Indigenous American Names

These names are or were used by the various indigenous peoples who inhabit North and South America.
gender
usage
Aanakwad m & f Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "cloud" in Ojibwe.
Adawosgi m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Means "he is swimming" in Cherokee, from ᎠᏓᏬᏍᎬ (adawosgun) meaning "swimming".
Adsila f Indigenous American, Cherokee
From Cherokee ᎠᏥᎳ (atsila) "fire" or ᎠᏥᎸᏍᎩ (atsilunsgi) "flower, blossom".
Aenoheso m Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "little hawk", from Cheyenne aénohe "hawk" and the diminutive suffix -so.
Ahtahkakoop m Indigenous American, 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.
Ahuludegi m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Means "he throws away the drum" from Cherokee ᎠᎱᎵ (ahuli) "drum" and ᎤᏕᎦ (udega) "throw". This was the name of a 19th-century Cherokee chief, also known as John Jolly.
Ajei f Indigenous American, Navajo
From Navajo ajéí meaning "heart".
Akicita m Indigenous American, Sioux
From Lakota or Dakota akíčhita meaning "warrior".
Amaru m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "snake" in Quechua. It was borne by Tupaq Amaru and Tupaq Amaru II, two Inca leaders after the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (in the 16th and 18th centuries).
Amaruq m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "wolf" in Inuktitut.
Ameohne'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "walks along woman", from Cheyenne ame- "along, by" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Ameyalli f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "spring, fountain" in Nahuatl.
Anangikwe f Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "star woman" in Ojibwe, derived from anang "star" and ikwe "woman".
Animikii m Indigenous American, 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.
Antiman m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "condor of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and mañku "condor".
Antinanco m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "eagle of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and ñamko "eagle, hawk, buzzard".
Apanii f Indigenous American, Siksika
Means "butterfly" in Siksika.
Aputsiaq m Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "snowflake" in Greenlandic.
Aqissiaq m Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "young ptarmigan" in Greenlandic (a ptarmigan is a type of bird that lives in cold regions).
Arnaq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "woman" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.
Ashkii m Indigenous American, Navajo
Means "boy" in Navajo.
Asiri f Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "smile" in Quechua.
Atahualpa m Indigenous American, Quechua (Anglicized)
From Quechua Atawallpa meaning "fortunate hen", from ataw meaning "fortunate, lucky" and wallpa meaning "hen". This was the name of the last sovereign Inca emperor. He was executed by the Spanish in 1533.
Aucaman m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "wild condor" in Mapuche, from awka- "wild" and mañke "condor".
Aviaaja f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "cousin" in East Greenlandic.
Awee f & m Indigenous American, Navajo
From Navajo awéé' meaning "baby".
Awinita f Indigenous American, Cherokee
Means "fawn" in Cherokee, derived from ᎠᏫ (awi) meaning "deer".
Ayelen f Indigenous American, Mapuche
From Mapuche ayelen "laughing", ayliñ "clear" or aylen "ember".
Ayün f Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "love" in Mapuche.
Baishan m Indigenous American, Apache
Means "knife" in Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Tchihende Apache.
Balam m Indigenous American, Mayan
Means "jaguar" in Mayan (Yucatec Maya báalam; K'iche' Maya balam).
Bidziil m Indigenous American, Navajo
Means "he is strong" in Navajo.
Calfuray f Indigenous American, Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Means "violet flower" in Mapuche, from kallfü "purple, blue" and rayen "flower".
Catahecassa m Indigenous American, Shawnee
Means "black hoof" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee warrior and chief.
Cauã m Indigenous American, Tupi
From Tupi kaûã meaning "hawk, falcon".
Chaska m Indigenous American, Sioux
From Lakota or Dakota čhaské meaning "firstborn son".
Cipactli m & f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "crocodile, alligator, caiman, monster" in Nahuatl. This is the name of the first day in the tonalpohualli, the Aztec 260-day calendar.
