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Thursday, August 2, 2018

AMERICAN INDIAN NAMES AND THEIR MEANINGS by CHERYL PIERSON

Anyone who knows me knows how crazy I am about name collecting. I’ve done it ever since I was a little girl—probably because my own name has such an odd pronunciation. Bear with me if you’ve read this before—it won’t take long. My parents named me Cheryl—but not pronounced SHARE-yl like most people would say. No, my name is pronounced CHAIR-yl. But wait, there’s more! As if that wasn’t bad enough—my dad had the bright idea to use “Kathlyn” for my middle name—not Kathryn or Kathleen—but his own combo. I think he did it on purpose so he could roll the entire thing off his tongue when he got perturbed with me.


Is it any wonder that I named my daughter Jessica and my son Casey? Though that proved to me nothing is fool-proof—Jessica was on a little league softball team with 8 other Jessicas, and Casey had 2 girls in his kindergarten class named Casey. The thing that saved the day was that there was also a girl named Michael—so he didn’t have to listen to “Casey’s a girl’s name”—since it really hadn’t been until the year he was born, evidently.
(CASEY AND JESSICA AT THE LAKE--THEY GREW UP AND DID OKAY!)


I wanted to talk a bit about Indian names we are all familiar with and what the meanings are—I thought that might be fun. Though no one really knows what their children will grow up to be, many of us choose names that have “meaning” behind them. My dad’s name was Frederic—which meant “Peaceful Ruler”—we had great fun with that over the years. Mom’s name was El Wanda—which she always told us meant “The One”—and my dad would say, “Well, THAT’S the truth! You’re THE ONE for me!”
(MY MOM AND DAD NEWLY MARRIED AND READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD)

But what about some of the famous leaders in history who were Indian?


GOYATHLAY m Native American, Apache
Means "one who yawns" in Apache. This was the real name of the Apache chief Geronimo, who fought against Mexican and American expansion into his territory.
(GERONIMO IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS)

HIAWATHA m History, Native American, Iroquois
From the Iroquoian name Haio-went-ha meaning "he who combs". This was the name of a 16th-century Mohawk leader who founded the Iroquois Confederacy. He was later the subject of a fictionalized 1855 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.


NANOOK m Native American, Inuit
Variant of NANUQ. This was the (fictional) name of the subject of Robert Flaherty's documentary film 'Nanook of the North' (1922).


POCAHONTAS f History, Native American, Algonquin
Means "she is playful" in Algonquin. This was the name of a young Algonquin woman, daughter of a powerful chief, who married a white colonist.



QUANAH m Native American, Comanche
Means "fragrant" in the Comanche language. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Comanche.
(IN THIS PICTURE, GERONIMO IS ON THE LEFT SIDE AND QUANAH PARKER ON THE RIGHT)

SACAGAWEA f Native 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.


TECUMSEH m Native American, Shawnee
Means "panther passing across" in Shawnee. This was the name of a Shawnee leader who, with his brother Tenskwatawa, resisted European expansion in the early 19th century.


WINONA f English, Native American, Sioux
Means "firstborn daughter" in the Dakota language. This was the name of the daughter of the Sioux Dakota chief Wapasha III.


These are just a few of the names and meanings that I found at this site. You might find it interesting to check out the others!
http://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/native-american


I'm curious--is there something odd about YOUR name? Do you wish you had a different one, or are you perfectly satisfied with the one your parents gave you?

24 comments:

  1. Fascinating post. Was your mother's name really El Wanda? How unusual.

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    1. Christine, the courthouse burned down when my mom was a young girl. I think maybe her real name was WANDA, and she had her aunt go with her to sign an affidavit of her real name being what it was, and it "became" El Wanda. She always said "Aunt Cora named me after a character in a novel she was reading." But...ah the mysteries. Now that she's gone we will never know for sure.

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    2. What a great story! I thought she was Spanish for a moment.

