Salish

SAY-lish
Place name, English form of Séliš, Salishan
"Salish people"

Salish Origin and Meaning

The name Salish is a girl's name meaning "Salish people".

The Salishan are ingenious people from the Pacific North West, made up of four major groups who speak one of 23 Salishan languages. The name "Salish" is an anglicization of Séliš, the local name of the Salish Tribes of the Flathead Reservation in Montana. They are known for their weaving and work with red cedar wood.

It also appears in the name of a sea in the Pacific Ocean, the Salish Sea, which was renamed in 2009 to reflect the significance of the water to the Salishan, and to recognize the importance of taking care of it.

Rarely used as a given name, it is notably borne by Salish Matter, a social media star and a competitive gymnast, who is the daughter of YouTuber and photographer Jordan Matter. In response to questions about his daughter's name, her father explained it was inspired by a cruise in the Pacific North West that the family took when her mother, Lauren Boyer, was pregnant with her. On hearing the name of the Salish Sea, her then three-year-old brother insisted it was his sister's name, and it stuck.

Yet to appear in the US stats, it may appeal to those who have Salishan ancestry that they wish to honor.

Famous People Named Salish

  • Salish Matter
    YouTuber and daughter of Jordan Matter