Indigenous American Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Indigenous American. Indigenous American languages are spoken by the indigenous peoples of North and South America.
gender
usage
origin
​
Aanakwad m & f Ojibwe
Means "cloud" in Ojibwe.
Adawosgi m Cherokee
Means "he is swimming" in Cherokee, from ᎠᏓᏬᏍᎬ (adawosgun) meaning "swimming".
Adsila f Cherokee
From Cherokee ᎠᏥᎳ (atsila) "fire" or ᎠᏥᎸᏍᎩ (atsilunsgi) "flower, blossom".
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.
Ahuludegi m 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.
Ailen f Mapuche
Variant of Ayelen.
Ajei f Navajo
From Navajo ajéí meaning "heart".
Akicita m Sioux
From Lakota or Dakota akíčhita meaning "warrior".
Amaru m 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 Inuit
Means "wolf" in Inuktitut.
Ameohne'e f Cheyenne
Means "walks along woman", from Cheyenne ame- "along, by" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Ameyalli f Nahuatl
Means "spring, fountain" in Nahuatl.
Anangikwe f Ojibwe
Means "star woman" in Ojibwe, derived from anang "star" and ikwe "woman".
Anayeli f Zapotec (Hispanicized)
Variant of Nayeli.
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.
Antiman m Mapuche
Means "condor of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and mañku "condor".
Antinanco m Mapuche
Means "eagle of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and ñamko "eagle, hawk, buzzard".
Apanii f Siksika
Means "butterfly" in Siksika.
Aputsiaq m Greenlandic
Means "snowflake" in Greenlandic.
Aqissiaq m Greenlandic
Means "young ptarmigan" in Greenlandic (a ptarmigan is a type of bird that lives in cold regions).
Arnaq f Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "woman" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.
Asdzáán Nádleehé f New World Mythology
Means "changing woman", from Navajo asdzáán "woman" and nádleeh "become, change". In Navajo mythology this is the name of a being who created humans from parts of her body.
Ashkii m Navajo
Means "boy" in Navajo.
Asiri f Quechua
Means "smile" in Quechua.
Atahualpa m 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 Mapuche
Means "wild condor" in Mapuche, from awka- "wild" and mañke "condor".
Aviaaja f Greenlandic
Means "cousin" in East Greenlandic.
Aviâja f Greenlandic
Variant of Aviaaja.
Awee f & m Navajo
From Navajo awéé' meaning "baby".
Awilix f Mayan Mythology
Meaning uncertain, possibly from a place name Awilizapan, or possibly from a Q'eqchi' Maya word meaning "swallow (bird)". This was the name of the K'iche' Maya goddess of the moon, night and death.
Awinita f Cherokee
Means "fawn" in Cherokee, derived from ᎠᏫ (awi) meaning "deer".
Ayelen f Mapuche
From Mapuche ayelen "laughing", ayliñ "clear" or aylen "ember".
Aylen f Mapuche
Variant of Ayelen.
Ayün f Mapuche
Means "love" in Mapuche.
Baishan m Apache
Means "knife" in Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Tchihende Apache.
Balam m Mayan
Means "jaguar" in Mayan (Yucatec Maya báalam; K'iche' Maya balam).
Bidziil m Navajo
Means "he is strong" in Navajo.
Bira m Tupi
Short form of Ubirajara.
Calfuray f Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Means "violet flower" in Mapuche, from kallfü "purple, blue" and rayen "flower".
Catahecassa m Shawnee
Means "black hoof" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee warrior and chief.
Cauã m Tupi
From Tupi kaûã meaning "hawk, falcon".
Cauan m Tupi
Variant of Cauã.
Chaac m Mayan Mythology
From Classic Maya cháak meaning "rain". This was the name of the Maya god of the rain and storms.
Chalchiuhtlicue f Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "jade skirt" in Nahuatl, from chālchiuhtli "jade, precious stone" and cuēitl "skirt". This was the name of the Aztec goddess of water and rivers, the wife of Tlaloc.
Chaska m Sioux
From Lakota or Dakota čhaské meaning "firstborn son".
Chimalma f Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "shield hand" in Nahuatl, derived from chīmalli "shield" and māitl "hand". This was the name of an Aztec goddess who was the mother of Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl.