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    3. Christine, she told us that the book my aunt was reading was a romance novel and it was about a couple from Spain. So, there you go. LOL

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  2. I do enjoy finding out where names originated. Using names in stories is a big deal...not too many heroes named Sheldon. Sometimes as author has to dig deep into research when they are looking for an ethnic name for a character. I've used Lakota names for some of my characters and their pets. It lends authenticity to the story.
    But I think the most important names are the ones we choose for our pets and kids--and especially kids. They have to live with that name all their lives. Jessica and Casey are good names. I have heard some really off-beat and crazy names people have put on their kids like naming them after sexually transmitted diseases because the mother thought the name sounded "pretty", or making up a name using a foreign language, but spelling it incorrectly with weird punctuation that has no meaning. Sometimes parents name their kids something they think is funny, but puts a target for bullying on their kids' backs which is not funny at all.
    I like names with meaning or names passed down through the family--good solid names. I've seen names given for the state or month, or day of the week the child was born in which I sort of like. Remember River Phenix? Now there's a name you don't forget. Keanu Reeves? An ethnic name for certain, but lovely. I remember the unique pronunciation of your name, Cheryl, and I fear I would forget to pronounce it correctly if I ever talked to you in person. I would hate it if I did that.

    My sister and I were named after our great grandmothers on both sides. My sister is Mary Elizabeth for our paternal great grandmother and my name, Sarah Jane, for our maternal great grandmother. Our oldest sister, Marlene Jeanette, was not named after any ancestor. I liked that she had an "unused" name, but she always mourned the fact that her name didn't come from family history.

    BTW, I apologize for not posting on Wednesday. for the first time I completely forgot. I know I am going to blogger's jail for that.

    I enjoyed your blog about names, Cheryl. It reminds all of the importance of names in our stories and in our lives.

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    1. My oldest sister was named Mary Annette since she was the oldest grandchild on both sides of the family and both our grandmothers were named Mary. My middle sister was named Karen Elizabeth, since Mom's mother was named Mary Elizabeth. Dad's mom was Mary Alma--I'm glad they didn't feel the need to use Alma on me. Dad "made up" my name (the weird CH pronunciation and my middle name--Kathlyn, rather than Kathryn). Guess he was unleashing his creativity. LOL Don't worry about forgetting to post on Wednesday. I have so many blogs I try to post on that I do forget often on some of them. LOL

      And as for pronunciation--I still have relatives that call me SHeryl rather than CHeryl. LOL

      Thanks for stopping by today, Sarah!

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  3. Fascinating stuff, Cheryl. Forgive a small criticism, but the first native American photograph you show is NOT Geronimo. (I've got a bit of a nerve pointing this out as I got in trouble over a portrait of Cochise I used on the cover of my Sundown Press novel THE PEACEMAKER, with dispute breaking out over whether it was him!) What I like is how Indian names can be rendered different ways. I particularly like the name of the Comanche chief TALKS WITH DAWN SPIRITS, also rendered as HEARS THE SUN RISE. There was also a Kiowa medicine man called SKY WALKER a long time before Star Wars!

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    1. Well, good gravy, Andrew. Any idea who that could be? I remember that well about the portrait of Cochise. I love those names--Sky Walker and Hears the Sun Rise, Talks With Dawn Spirits--all just conjure up some real poetry don't they?

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    2. I think the Apache you show is MANGAS, son of MANGAS COLORADAS. Like you, I love the poetry in those names!

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    3. I don't think Geronimo was related to Mangas. I think you might be getting him mixed up with Cochise (I may have got mixed up about Cochise too!) Cochise was Mangas Coloradas's son-in-law, having married his daughter.

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    4. Oh, yes, yes! That's what I was thinking of, Andrew! Thank you for setting me straight.

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  4. I don't know who it is either, but your "good gravy" comment made me laugh out loud! Love that country twang!