Citlalli f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "star" in Nahuatl.
Cochise m Indigenous American, Apache (Anglicized)
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Apache go-chizh "his firewood" or go-chįh "his nose". This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Chiricahua Apache.
Cowessess m Indigenous American, 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.
Cuauhtemoc m Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "descending eagle" in Nahuatl, from cuāuhtli "eagle" and temo "descend". This was the name of the last Aztec emperor, ruling until he was captured and executed by the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in the year 1525.
Dasoda-hae m Indigenous American, Apache
Means "he just sits there" in Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Tchihende Apache, also known by the Spanish nickname Mangas Coloradas meaning "red sleeves".
Degataga m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎦᏙᎦ (gadoga) meaning "standing". This was the name of a Cherokee chief, also called Stand Watie (1806-1871).
Dehgewanus f Indigenous American, Seneca
From a name, also spelled as Dickewamis or Dehhewämis, which was given to the young British settler Mary Jemison (1743-1833) after she was captured and assimilated into the Seneca. Much later she claimed the name meant "pretty girl, pleasant thing", though this interpretation does not seem to be valid.
Dezba f Indigenous American, Navajo
Means "going raiding" in Navajo, derived from baa' meaning "raid".
Diindiisi f & m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "blue jay" in Ojibwe.
Dos-teh-seh f Indigenous American, Apache
Possibly means "something at the campire already cooked" in Apache. This was the name of the wife of the Chiricahua Apache chief Cochise.
Ehecatl m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "wind" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec wind god.
Eluney f & m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Derived from Mapuche elun meaning "give".
Ešeeva'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "day woman" in Cheyenne.
Galilahi f Indigenous American, Cherokee
Possibly from Cherokee ᎤᎵᎶᎯ (ulilohi) meaning "attractive, adorable".
Gian-nah-tah m Indigenous American, Apache
Means "always ready" in Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Mescalero Apache.
Giiwedin m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "north" in Ojibwe.
Giiwedinokwe f Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "woman of the north" in Ojibwe, derived from giiwedin "north" and ikwe "woman".
Gouyen f Indigenous American, Apache
Variant spelling of Góyąń.
Goyaałé m Indigenous American, Apache
Means "one who yawns" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the real name of the Apache leader Geronimo (1829-1909), who fought against Mexican and American expansion into his territory.
Góyąń f Indigenous American, Apache
Means "wise" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century Apache warrior woman.
Guwisti f Indigenous American, Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎬᏫᏍᏓᏗ (gunwisdadi) meaning "sift, sieve".
Ha-o-zinne f Indigenous American, Apache
Means "standing up straight" in Apache. This was the name of a wife of the Chiricahua Apache chief Naiche.
Hastiin m Indigenous American, Navajo
Means "man, elder" in Navajo. This is typically an honourific preceding the name.
Hiawatha m History, Indigenous American, Iroquois (Anglicized)
Meaning uncertain, of Iroquois origin, possibly meaning "he who combs". This was the name of a Mohawk or Onondaga leader who founded the Iroquois Confederacy around the 15th century. He was later the subject of a fictionalized 1855 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Hokolesqua m Indigenous American, Shawnee
Means "cornstalk" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief.
Ho'otseoo'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "lightning woman" in Cheyenne.
Iara f Indigenous American, Tupi
Means "lady of the water" in Tupi, from y "water" and îara "lady, mistress". In Brazilian folklore this is the name of a beautiful river nymph who would lure men into the water. She may have been based upon earlier Tupi legends.
Iina 2 f Indigenous American, Navajo
From Navajo iiná meaning "life".
Inola f Indigenous American, Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎢᏃᎵ (inoli) meaning "black fox".
Inti m Indigenous American, Quechua, Inca Mythology
Means "sun" in Quechua. This was the name of the Inca god of the sun. He was a son of Viracocha.
Iqaluk m & f Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "fish" in Inuktitut.
