Names That Mean Native

Denali

Place-name and Native American

"the great one"

Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. Twice as many girls as boys were given the name in…

Xareni

Otomi, Native American

Xareni is a goddess of love in the Otomi region in the central altiplano region of Mexico. The name Xareni is rising in the US — it was given to 66 baby girls in 2024.

Quetzalli

Nahuatl, Native American

"feather, precious thing"

A rare and lovely Nahuatl name, which literally means "quetzal feather" – a quetzal is a beautiful green bird native to Mexico, Guatemala and South America. The word is figuratively used to refer to…

Talulah

Choctaw, Native American

"leaping water"

Eluney

Mapuche, Native American

"give"

This stunning name feels like a rare and distinct successor to the popular Eleanor, Eloise, and similar names. It also shares elements with the fast-rising Luna.

Ketzaly

Variation of Quetzalli, Nahuatl, "feather; precious thing"

"feather; precious thing"

A phonetic spelling of Quetzalli, a rare and lovely name of Nahuatl origin, this name literally means "quetzal feather" in reference to the green and red quetzal bird, but is also used more…

Seneca

Latin surname and Native American

"people of the standing rock"

Seneca was both a Roman philosopher-statesman and is a Native American Iroquois tribe. Occasionally used for both girls and boys, Seneca is now a Hunger Games character.

Kree

Variation of Cree, Native American

The Cree are a Native American tribe local to Canada. Their name has seen a modest amount of use for both boys and girls in recent years, as has spelling variant Kree.

Malibu

Ventureño Chumash, Native American

"the surf sounds loudly"

Malibu, the name of a California beach city, evokes sunshine, surfing, and glamour. With its fashionable "oo" sound — as seen in names like Luna and Ruby — Malibu is an unexplored place name worth…

Yarelis

Variation of Yareli, Native American, Spanish

"water lady; small butterfly"

Koko

Japanese, Native American

"stork; night"

A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.

Kimimila

Lakota, Native American

"butterfly"

Kimimila is a trending choice among parents with Lakota heritage. It's especially popular in South Dakota, where many Lakota live today.

Lozen

Apache, Native American

"one who steals horses"

Lozen is the name of a female Apache warrior and medicine woman who fought with Geronimo in the 19th century. The sister of the warrior called Victorio, Lozen was the name chosen by soccer star Hope…