Cipactli m & f Nahuatl
Means "crocodile, alligator, caiman, monster" in Nahuatl. This is the name of the first day in the tonalpohualli, the Aztec 260-day calendar.
Citlali f Nahuatl
Variant of Citlalli.
Citlalli f Nahuatl
Means "star" in Nahuatl.
Coatlicue f Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "snake skirt" in Nahuatl, derived from cōātl "snake" and cuēitl "skirt". This was the name of the Aztec creator goddess who gave birth to the stars (considered deities). She was also the mother of Huitzilopochtli, who protected his mother when her children attacked her.
Cochise m 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 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.
Coyolxauhqui f Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "painted with bells" in Nahuatl, derived from coyolli "bell" and xuah "face painting". This was the name of an Aztec moon goddess, the daughter of Coatlicue. She was killed by her brother Huitzilopochtli after she led an attack on their mother.
Cuauhtémoc m Nahuatl (Hispanicized)
Spanish form of Cuauhtemoc.
Cuauhtemoc m 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 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 Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎦᏙᎦ (gadoga) meaning "standing". This was the name of a Cherokee chief, also called Stand Watie (1806-1871).
Dehgewanus f 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 Navajo
Means "going raiding" in Navajo, derived from baa' meaning "raid".
Diindiisi f & m Ojibwe
Means "blue jay" in Ojibwe.
Dos-teh-seh f 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, Nahuatl
Means "wind" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec wind god.
Eluney f & m Mapuche
Derived from Mapuche elun meaning "give".
Ešeeva'e f Cheyenne
Means "day woman" in Cheyenne.
Galilahi f Cherokee
Possibly from Cherokee ᎤᎵᎶᎯ (ulilohi) meaning "attractive, adorable".
Gian-nah-tah m Apache
Means "always ready" in Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Mescalero Apache.
Giiwedin m Ojibwe
Means "north" in Ojibwe.
Giiwedinokwe f Ojibwe
Means "woman of the north" in Ojibwe, derived from giiwedin "north" and ikwe "woman".
Glooscap m New World Mythology
Derived from an Eastern Algonquian phrase meaning "man from nothing". Glooscap (or Gluskabe) was a hero involved in the creation myths of the Wabanaki people of eastern North America.
Gouyen f Apache
Variant spelling of Góyąń.
Goyaałé m 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 Apache
Means "wise" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century Apache warrior woman.
Goyathlay m Apache
Variant spelling of Goyaałé.
Guwisti f Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎬᏫᏍᏓᏗ (gunwisdadi) meaning "sift, sieve".
Ha-o-zinne f Apache
Means "standing up straight" in Apache. This was the name of a wife of the Chiricahua Apache chief Naiche.
Hastiin m Navajo
Means "man, elder" in Navajo. This is typically an honorific preceding the name.
Hauzini f Apache
Variant spelling of Ha-o-zinne.
Hiawatha m History, 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 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.
Huitzilopochtli m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "left side of the hummingbird" or "southern hummingbird" in Nahuatl, derived from huitzilin "hummingbird" and ōpōchtli "left, south". In Aztec mythology he was the god of the sun and war. He was a patron deity of the city of Tenochtitlan (at the site of modern Mexico City).
Hunahpu m Mayan Mythology
Possibly means "one blowgunner", from Classic Maya jun "one" and puw "blowgun" (with the agentive prefix aj-). Hunahpu and his twin brother Xbalanque are the central characters of the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the K'iche' Maya.
Iara f 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 Navajo
From Navajo iiná meaning "life".
Inola f Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎢᏃᎵ (inoli) meaning "black fox".
Inti m Quechua, Inca Mythology
Means "sun" in Quechua. This was the name of the Inca god of the sun. He was a son of Viracocha.
Inuk m Greenlandic
Means "person, human" in Greenlandic.
Inunnguaq m Greenlandic
Means "little person" in Greenlandic, from inuk "person, human" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.
Iqaluk m & f Inuit
Means "fish" in Inuktitut.
Iracema f 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 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 Choctaw
Means "deer" in Choctaw.