Iracema f Indigenous American, Tupi
Means "honey lips" in Tupi, from yra "honey" and tembe "lips". This is the name of an 1865 novel by José de Alencar, about the relationship between a Tupi woman and a Portuguese man during the early colonial period. Alencar may have constructed the name so that it would be an anagram of America.
Isapo-Muxika m Indigenous American, 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).
Isi m & f Indigenous American, Choctaw
Means "deer" in Choctaw.
Itzamna m Mayan Mythology, Indigenous American, Mayan
From Classic Maya itzam, an element found in the names of some Maya gods (possibly from itz "enchanted, nectar" and mam "grandfather"), combined with nah "great". Itzamna was the Maya creator god.
Itzcoatl m Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "obsidian snake" in Nahuatl, from itztli "obsidian" and cōātl "snake". Itzcoatl was the fourth king of Tenochtitlan and the first emperor of the Aztec Empire (15th century).
Itzel f Indigenous American, Mayan
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Classic Maya itz meaning "resin, nectar, dew, liquid, enchanted". Otherwise, it might be a variant of Ixchel.
Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, Indigenous American, Mayan
Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.
Jaci 2 f & m Indigenous American, Tupi
From Tupi îasy meaning "moon".
Jacira f Indigenous American, Tupi
Means "honey moon" in Tupi, from îasy "moon" and yra "honey".
Jeruti f Indigenous American, Guarani
Means "dove" in Guarani.
Kaneonuskatew m Indigenous American, 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.
Kaniehtiio f Indigenous American, Mohawk
Means "she is good snow" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", óniehte "snow" and the suffix -iio "good".
Kantuta f Indigenous American, Aymara
Means "cantua flower" in Aymara (species Cantua buxifolia).
Kawacatoose m Indigenous American, 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.
Kawisenhawe f Indigenous American, Mohawk
Means "she holds the ice" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", ówise "ice" and -hawe "hold, have".
Killa f Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "moon" in Quechua.
Kimimela f Indigenous American, Sioux
From Lakota kimímela meaning "butterfly".
Kisecawchuck m Indigenous American, 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.
Klah m Indigenous American, Navajo
From Navajo tł'aaí meaning "left-handed".
Lalawethika m Indigenous American, Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).
Licarayen f Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "stone flower" in Mapuche, from likan "a type of black stone" and rayen "flower". According to a Mapuche legend this was the name of a maiden who sacrificed herself in order to stop the wrath of the evil spirit of a volcano.
Lihuén m & f Indigenous American, Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Variant of Liwen using Spanish spelling conventions.
Liwen m & f Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "morning" in Mapuche.
Ma'evehpota'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "red leaf woman", from Cheyenne ma'e- "red" and vehpȯtse "leaf" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Mahihkan m Indigenous American, Cree
Means "wolf" in Cree.
Mahpiya m & f Indigenous American, Sioux
From Dakota or Lakota maȟpíya meaning "cloud, sky". This is the first part of the names of the Dakota chief Mahpiya Wicasta (1780-1863), known as Cloud Man, and the Lakota chiefs Mahpiya Luta (1822-1909), known as Red Cloud, and Mahpiya Iyapato (1838-1905), known as Touch the Clouds.
Maiara f Indigenous American, Tupi
From Tupi maya arya meaning "great-grandmother".
Malik 2 m Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "wave, sea" in Greenlandic.
Malinalli f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "tall grass" in Nahuatl.
Ma'ome m Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "ice" in Cheyenne.
Maquinna m Indigenous American, Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)
From Nuu-chah-nulth Mukwina, possibly meaning "possessor of pebbles". This was the name of a late 18th-century chief of the Mowachaht people.
Ma'tano m Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "bowstring" in Cheyenne.
Mekaisto m Indigenous American, 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 Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "morning killer" in Cheyenne, derived from méo- "morning" and -na'hané "kill, coup".
Methoataske f Indigenous American, Shawnee
Means "turtle laying its eggs" in Shawnee.
