Native American Names
Native American names come from hundreds of distinct nations and languages, from Lakota and Ojibwe on the Northern Plains and Great Lakes to Cherokee in the Southeast and Diné (Navajo) in the Southwest. Traditionally, names were earned and could change over a lifetime, marking a vision, a deed or a family connection. This page gathers real names and name-words with accurate meanings, credited to the language they come from.
You’ll also find names of great historical figures, American places with Native names and a taste of Hawaiian names, since Native Hawaiians are the Indigenous people of Hawai‘i. For full lists, see Native American boy names, Native American girl names and Hawaiian names.
Native American Names: browse all lists
Native American girl names
A few lovely girl names from Native languages, each credited to its source. Browse many more in our full list of Native American girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Winona | First-born daughter | Dakota |
| Nizhoni | Beautiful | Navajo (Diné, nizhóní) |
| Ahyoka | She brought happiness | Cherokee; Sequoyah’s daughter |
| Adsila | Blossom | Cherokee |
| Salali | Squirrel | Cherokee |
| Ama | Water | Cherokee |
| Tallulah | Leaping waters (commonly given) | Muskogee/Cherokee place name |
| Kateri | Mohawk form of Catherine | Mohawk (Kanien’kéha) |
| Nokomis | Grandmother | Ojibwe |
| Waaseyaa | It is bright, light | Ojibwe |
| Giizhig | Sky, day | Ojibwe (unisex) |
| Wiyaka | Feather | Lakota |
| Zintkala | Bird | Lakota |
| Doli | Bluebird | Navajo (Diné, unisex) |
Native American boy names
Strong, nature-rooted words from living languages. See the complete list of Native American boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Mato | Bear | Lakota |
| Wanbli | Eagle | Lakota |
| Tate | Wind | Lakota |
| Ohitika | Brave | Lakota |
| Chaska | First-born son | Dakota |
| Makwa | Bear | Ojibwe |
| Migizi | Bald eagle | Ojibwe |
| Animikii | Thunder, thunderbird | Ojibwe |
| Noodin | Wind | Ojibwe |
| Waya | Wolf | Cherokee |
| Yona | Bear | Cherokee |
| Tsula | Fox | Cherokee |
| Atsa | Eagle | Navajo (Diné) |
| Bidziil | He is strong | Navajo (Diné) |
Famous Native American names from history
Leaders, guides, writers and saints whose names are known across North America.
| Name | Meaning | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Pocahontas | Playful one (a nickname; her names included Amonute and Matoaka) | Powhatan woman, 1590s–1617 |
| Sacagawea | Bird woman (Hidatsa reading) | Lemhi Shoshone guide of Lewis and Clark |
| Tekakwitha | She who bumps into things (commonly given) | Kateri Tekakwitha, first Native American saint |
| Zitkala-Sa | Red Bird | Yankton Dakota writer and activist |
| Tecumseh | Shooting star; panther crossing the sky | Shawnee leader |
| Sequoyah | Meaning disputed | Creator of the Cherokee syllabary |
| Hiawatha | He who makes rivers (commonly given) | Co-founder of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy |
| Osceola | Black drink singer | Seminole leader |
| Geronimo | Spanish Jerome; Apache name Goyaałé, “one who yawns” | Bedonkohe Apache leader |
| Quanah | Fragrant | Comanche leader |
| Tatanka | Bison bull (from Sitting Bull’s name) | Hunkpapa Lakota leader |
| Ohiyesa | The winner | Charles Eastman, Dakota author |
American places with Native names
Thousands of U.S. place names come from Native languages, and some have become first names. More in our fantasy city names if you’re building a world of your own.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Dakota | Friend, ally | Dakota |
| Cheyenne | Speakers of a foreign language (from Dakota) | Dakota |
| Tahoe | Lake | Washo |
| Mississippi | Great river | Ojibwe |
| Minnesota | Sky-tinted or cloudy water | Dakota |
| Wyoming | At the big river flat | Munsee Lenape |
| Chicago | Wild onion, wild leek | Miami-Illinois |
| Ohio | Great river | Seneca |
| Oklahoma | Red people | Choctaw |
| Tallahassee | Old town | Muskogee |
| Topeka | A good place to dig potatoes (commonly given) | Kansa/Osage |
| Milwaukee | Good land or gathering place by the water | Algonquian |
| Winnipeg | Muddy water | Cree |
| Ottawa | Traders | Algonquin/Odawa |
Hawaiian names
Native Hawaiians are the Indigenous people of Hawai‘i, and their names are a world of their own. Explore Hawaiian girl names, Hawaiian boy names and Hawaii island names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Leilani | Heavenly flower | Girl |
| Kailani | Sea and sky | Girl |
| Malia | Mary | Girl |
| Moana | Ocean | Girl |
| Mahina | Moon | Girl |
| Makana | Gift | Girl |
| Kai | Sea | Unisex |
| Kalani | The heavens | Unisex |
| Nalu | Wave, surf | Unisex |
| Koa | Brave; the koa tree | Boy |
| Keanu | The cool breeze | Boy |
| Kekoa | The brave one | Boy |
Using Native American names with respect
- Name the nation. There is no single “Native American language,” so say that Nizhoni is Navajo or that Waya is Cherokee.
- Avoid sacred names, ceremonial titles and names of spiritual beings, and never use words like “Chief” or “Princess” as names.
- Distrust romantic translations. Many online lists invent meanings; stick to names you can trace to a real word or person.
- If you are Native, your tribe’s language department or elders are the best guides; many nations still hold naming ceremonies.
- For similar meanings in other cultures, explore names that mean wolf or names that mean earth.
Frequently asked questions
How were Native American names traditionally given?
It varied by nation. Many gave a childhood name at or after birth and a new name later, earned through a vision, an achievement or a ceremony, sometimes bestowed by an elder.
What are some real Native American names with meanings?
Winona (Dakota, first-born daughter), Nizhoni (Navajo, beautiful), Waya (Cherokee, wolf), Mato (Lakota, bear) and Migizi (Ojibwe, bald eagle) are all genuine words or names.
Are Hawaiian names Native American names?
Native Hawaiians are Indigenous Americans in the broad sense, but their language and culture are Polynesian, distinct from the tribes of the mainland.
What does Dakota mean?
Dakota means “friend” or “ally” in the Dakota language; it is also the name of the Dakota people.
Is Winona a Native American name?
Yes. Winona is the traditional Dakota name for a first-born daughter and became widespread through legend and place names such as Winona, Minnesota.