Itzamna m Mayan Mythology, 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 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 Mayan
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Classic Maya itz meaning "resin, nectar, dew, liquid, enchanted". Otherwise, it might be a variant of Ixchel.
Ivaana f Greenlandic
Feminine form of Ivaaq.
Ivaaq m Greenlandic
Means "egg" in Greenlandic.
Ivalu f Greenlandic
Means "sinew, tendon, thread" in Greenlandic. It was used by the Danish explorer and author Peter Freuchen for the heroine of his novel Ivalu, the Eskimo Wife (1930).
Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, 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 Tupi
From Tupi îasy meaning "moon".
Jacira f Tupi
Means "honey moon" in Tupi, from îasy "moon" and yra "honey".
Jeruti f Guarani
Means "dove" in Guarani.
Jóhonaa'éí m New World Mythology
Means "sun" in Navajo. In Navajo mythology this is the name of the sun god.
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.
Kaniehtiio f Mohawk
Means "she is good snow" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", óniehte "snow" and the suffix -iio "good".
Kantuta f Aymara
Means "cantua flower" in Aymara (species Cantua buxifolia).
Kauã m Tupi
Variant of Cauã.
Kauan m Tupi
Variant of Cauã.
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.
K'awiil m Mayan Mythology
Variant of K'awil.
K'awil m Mayan Mythology
Possibly means "powerful one" in Classic Maya. This was the name of the Maya god of lightning, generations and corn. He was sometimes depicted with one of his legs taking the form of a serpent. His name was also used as a title for other gods.
Kawisenhawe f Mohawk
Means "she holds the ice" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", ówise "ice" and -hawe "hold, have".
Kenojuak f & m Inuit (Anglicized)
Variant of Qinnuajuaq.
Killa f Quechua
Means "moon" in Quechua.
Kimimela f Sioux
From Lakota kimímela meaning "butterfly".
Kimmernaq f Greenlandic
Means "cowberry, lingonberry" in Greenlandic.
K'inich m Mayan Mythology
Means "hot, sunny" in Classic Maya, derived from k'in "sun". K'inich Ajaw (ajaw meaning "king, lord") was the Maya god of the sun. K'inich was commonly used as an element in the names of Maya royalty.
Kinich m Mayan Mythology
Variant of K'inich.
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.
Klah m Navajo
From Navajo tł'aaí meaning "left-handed".
K'uk'ulkan m Mayan Mythology
Means "feathered serpent", from Classic Maya k'uk' "quetzal, quetzal feather" and kaan "serpent, snake". This was the name of a snake god in Maya mythology, roughly equivalent to the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. This is the Yucatec Maya form — the K'iche' name is Q'uq'umatz (which is only partially cognate).
Kukulkan m Mayan Mythology
Variant of K'uk'ulkan.
Lalawethika m Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).
Lautaro m Mapuche (Hispanicized), Spanish (Latin American)
Hispanicized form of Mapuche Lef-Traru meaning "swift hawk", derived from lef "swift" and traru "hawk". This name was borne by a 16th-century Mapuche military leader who fought against the Spanish conquistadors in Chile.
Lef-Traru m Mapuche
Mapuche form of Lautaro.
Licarayen f 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 Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Variant of Liwen using Spanish spelling conventions.
Liwen m & f Mapuche
Means "morning" in Mapuche.
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.
Mahpiya m & f 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 Tupi
From Tupi maya arya meaning "great-grandmother".
Malik 2 m Greenlandic
Means "wave, sea" in Greenlandic.
Malinalli f Nahuatl
Means "tall grass" in Nahuatl.
Ma'ome m Cheyenne
Means "ice" in Cheyenne.
Maquinna m 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 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.
Metztli f & m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Means "moon" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon.
Meztli f & m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Variant of Metztli.
Mictlantecuhtli m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "lord of Mictlan" in Nahuatl. In Aztec mythology he was the skeletal ruler of Mictlan, the realm of the dead, with his wife Mictecacihuatl.
Miigwan f & m Ojibwe
Means "feather" in Ojibwe.
Miillaaraq f Greenlandic
Possibly from Greenlandic millalaarpoq meaning "drone, hum (of an insect)" combined with the diminutive suffix -araq.
