List of place names of Native American origin in the United States

Many places throughout the United States take their names from the languages of the indigenous Native American/American Indian tribes. The following list includes settlements, geographic features, and political subdivisions whose names are derived from these languages.

State names

Alabama – named for the Alibamu, a tribe whose name derives from a Choctaw phrase meaning "thicket-clearers" or "plant-cutters" (from albah, "(medicinal) plants", and amo, "to clear"). Alaska – from the Aleut phrase alaxsxaq, meaning "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed").Ransom, J. Ellis. 1940. Derivation of the Word ‘Alaska’. American Anthropologist n.s., 42: pp. 550–551 Arizona – disputed origin; likely from the O'odham phrase ali ṣona-g, meaning "having a little spring". Arkansas – from the Illinois rendering of the tribal autonym kką:ze (see Kansas, below), which the Miami and Illinois used to refer to the Quapaw. Connecticut – from some Eastern Algonquian language of southern New England (perhaps Mahican), meaning "at the long tidal river" (after the Connecticut River).Afable, Patricia O. and Madison S. Beeler (1996). "Place Names", in "Languages", ed. Ives Goddard. Vol. 17 of Handbook of North American Indians, ed. William C. Sturtevant. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, pg. 193 Campbell suggest an origin from the Mohegan meaning simply "long river". Idaho – may be from Plains Apache ídaahę́, "enemy", used to refer to the Comanches, or it may have been an invented word. Illinois – from the French rendering of an Algonquian (perhaps Miami) word apparently meaning "s/he speaks normally" (cf. Miami ilenweewa), from Proto-Algonquian *elen-, "ordinary" + -wē, "to speak", referring to the Illiniwek. Iowa – from Dakota ayúxba or ayuxwe, via French Aiouez.2001. "Plains", ed. Raymond J. DeMallie. Vol. 13 of "Handbook of North American Indians", ed. William C. Sturtevant. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, pg. 445 Kansas – from the autonym kką:ze. Kentucky – from an Iroquoian word meaning "at the meadow" or "on the prairie"Mithun, Marianne. 1999. Languages of Native North America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pg. 312 (cf. Seneca gëdá’geh , "at the field"). Massachusetts – from an Algonquian language of southern New England, and apparently means "near the small big mountain", usually identified as Great Blue Hill on the border of Milton and Canton, MassachusettsSalwen, Bert, 1978. Indians of Southern New England and Long Island: Early Period. In "Northeast", ed. Bruce G. Trigger. Vol. 15 of "Handbook of North American Indians", ed. William C. Sturtevant, pp. 160–176. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. Quoted in: Campbell, Lyle. 1997. American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pg. 401 (cf. the Narragansett name Massachusêuck). Michigan – from the Ottawa phrase mishigami, meaning "large water" or "large lake".". Minnesota – from the Dakota phrase mni-sota, roughly meaning "cloudy water". Mississippi – from an Algonquian language, probably Ojibwe, meaning "big river" (Ojibwe misiziibi). Missouri – named for the Missouri tribe, whose name comes from Illinois mihsoori, "dugout canoe".McCafferty, Michael. 2004. Correction: Etymology of Missouri. American Speech, 79.1:32 Nebraska – from the Chiwere phrase ñįbraske, meaning "flattened water". New Mexico – the name "Mexico" comes from Nahuatl Mēxihco, of unknown derivation. North Dakota and South Dakota – dakhóta comes from the Sioux word for "friend" or "ally". Ohio – from Seneca ohi:yo’, "beautiful river". Oklahoma – invented by Chief Allen Wright as a rough translation of "Indian Territory"; in Choctaw, okla means "people", "tribe", or "nation", and homa- means "red", thus: "Red people". Tennessee – derived from the name of a Cherokee village, Tanasi, whose etymology is unknown. Texas – from the Caddo phrase táyshaʔ, meaning "friend". Utah – from a language of one of the Ute tribe's neighbors, such as Western Apache yúdah, "high up". Wisconsin – originally "Mescousing", from an Algonquian language, though the source and meaning is not entirely clear; most likely from the Miami word Meskonsing meaning "it lies red"McCafferty, Michael. 2003. On Wisconsin: The Derivation and Referent of an Old Puzzle in American Placenames . Onoma 38: 39-56 (cf. Ojibwe miskosin). Wyoming – from the Munsee Delaware phrase xwé:wamənk, meaning "at the big river flat".