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  5. Names are truly fascinating, and I love the older ones. My mom, age 92, has a middle name "Ozine." She didn't like it and only used the initial for her middle name UNTIL I did some genealogy and was able to share that she had a great aunt and an aunt with that name. One spelled it as OZINE sometimes, and OZINA other times. Frankly, I like that name so much, I intend to use in in a future novel. Nice post, Cheryl!

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    1. LOL Jodi--I write just like I talk. LOL

      My dad's grandmother (his mother's mother)was Cherokee. I believe her mother was full blood, but she took an American name, so hard to trace it. Anyhow, his grandmother's name was "Zania" but of course, people called her "Zanie"--She was really pretty. I have a picture of her. I love those old names. "Icy" used to be one that was used a lot. I love Ozine and Ozina! Yes, you have got to use that!

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  6. I remember reading the meanings of names when I was quite young. Always found it fascinating. Of course, I wasn't fond of my name, which in Greek is quite lengthly. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_(mythology) I once asked my mother why she chose the name. Her answer: It was the only name not used by anyone in either family. She did't want people to have bragging rights. *That was my mother*. Now, well, I've had it so long, it's just there. HAHAHA. Doris

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    1. Doris, I love that! LOL My mom always got kind of defensive if I said anything about not liking my name, I guess because my dad was the one who "came up" with it. She'd always say, "We wanted something different." Well...yeah...

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  7. Native American names are so difficult to get right in a story. I always worry I'll offend someone inadvertently. I love that photo of Geronimo with Quanah Parker. I've never seen that. What an amazing historical memento. My parents named me Kristy (Kristine) because they liked the name. My middle name is Lara, after the heroine of Dr. Zhivago. My grandmother would always get me little music players that played Lara's theme when I was growing up. Great post, Cheryl!

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    1. Kristy, if Dr. Zhivago had been a movie before I was born, I know I would most likely have been named that. My mom LOVED that name and that movie--it was one of her favorites. I learned to play the theme on the piano and she would always want to hear it. She tried to get me to name Jessica either Leah or Heather when she was born. LOL So I guess I might have been named one of those two names, too, if Mom had had her way about things. I love that pic of Geronimo and Quanah Parker, too. I'm so glad we have the capability of capturing these images in pictures. Can you imagine all the wonderful photos we would be without if that hadn't happened when it did? Thanks for stopping by!

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  8. Cheryl,

    I go by a pen name, but my real first and middle names were popular when I was born. I went all through school with five others by the same name. Some with different spelling. The middle names varied, so we were called by our first and middle names to keep us straight. lol When I took my first teaching job at 33 years old, I was on staff with four others by my same first name. That was nuts. lolol

    Such an interesting article, Cheryl. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Kaye, that happens so much--my husband already had Jessica's name decided on before she was born. He was CERTAIN it was a girl. She was JESSICA. But the middle name baffled us. I'm glad she has a very unusual middle name (Shea) because at least she can use that if she ever decides she wants to. LOL It kind of reminds me of the "Tammy" syndrome in the South, where all the girls are named "Tammy Jo, Tammy Lou, Tammy Beth" and so on. LOL But who knows that when they name their child? They just know what they like and that's what they decide on.

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  9. ....wait... what??? I've been saying your name wrong for how long now?? lol I'll have to remember that. ha!

    I always liked my name - thought it was a very pretty name, but growing up sometimes I thought I didn't live up to the pretty in my name. But wisdom comes with age, yeah?

    I also thought it was cool that growing up my initials spelled M+M'S and then when I got married, my new last name started with R so I kept with the entire registered name: M+M'S(R). Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on what camp you're in), I'm not a fan of the candies anymore.

    I always thought it would be cool to be given an Indian name -- something that describes me. But I wanted someone else to pick it out for me. Maybe someday!

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    1. And I love the history of everyone's names you shared. :)

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    2. Michelle, you certainly DO live up to the pretty in your name, girl! LOL And I love those initials. Boy, initials are really important, aren't they? I try to be mindful of those, even with my characters. LOL So glad you stopped by! Always love hearing from you!

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