Millaray f Mapuche
Means "golden flower" in Mapuche, from milla "gold" and rayen "flower".
Minik m & f Greenlandic
Means "seal oil" in Greenlandic. A notable bearer was the Inughuit boy Minik (1890-1918), who was among a group brought by the explorer Robert Peary from Greenland to New York in 1897.
Miski f Quechua
Means "honey" in Quechua.
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.
Moacir m 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.
Moctezuma m Nahuatl (Hispanicized)
Spanish form of Motecuhzoma.
Mokee'e f Cheyenne
Means "little woman" in Cheyenne.
Montezuma m Nahuatl (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Motecuhzoma.
Motecuhzoma m 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 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 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.
Naasunnguaq f Greenlandic
Means "little flower" in Greenlandic, from naasoq "flower, plant" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.
Nahuel m Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Variant of Nawel using Spanish spelling conventions.
Naiche m Apache
Means "mischief maker" in Apache. This name was borne by a 19th-century Chiricahua Apache chief, the son of Cochise.
Naira f Aymara
From Aymara nayra meaning "eye" or "early".
Naja f 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 Navajo
Means "returning warrior" in Navajo, derived from nááná "again" and baa' "warrior, heroine, raid, battle".
Nanabozho m New World Mythology
Means "my rabbit" in Ojibwe, derived from waabooz "rabbit". In Anishinaabe legend Nanabozho (also called Wenabozho) is a trickster spirit.
Nanabush m New World Mythology
Variant of Nanabozho.
Nanook m Inuit (Anglicized)
Variant of Nanuq. This was the (fictional) name of the subject of Robert Flaherty's documentary film Nanook of the North (1922).
Nanuk m Inuit
Variant of Nanuq.
Nanuq m Inuit
Means "polar bear" in Inuktitut.
Nauja f Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "seagull" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.
Nawel m Mapuche
Means "jaguar" in Mapuche.
Nayeli f Zapotec (Hispanicized), Spanish (Mexican)
Possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you" or nayele' meaning "open".
Nehuén m Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Variant of Newen using Spanish spelling conventions.
Neohne'e f Cheyenne
Means "walks toward woman", from Cheyenne nėh- "toward" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Newen m Mapuche
Means "force, strength" in Mapuche.
Nicte f 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 Quechua, Aymara
Means "fire" in Quechua and Aymara.
Nindaanis f Ojibwe
Means "my daughter" in Ojibwe.
Nîpisiy f Cree
Means "willow" in Cree.
Nita 2 f Choctaw
Means "bear" in Choctaw.
Nivi f Greenlandic
Short form of Greenlandic niviarsiaq meaning "young girl".
Niviarsiaq f 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 Navajo
From Navajo nizhóní meaning "beautiful".
Nokomis f New World Mythology
From Ojibwe nookomis meaning "my grandmother". In Anishinaabe legend this is the name of Nanabozho's grandmother. It was used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the grandmother of Hiawatha in his 1855 poem The Song of Hiawatha.
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.
Notah m Navajo
Possibly means "almost there" in Navajo.
Nuka m & f Greenlandic
From Greenlandic nukaa meaning "younger sibling".
Odeserundiye m Mohawk
Possibly means "lightning has struck" in Mohawk. This was the name of an 18th-century Mohawk chief, also called John Deseronto.
Ohiyesa m Sioux
Means "winner" in Dakota or Lakota, from ohíya "winning" and the suffix s'a "commonly, frequently".
Ojigkwanong m Algonquin
Means "morning star" in Algonquin.
Onangwatgo m 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).
Pachacútec m Quechua (Hispanicized)
Spanish form of Pachakutiq.
Pachakutiq m 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.
Pachamama f Inca Mythology
Means "earth mother" in Quechua, from pacha "world, time" and mama "mother". This was the name of an Inca goddess of the earth and fertility.
Pahoevotona'e f Cheyenne
Means "attached feathers woman", from Cheyenne pȧhoe- "attach to" and voto "feather, plume" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Paninnguaq f Greenlandic
Means "little daughter" in Greenlandic, from panik "daughter" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.
Payne f & m Mapuche
Means "(sky) blue" in Mapuche.
