Minik

Greenlandic

"oil used to seal skins"

Minik Origin and Meaning

The name Minik is a boy's name meaning "oil used to seal skins".

Minik has long been among the Top 10 names in Greenland, but only came to international attention in 2011 when the Danish royal family used it as one of Prince Vincent's middle names.

Minik also has a much sadder history. Minik was one of the six Inuk people (the only child) brought to New York by the megalomaniacal explorer Robert Peary to be studied by anthropologists at the American Museum of Natural History. His father, who died soon after arriving, was put on display as a skeleton. Minik eventually went back to Greenland; however, finding that he had forgotten much of his language and culture, he decided to return to New York. He died soon after in the influenza pandemic of 1918.

Famous People Named Minik

• Minik Wallace Greenlandic Inuk boy brought to New York by explorer Robert Peary
• Minik Dahl Høegh Greenlandic handballer
• Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat; younger son of Crown Prince Frederik