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware Settlements

Appoquinimink Hundred Hockessin Minquadale Naamans Gardens – named after a Minqua chief who befriended the settlers of New Sweden. Naamans Creek Wawaset Park Wyoming – from the Munsee Delaware phrase xwé:wamənk, meaning "at the big river flat".

District of Columbia Settlements Anacostia – from the Piscataway name Anakwashtank, meaning 'a place of traders'. Originally the name of a village of the Piscataway tribe on the Anacostia River. Also rendered as Nacochtank or Nacostine. Takoma – originally the name of Mount Rainier, from Lushootseed (earlier ), 'snow-covered mountain'. The location on the boundary of DC and Maryland was named Takoma in 1883 by DC resident Ida Summy, who believed it to mean 'high up' or 'near heaven'.

Bodies of water Potomac River – from the Piscataway language or the Powhatan language, original form patawomek, meaning 'they bring it' (for trading).

Florida Counties

Alachua County and Alachua – from the Timucuan chua, meaning sinkhole. Escambia County Manatee County – from Taíno-Kalíña manatí meaning "breast". Okaloosa County – from the Choctaw words oka (water) and lusa (black). Okeechobee County – from the Hitchiti words oki (water) and chobi (big), a reference to Lake Okeechobee, the largest lake in Florida. Osceola County – named after Osceola, the Native American leader who led the Second Seminole War. Sarasota County Seminole County – named after the Seminole Native American tribe. Suwannee County – from Timucua "suwani" meaning "echo river". Suwannee River Volusia County Wakulla County

Settlements

Abacoa – Originally the name of a village of the Jaega tribe. Alafaya – After the Alafay people, a sub-group of the Pohoy Apalachicola – from Choctaw Apalachee + oklah, "people". Name of the Apalachicola Province. Apopka – from probably Seminole Aha, meaning "Potato," and papka, meaning "eating place". Hialeah – From Muscogee meaning "pretty prairie". Immokalee – from Choctaw(?) im-okli, "his/her home". Kissimmee – Disputed meaning, perhaps derived from Ais word "Cacema" meaning "long water". Miami – Native American name for Lake Okeechobee and the Miami River, precise origin debated; see also Mayaimi Micanopy – named after Seminole chief Micanopy. Myakka City – from unidentified Native American language. Ocala – from Timucua meaning "Big Hammock". Pensacola – from the Choctaw name of a Muskogean group, "hair people", from pashi, "hair" + oklah, "people". Steinhatchee – from the Muscogee "hatchee" meaning creek Tallahassee – from the name of a Creek town, talahá:ssi, perhaps from (i)tálwa, "tribal town" + ahá:ssi, "old, rancid". Tampa – probably from the name of a Calusa village, with no further known etymology. Tequesta – named for the Tequesta tribe. Thonotosassa – from the Seminole-Creek words thlonto and sasse, meaning the place was a source of valuable flint. Wekiva Springs – from Creek word for "spring".

Bodies of water Caloosahatchee River – from Calusa + hatchee, Choctaw for river. Loxahatchee River – from Seminole for river of turtles. Ocklawaha River - from Creek ak-lowahe for muddy. Withlacoochee River – from Creek we (water), thlako (big), and chee (little), or little big water.

Other Paynes Prairie – named after leading chief of the Seminoles King Payne.

