First Nations, Indigenous, and Native American Names
Updated Tue Jan 28 2025
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First Nations, Indigenous, and Native American Names are traditional to North, Central, and South America. Each tribe has different languages and naming conventions, making Native American names a particularly diverse set.
You may recognize names like Sacagawea and Hiawatha from history, but many First Nations and Native American names are being revived by modern parents with Indigenous roots. Cree names such as Kimiwan and Yuutin are seeing greater use in Canada, and Kimimila is a trending name among the Lakota people of South Dakota.
Mayan and Nahuatl names like Citlali and Xochitl have long been favorites of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, but parents are now embracing rarer choices native to Central America. Alitzel and Eluney were among the fastest-rising names of recent years.
There are a number of cross-cultural names that have Indigenous origins. Tallulah is both Choctaw and Irish, Koda is Japanese and Sioux, and Kai is Navajo, Chinese, Hawaiian, and more.
We've also included many tribe and Indigenous place names on this list, but these are not typically seen as given names among Indigenous peoples.
If you have Native heritage, you may consider using a name from your tribe. Here is our full collection of First Nations, Native American, and Indigenous names, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Kai
Origin:
Hawaiian, Frisian, ChineseMeaning:
"sea; warrior; triumph"Description:
Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries.
- Tallulah
Origin:
Choctaw, IrishMeaning:
"leaping water, lady of abundance"Description:
This hauntingly euphonious Choctaw name has re-entered the public domain, as memories of the outrageous actress Tallulah Bankhead have faded. For years, Tallulah was a name associated only with Bankhead, named for her paternal grandmother who was named after the Georgia town of Tallulah Falls.
- Koda
Origin:
Japanese, SiouxMeaning:
"friend"Description:
A word in the Yankton-Yanktonai and Santee dialects of the Lakota Sioux language, meaning "friend" or "ally", used for one of the main characters in the movie Brother Bear. Also a common Japanese surname or a respelling of the musical name Coda.
- Winona
Origin:
Sioux IndianMeaning:
"firstborn daughter"Description:
Rode two rockets to fame, with actress Winona Ryder and singer Wynonna Judd. Winona entered the Top 1000 for the first time since 1957 this past year in 2022, following in the footsteps of trending short form Winnie.
- Yara
Origin:
Arabic, Persian, Brazilian, HebrewMeaning:
"friend, helper; strength; water nymph; honeycomb"Description:
The multicultural Yara is a sweet but substantial choice that could make a more unusual take on Sara and also work in multiple languages Popular in Portugal, The Netherlands, and Switzerland, familiar in the UK and France, it entered the US Top 1000 in 2017 and has been climbing the charts ever since.
- Dakota
Origin:
Place-name; SiouxMeaning:
"friendly one"Description:
An early and still one of the most popular unisex names, also a place name and name of a Native American people in the northern Mississippi valley, which makes it a controversial baby name choice. While the popularity of Dakota is trending downward for both genders, it's one of those rare genuinely gender-neutral names that is used for nearly equal numbers of boys and girls.
- Tula
Origin:
Choctaw, English, Spanish, Hindi, or KiswahiliMeaning:
"leaping waters; town; spear strength; mountain peak"Description:
Tula is a multicultural name, linked to the names Tallulah, Gertrude, and Tullia, a mountain range in Antarctica, and to the Greek Toula, used for the heroine of the hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
- Xochitl
Origin:
Nahuatl, AztecMeaning:
"flower"Description:
Xochitl is a Nahuatl or Aztec floral name used in southern Mexico and pronounced SO-chee-tl or SHO-chee-tl, although sometimes the "tl" at the end is not pronounced. Internet entrepreneur Xochi Birch is probably the best-known bearer in the US – except for the Xochitl brand tortilla chips. Definitely among the most intriguing international flower names and a beautiful choice for those looking to honor Nahuatl heritage.
- Aya
Origin:
Japanese, Hebrew, Danish, ArabicMeaning:
"colorful, design; honey buzzard, bird; rock, lull, happiness; sign, verse"Description:
Aya, barely more than a breath, is an international favorite, with origins in several languages and cultures. Popular throughout Europe, It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2012.
- Dakota
Origin:
Native American tribe and place name; SiouxMeaning:
"friendly one"Description:
A Native American tribe name which is found in the names of two US states, Dakota was one of the first trendy nineties place names, but is now flagging a little in popularity. The cultural question around using a Native American tribe name as a baby name may be partly to blame.
- Naia
Origin:
Hawaiian, Greek, BasqueMeaning:
"dolphin; to flow; wave, sea foam"Description:
A multicultural option that's equally intriguing but more unusual than Maia. Connected to water and the ocean, it is a Top 100 choice in Spain and Puerto Rico and has been rising up the charts in France and the UK in recent years. Alternative (and equally multicultural) spelling alternative Nya has also proved popular.
- Koi
Origin:
Japanese or ChoctawMeaning:
"carp; panther"Description:
The Koi is a variety of carp especially popular in ornamental gardens in Japan, where they are a symbol of good fortune. In Buddhist culture, the koi is associated with courage. Being one letter away from trendy Kai boosts its prospects as a cool unisex name.
- Chito
Origin:
Choctaw, Native AmericanMeaning:
"handsome"Description:
A short, snappy name of Choctaw origin, with a charming meaning, Chito might also be used in Georgian where it means "bird", and as a Filipino and Spanish short form and pet name.
- Tennessee
Origin:
Native American, Cherokee, place-nameMeaning:
"bend in the river or meeting place"Description:
When playwright Thomas Lanier Williams adopted the pen name of Tennessee, he created a new possibility among American place-names, although it's admittedly a bit bulky in size.
- Alo
Origin:
EstonianMeaning:
"beginning; defender of men"Description:
Originating from the historical Baltic region of Livonia, Alo is used in modern-day Estonia as a diminutive of Aleksander and as a word-inspired name, deriving from alustus, meaning "beginning". Elsewhere, Alo has been used as a short form of Aloysius and is also a Native American name of Hopi origin, meaning "spiritual guide" or "look up".
- Itzel
Origin:
MayanMeaning:
"rainbow lady"Description:
This name, stemming from the Mayan mythological figure of the Rainbow Lady, is a surprising pop hit, primarily among Hispanic parents.
- Kai
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"sea"Description:
This appealing multi-cultural name, pronounced KYE, is beginning to be used for girls as well as boys. Among its many derivations and meanings: "sea" in Hawaiian, "forgiveness" in Japanese, "willow tree" in Navajo, "food" in Maori, and "earth" in Scandinavian. For girls, it debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2010.
- Cheyenne
Origin:
SiouxMeaning:
"people of a different language"Description:
The name of a courageous tribe, Cheyenne became quite popular in the 1990s, inspiring a wide range of spelling variations—Shyanne is one example that's still on the rise.
- Yaretzi
Origin:
Nahuatl, AztecMeaning:
"you will always be loved"Description:
This unusual name from the Nahuatl or Aztec language has one of the best meanings around. It sprang onto the US popularity list in 2006 and made a brief appearance in the Top 300 before sliding down a bit. It's popular in Mexico and with US Americans of Latino or Hispanic heritage, hitting on two big girl name trends in those communities: Ya- beginnings and -i endings.
- Itzae
Origin:
MayanMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Itzae is an ancient Mayan name showing signs of revival in our modern world.