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ArchivesRe: Dewanna
in reply to a message by pearltree2
I'm sorry, but Dewanna is extremely unlikely to mean anything like "bright moon" in the Cherokee language. If you will check the Cherokee-English lexicons or dictionaries available on the web, you will easily see this. For example, the phonetic representation of the word "moon" on the Cherokee Nation website lexicon is:
S v no yi e hi nv do
(Cherokee websites use "v" to represent an "uh" sound, so this means the word for "moon" is pronounced something like "Suh-no-yee-ae-hee-nuh-doe").
http://www.cherokee.org/Culture/Dikaneisdi.aspx?Tab=Culture
There is a huge amount of misinformation out there claiming that certain names are "Native American" when they are not. Some of this comes from people wrongly assuming that any unusual name borne by a person with Native American ancestry must come from a Native American language. Other misinformation comes from people assuming that names used for American Indian characters in novels or in movies must be accurate, when such names and their "translations" have often been made up by the authors or screenwriters purely from their own imaginations.
Cherokee is the Native American culture names are most commonly falsely attributed to. This is probably because the Cherokees are one of the best know tribes, and because they had a status in the Southern US as the supposedly most "civilized" tribe.
Dewanna is most likely someone's creation. There is of course a possibility that it is from a Native American language other than that of the Cherokees, but I doubt it.
S v no yi e hi nv do
(Cherokee websites use "v" to represent an "uh" sound, so this means the word for "moon" is pronounced something like "Suh-no-yee-ae-hee-nuh-doe").
http://www.cherokee.org/Culture/Dikaneisdi.aspx?Tab=Culture
There is a huge amount of misinformation out there claiming that certain names are "Native American" when they are not. Some of this comes from people wrongly assuming that any unusual name borne by a person with Native American ancestry must come from a Native American language. Other misinformation comes from people assuming that names used for American Indian characters in novels or in movies must be accurate, when such names and their "translations" have often been made up by the authors or screenwriters purely from their own imaginations.
Cherokee is the Native American culture names are most commonly falsely attributed to. This is probably because the Cherokees are one of the best know tribes, and because they had a status in the Southern US as the supposedly most "civilized" tribe.
Dewanna is most likely someone's creation. There is of course a possibility that it is from a Native American language other than that of the Cherokees, but I doubt it.
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Replies
I ran across this looking for the meaning of my name. I do not know the author of this request, but my name is also Dewanna. My mother heard it when my father was in the army in Kansas. I’ve always assumed it was a Native American name also, but probably not Cherokee. I’m 63, so at the time I was born, my name truly was uncommon. Today, it blends in with modern culture. To the person who first asked about this name…..I’m sure I’m much older than you, so it’s nice to see I’m not alone hoping there’s more to my name than “ something someone just made up”. Let’s give the name a meaning it deserves….strong, loving, kind and unique. Does that fit you too Dewanna? Let’s both just be proud of who we are and let the name reflect on that.
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For anyone else with this name, who would love to think it’s very unique and special…..let me assure you……This is the kind of name you will have to “spell” and “explain” your entire life. Maybe not so much now, but if you are as old as I am, and this is also your name, you’ve grown up pronouncing and explaining your name. How great it is to be different and unique. Your name will carry the meaning that you yourself have given your life. If you were strong, loving, kind and creative…that’s the meaning of your name. If you are as mean as a snake, that’s the meaning of your name. So, for all you girls named Dewanna, be considerate of your name and let’s all show the world that we are truly unique as our name and we are a true treasure to have as family and friend. I’ll always say that it’s somehow Native American and not a made up vision of my mothers imagination, but that’s just me.
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Loved your take on this Dewonna. My sister it named Dewonnas and it was mine and my older sisters name put together. I'm Debbie and my sister is Donna. My dad just added the w between the first of my name and the last of my sisters.
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Sorry I spelled your name wrong Dewanna. A beautiful name
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