Piloqutinnguaq f Greenlandic
Means "little leaf" in Greenlandic, from piloqut "leaf" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.
Pipaluk f Greenlandic
Means "sweet little thing who belongs to me" in Greenlandic.
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).
Pitseolak f & m Inuit (Anglicized)
Variant of Pittiulaaq.
Pitsiulaaq f & m Inuit
Variant of Pittiulaaq.
Pittiulaaq f & m Inuit
Means "black guillemot" in Inuktitut (a guillemot is a type of sea bird; species Cepphus grylle).
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.
Potsʉnakwahipʉ m 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 Greenlandic
Means "seal hide" in Greenlandic.
Qinnuajuaq f & m Inuit
Means "rough-legged hawk" in Inuktitut (species Buteo lagopus).
Quanah m Comanche (Anglicized)
From Comanche kwana meaning "fragrant, smelly". Quanah Parker (1845-1911) was a 19th-century chief of the Kwahadi Comanche.
Quaoar m New World Mythology
English rendering of a Takic name (alternatively Kwawar or Kwauwar), of unknown meaning. In the mythology of the Mission Indians of southern California, Quaoar was a creator god also known as Chinigchinix. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for him in 2002.
Quetzalcoatl m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "feathered snake" in Nahuatl, derived from quetzalli "quetzal feather, precious thing" and cōātl "snake". In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was the god of the sky, wind, and knowledge, also associated with the morning star. According to one legend he created the humans of this age using the bones of humans from the previous age and adding his own blood.
Quetzalli f Nahuatl
Means "feather (from the quetzal bird)" or "precious thing" in Nahuatl.
Quidel m Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Possibly from Mapuche küde meaning "burning torch".
Quispe m & f Quechua (Hispanicized)
From Quechua qispi meaning "free" or q'ispi meaning "glass".
Q'uq'umatz m Mayan Mythology
Means "feathered serpent", from K'iche' Maya q'uq' "quetzal, quetzal feather" and kumatz "serpent, snake". This was the K'iche' equivalent of the Yucatec Maya god K'uk'ulkan, though the final element is derived from a different root.
Rayén f Spanish (Latin American)
Spanish form of Rayen.
Rayen f Mapuche
Means "flower" in Mapuche.
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 Mayan (Hispanicized)
Means "white plumeria flower", from Yucatec Maya sak "white" and nikte' "plumeria flower".
Sacnite f Mayan (Hispanicized)
Variant of Sacnicte.
Salik m Greenlandic
Means "clean, wipe, scrape" in Greenlandic.
Saramama f Inca Mythology
Means "corn mother" in Quechua, from sara "corn, maize" and mama "mother". This was the name of the Inca goddess of grain.
Sayen f Mapuche
Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Mapuche ayün "love".
Sedna f New World Mythology
Meaning unknown. This is the name of the Inuit goddess of the sea, sea animals and the underworld. According to some legends Sedna was originally a beautiful woman thrown into the ocean by her father. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her in 2004.
Sequoyah m 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 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 Navajo
From Navajo sháńdíín meaning "sunshine".
Shenandoah m 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 may refer to the Oneida chief Skenandoa or to the river; it is unclear.
Shikoba m & f Choctaw
Means "feather" in Choctaw.
Siqiniq f Inuit
Means "sun" in Inuktitut.
Sissinnguaq f Greenlandic
Means "squirrel" in Greenlandic.
Skenandoa m 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.
Smilla f Danish, Swedish, Literature
Invented by the Danish author Peter Høeg for the heroine of his novel Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow (1992). In the book the name is explained as a short form of Smillaaraq, a blend of Danish smil "smile" and the Greenlandic name Miillaaraq.
Sons-ee-ah-ray f Apache
Possibly means "morning star" from Apache sons-ee-ah-ray. This name was featured in the western movie Broken Arrow (1950).
Tagwanibisan f Algonquin
Means "rainbow" in Algonquin.
Tahlako m Choctaw
Means "eagle" in Choctaw.
Tamya f Quechua
Means "rain" in Quechua.
Taqqiq m & f Inuit
Means "moon" in Inuktitut.
Tarqik m & f Inuit
Variant of Taqqiq.