Metztli f & m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "moon" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon.
Miigwan f & m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "feather" in Ojibwe.
Miillaaraq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Possibly from Greenlandic millalaarpoq meaning "drone, hum (of an insect)" combined with the diminutive suffix -araq.
Millaray f Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "golden flower" in Mapuche, from milla "gold" and rayen "flower".
Miski f Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "honey" in Quechua.
Mistawasis m Indigenous American, 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.
Moacir m Indigenous American, Tupi
From Tupi moasy meaning "pain, regret". This is the name of the son of Iracema and Martim in the novel Iracema (1865) by José de Alencar.
Mokee'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "little woman" in Cheyenne.
Motecuhzoma m Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "he becomes angry like a lord" in Nahuatl, from mo- "himself", tēcu- "lord" and zōma "become angry, frown". This name was borne by two emperors of the Aztec Empire.
Mupitsukupʉ m Indigenous American, Comanche
Means "old owl" in Comanche, derived from mupitsi "owl" and tsukupʉ "old man". This name was borne by a 19th-century chief of the Penateka Comanche.
Muscowequan m Indigenous American, 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.
Nahuel m Indigenous American, Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Variant of Nawel using Spanish spelling conventions.
Naiche m Indigenous American, Apache
Means "mischief maker" in Apache. This name was borne by a 19th-century Chiricahua Apache chief, the son of Cochise.
Naira f Indigenous American, Aymara
From Aymara nayra meaning "eye" or "early".
Naja f Indigenous American, Greenlandic, Danish
From Greenlandic najaa meaning "his younger sister". It was popularized in Denmark by the writer B. S. Ingemann, who used it in his novel Kunnuk and Naja, or the Greenlanders (1842).
Nanabah f Indigenous American, Navajo
Means "returning warrior" in Navajo, derived from nááná "again" and baa' "warrior, heroine, raid, battle".
Nanook m Indigenous American, Inuit (Anglicized)
Variant of Nanuq. This was the (fictional) name of the subject of Robert Flaherty's documentary film Nanook of the North (1922).
Nanuq m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "polar bear" in Inuktitut.
Nauja f Indigenous American, Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "seagull" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.
Nawel m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "jaguar" in Mapuche.
Nayeli f Indigenous American, Zapotec (Hispanicized), Spanish (Mexican)
Possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you" or nayele' meaning "open".
Nehuén m Indigenous American, Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Variant of Newen using Spanish spelling conventions.
Neohne'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "walks toward woman", from Cheyenne nėh- "toward" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Newen m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "force, strength" in Mapuche.
Nicte f Indigenous American, Mayan (Hispanicized)
From Yucatec Maya nikte' meaning "flower" or specifically "plumeria flower". It is derived from Classic Maya nich "flower" and te' "tree".
Nina 2 f Indigenous American, Quechua, Aymara
Means "fire" in Quechua and Aymara.
Nindaanis f Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "my daughter" in Ojibwe.
Nîpisiy f Indigenous American, Cree
Means "willow" in Cree.
Nita 2 f Indigenous American, Choctaw
Means "bear" in Choctaw.
Niviarsiaq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "young girl" in Greenlandic. This is the name of a variety of flower that grows on Greenland, the dwarf fireweed (species Chamaenerion latifolium).
Nizhóní f Indigenous American, Navajo
From Navajo nizhóní meaning "beautiful".
Nonhelema f Indigenous American, Shawnee
Possibly means "not a man" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief, the sister of Hokolesqua.
Noodin m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "wind" in Ojibwe.
Notah m Indigenous American, Navajo
Possibly means "almost there" in Navajo.
Nuka m & f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
From Greenlandic nukaa meaning "younger sibling".
Odeserundiye m Indigenous American, Mohawk
Possibly means "lightning has struck" in Mohawk. This was the name of an 18th-century Mohawk chief, also called John Deseronto.
