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ArchivesIs Inola used as an actual name?
Apparently Inola is a Cherokee word meaning "Black Fox," and there is atleast a town named Inola. I was wondering though, is it possible for Inola to be a name by itself? I'm not familiar with traditional Cherokee naming customs, so I have no idea if this might also be a name in itself -- I don't really trust a lot of name sites out there, since so many of them seem to be wrong, cross referenced and taken from eachother, and so many of them like to post things as names that... don't make sense and are just words. xD If anyone could help I'd appreciate it though!
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Replies
My great-grandmother’s name was Inola. Her mother, Angelina, was Native. We think she was Iroquois. We’re from northern Vermont.
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There is a town in Oklahoma called Inola which is east of Tulsa. My Cherokee grandparents live there.
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"More from Wiggins Blackfox, Inoli:
Inoli really means badger. When they were naming us in English, they thought the badger was a black fox."
The correct phonetic transliteration of the Cherokee script ᎢᏃᎵ seems to be Inoli, however the "chief" known as Black Fox in English, has had his name incorrectly and variously spelt Enoli, Inali, Enola and Inola for a long time.
If you mean, would Inola be used as a Cherokee name, then no, it would be Inoli, and a family name, but it appears probable that many had their names recorded as Inola in the past.
Inoli really means badger. When they were naming us in English, they thought the badger was a black fox."
The correct phonetic transliteration of the Cherokee script ᎢᏃᎵ seems to be Inoli, however the "chief" known as Black Fox in English, has had his name incorrectly and variously spelt Enoli, Inali, Enola and Inola for a long time.
If you mean, would Inola be used as a Cherokee name, then no, it would be Inoli, and a family name, but it appears probable that many had their names recorded as Inola in the past.
This message was edited 1/4/2020, 6:23 AM
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It sure can, my name is Inola, I’ve never met another Inola, it’s such a unique and awesome name!!
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I am unclear as to exactly what you are asking here.
The index to the 1940 U.S. census includes 238 persons with the given name "Inola."
22 of them are listed with the race of "Indian", and 19 of those lived in Oklahoma. The census does not give the Native American nation so one can't be sure these 19 women were of Cherokee ancestry, however.
The index to the 1940 U.S. census includes 238 persons with the given name "Inola."
22 of them are listed with the race of "Indian", and 19 of those lived in Oklahoma. The census does not give the Native American nation so one can't be sure these 19 women were of Cherokee ancestry, however.
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I’m… not sure how my question was unclear. xD; I’m just wondering if Inola would be an authentic Cherokee name, and not just a word. There is a lot of name sites out there, that just because it sounds like it will be a name, they’ll list it as one. So many name sites will copy eachother, it’s hard to tell, and BtN is the only one I trust.
Anyways thanks for the statistics from the census! Inola is the name of a city in Oklahoma, though I have a feeling that many people wouldn’t be named after (what I assume) would be a very small town, if it was even a town then.
Anyways thanks for the statistics from the census! Inola is the name of a city in Oklahoma, though I have a feeling that many people wouldn’t be named after (what I assume) would be a very small town, if it was even a town then.
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Yes, yes it is.
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Inola - a follow-up question
Great information!
I've been wondering the same thing as to Inola's "authenticity" as a Cherokee name. You know, if it's really (been) used as a traditional girls' name by Cherokee parents or if it's one of those cases where someone just plundered a dictionary and put the word inola out there as a "Native American name".
So thanks for your answer!
I have a related question, though.
Do you think it's possible that the name Enola arose as a sort of Anglicized spelling of Inola, at least in some cases?
I'm asking because I've seen Enola labeled as a "Native American name" by some sources (but, of course, none of them gave any further specifics, making their info look rather dubious). So do you think there's at least a slight possibility?
Great information!
I've been wondering the same thing as to Inola's "authenticity" as a Cherokee name. You know, if it's really (been) used as a traditional girls' name by Cherokee parents or if it's one of those cases where someone just plundered a dictionary and put the word inola out there as a "Native American name".
So thanks for your answer!
I have a related question, though.
Do you think it's possible that the name Enola arose as a sort of Anglicized spelling of Inola, at least in some cases?
I'm asking because I've seen Enola labeled as a "Native American name" by some sources (but, of course, none of them gave any further specifics, making their info look rather dubious). So do you think there's at least a slight possibility?
This message was edited 10/31/2013, 9:00 AM
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Still wondering ;)
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Enola first appeared in Enola; or, Her fatal mistake, an 1886 book written by Mary Young Ridenbaugh. An explanation of sorts is given in the passage:
"In calling me by the strange name of 'Enola,' I wonder if my dear departed parents
received a glimpse of the future life of their child in a camera, speaking to them
of her life of loneliness," mused Enola, "for truly I am alone..."
According to native-languages.org "Some sources on the Internet claim that this is a Native American name meaning "solitary." Someone must have pulled one over on them at some point, because it's an English name meaning "solitary." Look at it closely... it's the word "alone" spelled backwards. :-) It was invented as the name of the heroine of an old romance novel, and real-life Enolas, like Enola Gay, were named after the fictional heroine." You will find a lot of people claiming it is an ancestral Cherokee name however, and it's impossible to tell if Inola or Inole has been altered by association with Enola, or if they're deliberately or naively miss-representing their ancestry.
"In calling me by the strange name of 'Enola,' I wonder if my dear departed parents
received a glimpse of the future life of their child in a camera, speaking to them
of her life of loneliness," mused Enola, "for truly I am alone..."
According to native-languages.org "Some sources on the Internet claim that this is a Native American name meaning "solitary." Someone must have pulled one over on them at some point, because it's an English name meaning "solitary." Look at it closely... it's the word "alone" spelled backwards. :-) It was invented as the name of the heroine of an old romance novel, and real-life Enolas, like Enola Gay, were named after the fictional heroine." You will find a lot of people claiming it is an ancestral Cherokee name however, and it's impossible to tell if Inola or Inole has been altered by association with Enola, or if they're deliberately or naively miss-representing their ancestry.
This message was edited 6/26/2018, 6:46 AM
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