Georgia Counties

Catoosa County Chattahoochee County Chattahoochee River – a major tributary of the Apalachicola River that makes up the southern half of the Alabama-Georgia border Chattooga County Cherokee County – named after the Cherokee people. Coweta County Muscogee County Oconee County Seminole County

Settlements Cataula – a small community on US 27 in Harris County where 20th century guitar virtuoso Chet Adkins was born Centralhatchee Chickamauga Cusseta Dahlonega Hiawassee Nankipooh – once a whistle stop on the Central of Georgia railroads "R" branch, it is now a suburb of Columbus Ochillie – a creek that flows northwest through Chattahoochee county, within the boundaries of the Fort Benning military reservation, and into Upatoi creek Savannah Schatulga – a small community in western Columbus/Muscogee County Tallapoosa Toccoa Upatoi – a creek that runs between Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in west-central Georgia Unadilla Weracoba – a creek and city park in Columbus Willacoochee

Hawaii Counties

Hawaii County Honolulu County Kalawao County Kauaʻi County Maui County

Idaho Counties

Benewah County Caribou County Caribou Mountain Caribou Range Caribou–Targhee National Forest Kootenai County Kootenai River Latah County Latah Creek Minidoka County Oneida County Owyhee County Owyhee Mountains Owyhee River North Fork Owyhee River Middle Fork Owyhee River South Fork Owyhee River Little Owyhee River Shoshone County City of Shoshone Shoshone John Peak Shoshone Falls

Settlements

Ahsahka Chatcolet Cocolalla Genesee Inkom Kamiah Kuna Lapwai Lapwai Creek Minidoka Nampa Picabo Pocatello Potlatch Potlatch River Tyhee Weippe Weippe Prairie

Bodies of water

Hoodoo Lake Lochsa River Pahsimeroi River Secesh River Spokane River Chief Eagle Eye Creek Tolo Lake Toxaway Lake Yuba River

Other Moolack Mountain Mount Iowa Sacajawea Peaks

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas Counties

Chautauqua County Cherokee County – named after the Cherokee people. Cheyenne County – named after the Cheyenne people. Comanche County – named after the Comanche people. Kiowa County Miami County – named after the Miami people. Nemaha County Neosho County Osage County – named after the Osage people. Osage City Ottawa County – named after the Odawa people. City of Ottawa Pawnee County – named after the Pawnee people. Pottawatomie County – named after the Potawatomi people. Shawnee County – named after the Shawnee people. City of Shawnee Wabaunsee County Wichita County – disputed; from Choctaw, "Big Arbor".Osage, "Scattered Lodges". Kiowa, "Tattooed Faces". Creek, "Barking Water". City of Wichita Wyandotte County – named after the Wyandotte people.

Settlements

Osawatomie – a compound of two primary Native American Indian tribes from the area, the Osage and Pottawatomie Tonganoxie – derives its name from a member of the Delaware tribe that once occupied land in what is now Leavenworth County and western Wyandotte County Topeka – from Kansa dóppikʔe, "a good place to dig wild potatoes"

Kentucky Settlements Kuttawa Paducah

Other Cherokee Park – named after the Cherokee people. Iroquois Park – The Iroquois Tribe is a federally recognized Native American tribe. Shawnee Park – The Shawnee Tribe is a federally recognized Native American tribe.

Louisiana Parishes

Avoyelles Parish – for the Avoyel people Caddo Parish – for the Caddo Native Americans Calcasieu Parish – means 'crying eagle,' the name of an Atakapa leader Catahoula Parish – from a Taensa word meaning 'big, clear lake' Catahoula Lake Natchitoches Parish – after the Natchitoches people. Natchitoches Ouachita Parish – for the Ouachita River Plaquemines Parish – based on the Atakapa word for persimmon, as the early French colonists found persimmon trees growing in the lands near the mouth of the Mississippi River. Plaquemine – town in Iberville Parish, in the vicinity of Bayou Plaquemine Brulé (see above) Bayou Plaquemine Brule – translating as 'burnt persimmon bayou'