Owls are very important to the Cherokee people — folklore associates them with warfare.

Journalist Hiawatha Bray is a singular contemporary bearer of this name of a Native-American leader immortalized in a Longfellow poem.

In Choctaw culture, along with that of certain other Native American tribes, names were not solidified at birth. New names were given after major life achievements. In this case, after a hunt.

Owls are revered and feared in Cherokee culture, thought of as witches in disguise. Uguku is one of multiple owl names in the Cherokee language. It is onomatopoetic with the owl's calls.

The evocative name of one of our most beautiful national parks -- yes, but also the bombastic cartoon character, Yosemite Sam.

Often written in English as Cooweescoowee — a place name in Oklahoma.

The prefix La- was historically used by the Free Blacks of New Orleans in the nineteenth century to indicate paternity. Thus, someone named Lashawn was the son of Shawn, a phonetic spelling of Sean, the Irish variation of John.

A name given among the Choctaw tribe of Mississippi and Oklahoma.

A Cherokee warrior rank that was borne by those who earned it, not given as a baby name.

Any name that combines two big trends -- in this case, occupational and western names -- has potential.