Would you like to honor your First Nations heritage by giving your future son or daughter a Native American name? Well, you’re in luck, because we compiled a list of Native American names, many of which are so uncommon you may be hearing them for the very first time.
The name Cheyenne comes from the Sioux word “shaia,” which means “to speak unintelligibly or people of a different language.” Cheyenne was also the name of a river and a city belonging to the Algonquian tribe. This beautiful name’s popularity peaked in the 1990s before seemingly falling off the charts.
Other gorgeous Native American names are Kaya, Lulu, and Winona. The name Kaya means “my eldest sister” and has been in the US top 1,000 since the early 2000s. The name Winona is of Sioux origin and also means “firstborn daughter.”
If you’d like to give your boy or girl a Native American name that honors wildlife, you may take a liking to names like Onacona and Lulu. Onacona is a rare boy name that means “white owl,” whereas the girl name Lulu is quite common and means “rabbit.” The name Lulu is also seen in languages of Latin descent, although in Europe it often means “pearl.”
Another great name for boys is Elan, which is a Native American name meaning “friendly.” Elan has close ties to the Hebrew name Ilan, which means “pine tree or evergreen.”
Achak
Meaning: Spirit
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Adsila
Meaning: Blossom
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Akando
Meaning: Ambush
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Alo
Meaning: Spiritual guide
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Anna
Meaning: Mother
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Bena
Meaning: Pheasant
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Bodaway
Meaning: Fire maker
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Catori
Meaning: Spirit (Hopi)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Chansomps
Meaning: Locust
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Cheyenne
Meaning: An Algonquian tribe of the Great Plains
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Chitsa
Meaning: Fair
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Cholena
Meaning: Bird
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Ciqala
Meaning: Little one (Dakota)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Dakota
Meaning: Friend, ally
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Dena
Meaning: Valley
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Elan
Meaning: Friendly
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Etenia
Meaning: Rich
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Flo
Meaning: Arrow
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Halona
Meaning: Of happy fortune
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Hinto
Meaning: Blue (Dakota)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Istas
Meaning: Snow
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Kachada
Meaning: White man (Hopi)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Kaya
Meaning: Elder sister (Hopi)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Kimi
Meaning: Secret (Algonquin)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Kohana
Meaning: Swift (Sioux)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Lulu
Meaning: Rabbit
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Magena
Meaning: Moon
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Mahala
Meaning: Woman
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Maska
Meaning: Strong
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Meturato
Meaning: Black kettle (Cheyenne)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Minal
Meaning: Fruit
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Motega
Meaning: New arrow
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Namid
Meaning: Star dancer (Chippewa)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Nashota
Meaning: Twin
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Nigan
Meaning: Ahead
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Nosh
Meaning: Father (Algonquin)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Onakona
Meaning: Resembling a white owl
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Ogin
Meaning: Wild rose
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Onawa
Meaning: Wide awake
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Pahana
Meaning: Lost white brother (Hopi)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Pat
Meaning: Fish
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Petunia
Meaning: Flower name
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Sakima
Meaning: King
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Shilah
Meaning: Brother (Navajo)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Sisika
Meaning: Bird
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Takoda
Meaning: Friend to everyone (Sioux)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Tehya
Meaning: Predous
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Tocho
Meaning: Mountain lion (Hopi)
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Wakiza
Meaning: Desperate warrior
Origin: Native American
Gender: Boy
Winema
Meaning: Chief
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl