Comments (Meaning / History Only)
My name is Cheyenne and I love it.
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The Cheyenne are a Native American nation that once inhabited the area between the Missouri and Arkansas rivers in the Great Plains, but as time went on, the Cheyenne people were eventually pushed more northwest (Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas).
The word “Cheyenne” is French Canadian, originating from a Sioux Dakota word “šahíyena” meaning “speak incoherently” from the elements “ša” (red) and “ya” (speak). The Dakotas considered their own Sioux-based language clear and understandable (i.e., “white talkers”); but the Algonquian-based language of the Cheyenne was unintelligible and alien sounding (hence “red talkers”).
In recent years, there have been many variations of the spelling of the name for use as a personal name. However, as a personal name derived from a proper name (Native American tribe), it may be best to spell Cheyenne correctly or you run the risk of looking silly, tacky, and/or disrespectful. It would be akin to spelling Dakota "DaKotah", Cherokee "Chairakee", and Shawnee "Shannie".
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The word “Cheyenne” is French Canadian, originating from a Sioux Dakota word “šahíyena” meaning “speak incoherently” from the elements “ša” (red) and “ya” (speak). The Dakotas considered their own Sioux-based language clear and understandable (i.e., “white talkers”); but the Algonquian-based language of the Cheyenne was unintelligible and alien sounding (hence “red talkers”).
In recent years, there have been many variations of the spelling of the name for use as a personal name. However, as a personal name derived from a proper name (Native American tribe), it may be best to spell Cheyenne correctly or you run the risk of looking silly, tacky, and/or disrespectful. It would be akin to spelling Dakota "DaKotah", Cherokee "Chairakee", and Shawnee "Shannie".
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I am actually Northern Cheyenne and reading through some of the comments here there seems to be a little misunderstanding of the name. "Cheyenne" is actually a Lakota Sioux word meaning "Red Talkers" not unintelligible. Of course we spoke a different language from our Sioux-ian allies, and to them we sounded funny. The Cheyenne language is Algonquin based. We Cheyennes call ourselves "Tsis sis tas" meaning beautiful people.
I did catch a comment that Cheyennes don't name their children Cheyenne. Well, that is simply not true. There are plenty of girls and boys named Cheyenne. As well as "Chey, a shorter version. [noted -ed]
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I did catch a comment that Cheyennes don't name their children Cheyenne. Well, that is simply not true. There are plenty of girls and boys named Cheyenne. As well as "Chey, a shorter version. [noted -ed]
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