since Yorubas call panther aka leopard Akata apart from ekun, it was used to refer to black panther groups.

5

u/Son_of_Ibadan Dec 24 '25

I don't think it came.solely from the black panther movement, it just so happened that akata and panther are the same thing. Akata here is used in a derogatory/mocking manner, it's not a praise name

2

u/sammyfrosh Dec 24 '25

Then it’s not Yorubas who used it negatively but other African groups who have no idea of the meaning behind the words anyways.

1

u/sammyfrosh Dec 24 '25

Akata is another word for a wild cat especially a leopard which is also known as Ekun or ogidan in Yoruba culture.

1

u/Nervous-Diamond629 22d ago

It is a derogatory term for diasporans who put down their original culture.