Algonquian Names - Behind the Name

Aanakwad m & f Ojibwe
Means "cloud" in Ojibwe.

Aenoheso m Cheyenne
Means "little hawk", from Cheyenne aénohe "hawk" and the diminutive suffix -so.

Ahtahkakoop m Cree (Anglicized)
From Cree ᐊᑖᐦᑲᑯᐦᑊ (Atâhkakohp) meaning "star blanket", derived from ᐊᑖᕁ (atâhk) "star" and ᐊᑯᐦᑊ (akohp) "blanket". This was the name of an early 19th-century chief of a Plains Cree people.

Ameohne'e f Cheyenne
Means "walks along woman", from Cheyenne ame- "along, by" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.

Anangikwe f Ojibwe
Means "star woman" in Ojibwe, derived from anang "star" and ikwe "woman".

Animikii m Ojibwe, New World Mythology
Means "thunder, thunderer" in Ojibwe. In Anishinaabe mythology this is the name of the thunderbird, an immense flying creature that makes thunder with its flapping wings.

Apanii f Siksika
Means "butterfly" in Siksika.

Catahecassa m Shawnee
Means "black hoof" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee warrior and chief.

Cowessess m Ojibwe (Anglicized)
From an Ojibwe or Cree name recorded as Kiwisance, said to mean "little child", possibly related to Ojibwe gwiiwizens meaning "boy" or Cree ᐊᐋᐧᓯᐢ (awâsis) meaning "child". This was the name of a late 19th-century chief of a mixed band of Plains Cree and Saulteaux people.

Diindiisi f & m Ojibwe
Means "blue jay" in Ojibwe.

Ešeeva'e f Cheyenne
Means "day woman" in Cheyenne.

Giiwedin m Ojibwe
Means "north" in Ojibwe.

Giiwedinokwe f Ojibwe
Means "woman of the north" in Ojibwe, derived from giiwedin "north" and ikwe "woman".

Hokolesqua m Shawnee
Means "cornstalk" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief.

Ho'otseoo'e f Cheyenne
Means "lightning woman" in Cheyenne.

Isapo-Muxika m Siksika
From Siksika Issapóómahksika meaning "big Crow foot", from Issapó "Crow (tribe)", ómahk "big" and ika "foot". This was the name of a Blackfoot chief, known as Crowfoot (1830-1890).

Kaneonuskatew m Cree (Anglicized)
Means "he who walks on four claws" in Cree, derived from ᓀᐅᐧ (newo) "four" and the root ᐊᐢᑲᓯᕀ (askasiy) "claw". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan, also known as George Gordon.

Kawacatoose m Cree (Anglicized)
From Cree ᑲᐋᐧᐦᑲᑐᐢ (Kawâhkatos) meaning "poor man, weak from hunger". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan.

Kisecawchuck m Cree (Anglicized)
From Cree ᑮᓯᑳᐊᐧᒑᕁ (Kîsikâawcâhk) meaning "day star", derived from ᑮᓯᑳᐤ (kîsikâw) "day" and ᐊᑖᕁ (atâhk) "star". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan.

Lalawethika m Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).

Ma'evehpota'e f Cheyenne
Means "red leaf woman", from Cheyenne ma'e- "red" and vehpȯtse "leaf" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.

Mahihkan m Cree
Means "wolf" in Cree.

Ma'ome m Cheyenne
Means "ice" in Cheyenne.

Ma'tano m Cheyenne
Means "bowstring" in Cheyenne.

Mekaisto m Siksika
From Siksika Mí'kiai'stoowa meaning "red crow", from mi'ki "red" and mai'stóó "crow". Red Crow (1830-1900) was a chief of the Kainai Blackfoot.

Meona'hane m Cheyenne
Means "morning killer" in Cheyenne, derived from méo- "morning" and -na'hané "kill, coup".

Methoataske f Shawnee
Means "turtle laying its eggs" in Shawnee.

Miigwan f & m Ojibwe
Means "feather" in Ojibwe.

Mistawasis m Cree (Anglicized)
Means "big child" in Cree, derived from ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ (mistahi) "big, great" and ᐊᐋᐧᓯᐢ (awâsis) "child". This was the name of a prominent 19th-century Cree chief.

Mokee'e f Cheyenne
Means "little woman" in Cheyenne.

Muscowequan m Ojibwe (Anglicized)
From Ojibwe Maskawigwan meaning "hard quill", derived from mashkawaa "hard" and gaaway "quill". This was the name of a 19th-century Saulteaux chief.

Neohne'e f Cheyenne
Means "walks toward woman", from Cheyenne nėh- "toward" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.

Nindaanis f Ojibwe
Means "my daughter" in Ojibwe.

Nîpisiy f Cree
Means "willow" in Cree.

Nonhelema f Shawnee
Possibly means "not a man" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief, the sister of Hokolesqua.

Noodin m Ojibwe
Means "wind" in Ojibwe.

Ojigkwanong m Algonquin
Means "morning star" in Algonquin.

Pahoevotona'e f Cheyenne
Means "attached feathers woman", from Cheyenne pȧhoe- "attach to" and voto "feather, plume" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.

Pitikwahanapiwiyin m Cree (Anglicized)
From Cree ᐲᐦᑐᑲᐦᐊᓇᐱᐏᔨᐣ (Pîhtokahanapiwiyin) meaning "sits at the buffalo pound", derived from ᐲᐦᑐᑲᐦᐋᐣ (pîhtokahân) "buffalo pound, buffalo corral" and ᐊᐱᐤ (apiw) "sit". This was the name of a Plains Cree chief, also known as Poundmaker (1842-1886).

Pocahontas f Powhatan (Anglicized)
Means "little playful one" in Powhatan, an Algonquian language. This was the nickname of a 17th-century Powhatan woman, a daughter of the powerful chief Wahunsenacawh. She married the white colonist John Rolfe and travelled with him to England, but died of illness before returning.

Tagwanibisan f Algonquin
Means "rainbow" in Algonquin.

Tecumseh m Shawnee
Means "panther passing across" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh (1768-1813), who resisted American expansion along with his brother the spiritual leader Tenskwatawa.

Tenskwatawa m Shawnee
Means "open door" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee prophet Tenskwatawa (1775-1836). With his brother Tecumseh he urged resistance against American expansion.

Tessouat m Algonquin
Meaning unknown. This was the name of several 17th-century Algonquin chiefs.

Vanaheo'o f Cheyenne
Means "sage woman" in Cheyenne.

Ve'keseha'e f Cheyenne
Means "bird woman" in Cheyenne, derived from vé'kėséhe- "bird" and the feminine suffix -e'é.

Ve'keseheveho m Cheyenne
Means "bird chief" in Cheyenne, derived from vé'kėséhe- "bird" and vého "chief".

Voestaa'e f Cheyenne
Means "white bison calf woman" in Cheyenne, derived from vóésta "white bison calf" and the feminine suffix -e'é. Because white bison calves were rare they were considered sacred.

Vonahe'e f Cheyenne
Means "medicine bundle woman" in Cheyenne. A medicine bundle is a collection of sacred items used in religious ceremonies.

Wahunsenacawh m Powhatan
Meaning unknown. This name was borne by a 17th-century chief of the Powhatan people. He was also known as Powhatan, as a result of confusion between his name and his birthplace.

Wâpanacâhkos f Cree
Means "morning star, Venus" in Cree.

Wawatam m Ojibwe
Possibly means "little goose" in Ojibwe. This was the name of an 18th-century chief of the Ottawa people.

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