Editing History of Benin (section)

== Etymology ==
The Republic of Benin derives its name from one of the most powerful precolonial West African kingdoms, the [[Kingdom of Benin]], which was centered in present-day [[Benin City]], now located in [[Nigeria]]. According to some historians, the name ''Benin'' is a Portuguese rendering of the Itsekiri word ''oubinou'', meaning "seat of royalty", which referred to the kingdom’s capital. The term ''oubinou'' may itself stem from a combination of the Yoruba word [[Oba (king)|oba]] ("king") and ''bini'', the self-designation of the Edo people. Other sources suggest ''Benin'' originated from the Yoruba phrase ''ile-ibinu'', meaning "land of disputes", possibly alluding to internal conflicts within the kingdom. A further hypothesis posits that ''bini'' may derive from the Arabic ''bani'', meaning "sons of".<ref>{{cite book |last=Breyo |first=Alexandre |title=L'Histoire vraie du Bénin: Des premiers habitants à nos jours |publisher=Independently published |date=2021 |location=Paris |pages=5 |language=fr |isbn=979-8598978009}}</ref>

Before 1975, the country was known as ''Dahomey'', a name referencing one of the major historical kingdoms in the region. According to the political authorities at the time, this name was considered inappropriate for a multiethnic state, as it referred primarily to one of the country's major ethnic groups.<ref>{{harvsp|Breyo|2021|page=6}}</ref>