Ohiyesa m Indigenous American, Sioux
Means "winner" in Dakota or Lakota, from ohíya "winning" and the suffix s'a "commonly, frequently".
Ojigkwanong m Indigenous American, Algonquin
Means "morning star" in Alqonguin.
Onangwatgo m Indigenous American, Oneida (Anglicized)
Means "big medicine" in Oneida, from onúhkwaht "medicine" and the suffix -koó "big, great". This was the name of a chief of the Oneida people, also named Cornelius Hill (1834-1907).
Pachakutiq m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "changer of the world" in Quechua, derived from pacha "world, time" and kutiy "to return, to change" combined with the agentive suffix -q "doer". This name was borne by a 15th-century (precontact) ruler of the Inca Empire.
Pahoevotona'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "attached feathers woman", from Cheyenne pȧhoe- "attach to" and voto "feather, plume" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Payne f & m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "(sky) blue" in Mapuche.
Piloqutinnguaq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "little leaf" in Greenlandic, from piloqut "leaf" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.
Pipaluk f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "sweet little thing who belongs to me" in Greenlandic.
Pitikwahanapiwiyin m Indigenous American, 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).
Pittiulaaq f & m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "black guillemot" in Inuktitut (a guillemot is a type of sea bird; species Cepphus grylle).
Pocahontas f Indigenous American, 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.
Potsʉnakwahipʉ m Indigenous American, Comanche
Means "male bison back" in Comanche, derived from potsʉ "male bison" and kwahi "back (body part)". This name was borne by a 19th-century war chief of the Penateka Comanche, also called Buffalo Hump.
Qillaq m Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "seal hide" in Greenlandic.
Qinnuajuaq f & m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "rough-legged hawk" in Inuktitut (species Buteo lagopus).
Quanah m Indigenous American, Comanche (Anglicized)
From Comanche kwana meaning "fragrant, smelly". Quanah Parker (1845-1911) was a 19th-century chief of the Kwahadi Comanche.
Quetzalli f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "feather (from the quetzal bird)" or "precious thing" in Nahuatl.
Quidel m Indigenous American, Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Possibly from Mapuche küde meaning "burning torch".
Quispe m & f Indigenous American, Quechua (Hispanicized)
From Quechua qispi meaning "free" or q'ispi meaning "glass".
Sacagawea f Indigenous American
Probably from Hidatsa tsakáka wía meaning "bird woman". Alternatively it could originate from the Shoshone language and mean "boat puller". This name was borne by a Native American woman who guided the explorers Lewis and Clark. She was of Shoshone ancestry but had been abducted in her youth and raised by a Hidatsa tribe.
Sacnicte f Indigenous American, Mayan (Hispanicized)
Means "white plumeria flower", from Yucatec Maya sak "white" and nikte' "plumeria flower".
Sayen f Indigenous American, Mapuche
Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Mapuche ayün "love".
Sequoyah m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Probably derived from Cherokee ᏏᏆ (siqua) meaning "hog". This was the name of the Cherokee man (also known as George Guess) who devised the Cherokee writing system in the 19th century.
Sganyodaiyo m Indigenous American, Seneca
Means "handsome lake" in Seneca, from sganyodeo "lake" and the suffix -iyo "good". This name was borne by an 18th-century Seneca prophet.
Shandiin f & m Indigenous American, Navajo
From Navajo sháńdíín meaning "sunshine".
Shenandoah m Indigenous American, Oneida (Anglicized)
Variant of Skenandoa, or from the name of the Shenandoah River (names that may or may not be connected). The traditional American folk song Oh Shenandoah refers to the Oneida chief Skenandoa.
Shikoba m & f Indigenous American, Choctaw
Means "feather" in Choctaw.
Siqiniq f Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "sun" in Inuktitut.
Sissinnguaq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "squirrel" in Greenlandic.
