Across the United States, many places have Native American names. While some colonists opted to name their newfound homes after their homeland, like New York, many adopted the Native American names used for the area or words from Native languages for geographical features nearby.
Of the places with Native American names, almost none are pronounced or spelled as they would have in their origin Native language. Language barriers between colonists and the inhabitants warped the spellings and pronunciations. Over time, the names became those we use today. In some places, like Arkansas, the proper pronunciation and spelling were hotly contested until the government finally stepped in and declared the one proper way to refer to the state in 1881 — the way we use to this day.
Close to half of all states and many major towns derive their names from a word or phrase in one of the many Native languages spoken across the country hundreds of years ago. In honor of Indigenous People’s Day, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the history of many parts of this country to find some of the places with names that have origins in Native American languages.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed media outlets like Thought Catalog and Mental Floss, as well as local and state historical societies, to find 50 places with Native American names.
This list is in no way comprehensive. There are hundreds of places that we know get their names from Native American tribes, words, and historical figures. Beyond that, many more etymologies are unknown but still likely come from the indigenous people of America.
To find 50 places with Native American names, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed media outlets like Thought Catalog and Mental Floss, as well as local and state historical societies.
Click here to see 50 places with Native American names.
1. Alabama
> Origin of name: Albaamaha
> Definition of name: Plant gatherers or clears the thicket
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2. Alaska
> Origin of name: Aleut
> Definition of name: That which the sea breaks against or peninsula
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3. Arizona
> Origin of name: Tohono O’odham
> Definition of name: Small springs
4. Arkansas
> Origin of name: Quapaw
> Definition of name: Wind people
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5. Chattanooga, Tennessee
> Origin of name: Creek
> Definition of name: Rock rising to a point
6. Cheyenne, Wyoming
> Origin of name: Lakota
> Definition of name: People of different speech
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7. Chicago, Illinois
> Origin of name: Algonquian
> Definition of name: Stinky onion
8. Connecticut
> Origin of name: Mohegan
> Definition of name: Beside the long tidal river
9. Hackensack, New Jersey
> Origin of name: Achkinckeshacky
> Definition of name: Stony ground
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10. Hawaii
> Origin of name: Polynesian
> Definition of name: Homeland
11. Illinois
> Origin of name: Algonquian
> Definition of name: The men
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12. Indiana
> Origin of name: Iroquois Confederacy
> Definition of name: Land of the Indians
13. Iowa
> Origin of name: Ioway
> Definition of name: The beautiful land or sleepy ones
14. Kansas
> Origin of name: Sioux
> Definition of name: People of the south wind
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15. Kentucky
> Origin of name: Iroquoi Nation
> Definition of name: Possibly “Land of tomorrow,” “prairie,” or “river of blood”
16. Kokomo, Indiana
> Origin of name: Miami
> Definition of name: The diver
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17. Lake Erie, Ohio
> Origin of name: Eries
> Definition of name: Named for the Erie people
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18. Lake Tahoe, California
> Origin of name: Washoe
> Definition of name: Big water
19. Malibu, California
> Origin of name: Chumash
> Definition of name: Named for a Chumashan village
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20. Manhattan, New York
> Origin of name: Munsee Delaware
> Definition of name: Place for gathering the wood to make bows
21. Massachusetts
> Origin of name: Massachusett
> Definition of name: Near the great hill
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22. Miami, Florida
> Origin of name: Myaamia
> Definition of name: Downstream people
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23. Michigan
> Origin of name: Ojibwe
> Definition of name: Big lake
24. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
> Origin of name: Potawatomi
> Definition of name: Rich and beautiful land
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25. Minneapolis, Minnesota
> Origin of name: Sioux
> Definition of name: Water city
26. Minnesota
> Origin of name: Dakota
> Definition of name: White water or sky-tinted water
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27. Mississippi
> Origin of name: Ojibwa
> Definition of name: The father of waters
28. Missouri
> Origin of name: Sioux
> Definition of name: Town of the large canoes
29. Mobile, Alabama
> Origin of name: Mauvilla
> Definition of name: Boat paddlers
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30. Nebraska
> Origin of name: Otoe
> Definition of name: Flat water
31. North and South Dakota
> Origin of name: Sioux
> Definition of name: Friends or allies
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32. Norwalk, Connecticut
> Origin of name: Algonquin
> Definition of name: Point of land
33. Ohio
> Origin of name: Iroquois Confederacy
> Definition of name: Great river
34. Oklahoma
> Origin of name: Choctaw
> Definition of name: Red persons
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35. Oshkosh, Wisconsin
> Origin of name: Menominee
> Definition of name: Named for Menominee chief Oskosh
36. Pontiac, Illinois
> Origin of name: Ottawa
> Definition of name: Named for Odana chief
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37. Roanoke, Virginia
> Origin of name: Algonquian
> Definition of name: Shell money
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38. Saratoga, New York
> Origin of name: Mohawk
> Definition of name: Place of swift water
39. Savannah, Georgia
> Origin of name: Shawnee
> Definition of name: Named for Shawnee people
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40. Seattle, Washington
> Origin of name: Duwamish
> Definition of name: Named for Chief Seathl
41. Tampa, Florida
> Origin of name: Calusa
> Definition of name: Sticks of fire
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42. Tennessee
> Origin of name: Cherokee
> Definition of name: Winding river
43. Texas
> Origin of name: Caddo
> Definition of name: Friends or allies
44. Tippecanoe River, Indiana
> Origin of name: Miami
> Definition of name: Buffalo fish
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45. Tucson, Arizona
> Origin of name: Tohono O’odham
> Definition of name: Black base – refers to the Sentinel Mountains
46. Utah
> Origin of name: Ute
> Definition of name: People of the mountains
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47. Wheeling, West Virginia
> Origin of name: Delaware
> Definition of name: Head or skull
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48. Wisconsin
> Origin of name: Miami
> Definition of name: River running through a red place
49. Wyoming
> Origin of name: Delaware
> Definition of name: Mountains and valleys alternating or large plains
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50. Yankton, South Dakota
> Origin of name: Sioux
> Definition of name: People of the end village
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