Tashina f 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 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 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 Cherokee
Means "young beaver" in Cherokee, derived from ᏙᏯ (doya) meaning "beaver".
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.
Tekakwitha f 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 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.
Tezcatlipoca m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "smoking mirror" in Nahuatl, derived from tezcatl "mirror" and pōctli "smoke". In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was one of the chief gods, associated with the night sky, winds, war, and the north. Like his rival Quetzalcoatl, he was a creator god.
Tiriaq f & m Inuit
Means "ermine, weasel" in Inuktitut.
Tlalli f Nahuatl
Means "earth, land, soil" in Nahuatl.
Tlaloc m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, 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.
Tohil m Mayan Mythology
Possibly from Classic Maya tojol meaning "tribute". This was the name of a K'iche' Maya fire god.
Tonalli m & f Nahuatl
Means "day, warmth of the sun" in Nahuatl.
Tonatiuh m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Means "sun" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec sun god.
Topʉsana f Comanche
Means "prairie flower" in Comanche.
Tosahwi m 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 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 Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "raven" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.
Tupaarnaq f Greenlandic
Means "wild thyme" in Greenlandic.
Túpac m Quechua (Hispanicized)
Spanish form of Tupaq.
Tupac m History
Usual English form of Tupaq. The American rapper Tupac Shakur (1971-1996) was named after the 18th-century rebel Tupaq Amaru II.
Tupaq m 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 Quechua
Means "night" in Quechua.
Ubirajara m 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.
Uiara f Tupi
Variant of Iara.
Ujarak m & f Greenlandic
Means "stone" in Greenlandic.
Ujaraq m Inuit
Means "stone" in Inuktitut.
Ukaleq f Greenlandic
Means "hare" in Greenlandic.
Ulloriaq m & f Greenlandic
Means "star" in Greenlandic.
Urpi f Quechua
Means "pigeon, dove" in Quechua.
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".
Viracocha m Inca Mythology
Possibly from Quechua wira "fat, thick" and qucha "lake". This is the name of the creator god in Inca mythology.
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.
Walela f Cherokee
From Cherokee ᏩᎴᎳ (walela) meaning "hummingbird".
Waman m Quechua
Means "eagle, falcon" in Quechua.
Wambdi m & f Sioux
Dakota form of Wambli.
Wambli m & f Sioux
From Lakota waŋblí meaning "eagle".
Wâpanacâhkos f Cree
Means "morning star, Venus" in Cree.
Wapasha m Sioux
Means "red leaf" in Dakota, from waȟpé "leaf" and šá "red". This was the name of several Dakota chiefs.
Wawatam m Ojibwe
Possibly means "little goose" in Ojibwe. This was the name of an 18th-century chief of the Ottawa people.
Wayna m Quechua
Means "young boy" in Quechua.
Wayra m Quechua
Means "wind, air" in Quechua.
Wenona f English (Rare)
Variant of Winona.
Wenonah f Literature
Variant of Winona. This spelling of the name was used by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the mother of Hiawatha in his 1855 epic poem The Song of Hiawatha.
Wickaninnish m 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 Aymara
From Aymara wilka meaning "sun".
Winona f English, 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.
Wynona f English
Variant of Winona.
Wynonna f English (Rare)
Variant of Winona.
Xbalanque m Mayan Mythology
Possibly from Classic Maya balam "jaguar" and k'in "sun" or kej "deer". In the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the K'iche' Maya, Xbalanque and his twin brother Hunahpu avenge their father's death at the hands of the underworld gods.
Xiadani f Zapotec
Meaning uncertain, said to mean "the flower that arrived" in Zapotec.
Xitlalli f Nahuatl (Hispanicized)
Variant of Citlalli.
Xóchilt f Nahuatl (Hispanicized)
Spanish variant form of Xochitl.
Xochipilli m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "flower prince" in Nahuatl, from xōchitl "flower" and pilli "noble child, prince". Xochipilli was the Aztec god of love, flowers, song and games, the twin brother of Xochiquetzal.
Xochiquetzal f Aztec and Toltec Mythology, 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.
Xóchitl f Nahuatl (Hispanicized)
Spanish form of Xochitl.
Xochitl f Nahuatl
Means "flower" in Nahuatl.