Skenandoa m Indigenous American, Oneida (Anglicized)
Possibly from Oneida oskanutú meaning "deer". This was the name of an 18th-century Oneida chief. According to some sources the Shenandoah River in Virginia was named after him, though the river seems to have borne this name from before his birth. It is possible that he was named after the river, or that the similarity in spellings is a coincidence.
Sons-ee-ah-ray f Indigenous American, Apache
Possibly means "morning star" from Apache sons-ee-ah-ray. This name was featured in the western movie Broken Arrow (1950).
Tagwanibisan f Indigenous American, Algonquin
Means "rainbow" in Alqonguin.
Tahlako m Indigenous American, Choctaw
Means "eagle" in Choctaw.
Tamya f Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "rain" in Quechua.
Taqqiq m & f Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "moon" in Inuktitut.
Tashina f Indigenous American, Sioux (Anglicized)
From Lakota Tȟašína meaning "her blanket", derived from šiná "blanket, shawl". This is the first part of the name of historic figures such as Tȟašína Lúta, called Red Blanket, or Tȟašína Máni, called Moving Robe Woman.
Tasunka m Indigenous American, Sioux (Anglicized)
From Lakota Tȟašuŋke meaning "his horse", derived from šuŋg "horse". This forms the first part of the name of Tasunka Witko (1840-1877), translated as Crazy Horse, a Lakota war leader.
Tatanka m Indigenous American, Sioux (Anglicized)
From Lakota tȟatȟáŋka meaning "male bison". This was the first part of the name of the Lakota holy man and chief Tatanka Iyotake (1831-1890), usually translated into English as Sitting Bull.
Tayanita f Indigenous American, Cherokee
Means "young beaver" in Cherokee, derived from ᏙᏯ (doya) meaning "beaver".
Tecumseh m Indigenous American, 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.
Tekakwitha f Indigenous American, Mohawk
Means "she who bumps into things" or "she who puts things in place" in Mohawk. Tekakwitha, also named Kateri, was a 17th-century Mohawk woman who has become the first Native American Catholic saint.
Tenskwatawa m Indigenous American, 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 Indigenous American, Algonquin
Meaning unknown. This was the name of several 17th-century Algonquin chiefs.
Tiriaq f & m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "ermine, weasel" in Inuktitut.
Tlalli f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "earth, land, soil" in Nahuatl.
Tlaloc m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Possibly from Nahuatl tlālloh meaning "covered with earth", derived from tlālli meaning "earth, land, soil". This was the name of the Aztec god of rain and fertility, the husband of Chalchiuhtlicue.
Tonalli m & f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "day, warmth of the sun" in Nahuatl.
Tonatiuh m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "sun" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec sun god.
Topʉsana f Indigenous American, Comanche
Means "prairie flower" in Comanche.
Tosahwi m Indigenous American, Comanche
Means "white knife" in Comanche, derived from tosa- "white" and wihi "knife". This name was borne by a 19th-century Penateka Comanche chief.
Tʉhʉyakwahipʉ m Indigenous American, Comanche
Means "horse back" in Comanche, derived from tʉhʉya "horse" and kwahi "back (body part)". This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Nokoni Comanche.
Tulugaq m & f Indigenous American, Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "raven" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.
Tupaarnaq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "wild thyme" in Greenlandic.
Tupaq m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "royal, noble" in Quechua. This was the name of a 15th-century (precontact) Inca emperor, Tupaq Inka Yupanki. After the Spanish conquest it was borne by a 16th-century ruler of the Neo-Inca State at Vilcabamba, and in the 18th century it was borne by a descendant who led a rebellion against Spanish rule. Both of them were named Tupaq Amaru, and both were executed by the Spanish.
Tuta f Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "night" in Quechua.
Ubirajara m Indigenous American, Tupi
Means "lord of the spear" in Tupi, from ybyra "wood, stick, spear" and îara "lord, master". This is the name of an 1874 novel by José de Alencar.
Ujarak m & f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "stone" in Greenlandic.
Ujaraq m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "stone" in Inuktitut.
Ukaleq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "hare" in Greenlandic.
Ulloriaq m & f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "star" in Greenlandic.
Urpi f Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "pigeon, dove" in Quechua.
Vanaheo'o f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "sage woman" in Cheyenne.
Ve'keseha'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "bird woman" in Cheyenne, derived from vé'kėséhe- "bird" and the feminine suffix -e'é.
Ve'keseheveho m Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "bird chief" in Cheyenne, derived from vé'kėséhe- "bird" and vého "chief".
Voestaa'e f Indigenous American, 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 Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "medicine bundle woman" in Cheyenne. A medicine bundle is a collection of sacred items used in religious ceremonies.
Wahunsenacawh m Indigenous American, 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.
Walela f Indigenous American, Cherokee
From Cherokee ᏩᎴᎳ (walela) meaning "hummingbird".
Waman m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "eagle, falcon" in Quechua.
Wambdi m & f Indigenous American, Sioux
Dakota form of Wambli.
Wambli m & f Indigenous American, Sioux
From Lakota waŋblí meaning "eagle".
Wâpanacâhkos f Indigenous American, Cree
Means "morning star, Venus" in Cree.
Wapasha m Indigenous American, Sioux
Means "red leaf" in Dakota, from waȟpé "leaf" and šá "red". This was the name of several Dakota chiefs.
Wawatam m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Possibly means "little goose" in Ojibwe. This was the name of an 18th-century chief of the Ottawa people.
Wayna m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "young boy" in Quechua.
Wayra m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "wind, air" in Quechua.
Wickaninnish m Indigenous American, Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)
Possibly means "having no one in front of him in the canoe" in Nuu-chah-nulth. This was the name of a chief of the Clayoquot in the late 18th century, at the time of European contact.
Willka m Indigenous American, Aymara
From Aymara wilka meaning "sun".
Winona f English, Indigenous American, Sioux
Means "firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.
Xiadani f Indigenous American, Zapotec
Meaning uncertain, said to mean "the flower that arrived" in Zapotec.
Xochiquetzal f Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Derived from Nahuatl xōchitl "flower" and quetzalli "quetzal feather, precious thing". This was the name of the Aztec goddess of love, flowers and the earth, the twin sister of Xochipilli.
Xochitl f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "flower" in Nahuatll.
Xquenda f & m Indigenous American, Zapotec
From Zapotec guenda "spirit, soul, essence" combined with the possessive prefix x-.
Yatzil f Indigenous American, Mayan
Means "love, mercy, charity" in Yucatec Maya.
Yaxkin f & m Indigenous American, Mayan
From Yaxk'in, the name of the seventh month in the Maya calender, derived from Classic Maya yax "green, first" and k'in "sun, day".
Yolotl f & m Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "heart, spirit" in Nahuatl.
Yolotzin f & m Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "beloved heart" in Nahuatl, from yōllōtl "heart" and the suffix tzin "beloved, revered".
Yoloxochitl f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Derived from Nahuatl yōllōtl "heart" and xōchitl "flower".
Yonaguska m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Means "drowning bear" from Cherokee ᏲᎾ (yona) "bear" and possibly ᎫᏂᏍᎧ (guniska) "drown". This was the name of a 19th-century Eastern Cherokee chief.
Ysapy f Indigenous American, Guarani
Means "dew" in Guarani.
Yuraq m & f Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "white" in Quechua.
Zazil f Indigenous American, Mayan
Means "clear, light, clarity" in Yucatec Maya. Zazil Há was a 16th-century Maya woman who married the Spanish shipwreck survivor Gonzalo Guerrero.
Zeltzin f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Nahuatl name of uncertain meaning, said to mean "delicate".
Zitkala f Indigenous American, Sioux
From Lakota zitkála meaning "bird".
Zyanya f Indigenous American, Zapotec
Possibly means "forever, always" in Zapotec. It appears in the novel Aztec (1980) by the American author Gary Jennings.