List of place names in Canada of Indigenous origin

This list of place names in Canada of Indigenous origin contains Canadian places whose names originate from the words of the First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, collectively referred to as Indigenous peoples. When possible, the original word or phrase used by Indigenous Peoples is included, along with its generally believed meaning. Names listed are only those used in English or French, as many places have alternate names in the local native languages, e.g. Alkali Lake, British Columbia, is Esket in the Shuswap language; Lytton, British Columbia, is Camchin in the Thompson language (often used in English however, as Kumsheen).

Canada The name Canada comes from the word meaning "village" or "settlement" in the Saint-Lawrence IroquoianBruce G. Trigger and James F. Pendergast. (1978), "Saint-Lawrence Iroquoians", in Handbook of North American Indians. Volume 15. Washington: Smithsonian Institution, pp. 357–361 language spoken by the inhabitants of Stadacona and the neighbouring region near present-day Quebec City in the 16th century.Jacques Cartier. (1545).Relation originale de Jacques Cartier. Paris, Tross, 1863 edition, page 48. Another contemporary meaning was "land."Alan Rayburn. (2001). Naming Canada: stories about Canadian place names, 2nd ed. () University of Toronto Press: Toronto; p. 13. Jacques Cartier was first to use the word "Canada" to refer not only to the village of Stadacona, but also to the neighbouring region and to the Saint-Lawrence River.

In other Iroquoian languages, the words for "town" or "village" are similar: Mohawk uses ,Mithun, Marianne (1999). The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressBright (2004:78) Seneca , and Onondaga uses .Rayburn, op. cit, p. 14.

Provinces and territories Provinces and territories whose official names are aboriginal in origin are Yukon, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nunavut.

Manitoba: Either derived from the Cree word meaning "the strait of the spirit or manitobau" or the Assiniboine words and meaning "Lake of the Prairie", referring to Lake Manitoba. Nunavut: "Our land" in Inuktitut. Ontario: Derived from the Huron word meaning "beautiful lake", or meaning "sparkling" or "beautiful" water. Quebec: from the Míkmaq word , meaning "strait" or "narrows".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. 191 Saskatchewan: Derived from the Cree name for the Saskatchewan River, , meaning "swift flowing river". Yukon: from an Athabaskan language, e.g. Koyukon or Lower Tanana .Bright (2004:583)

By province and territory

Alberta Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation no. 437 (formerly "Indian Reserve") named after the Alexis family, prominent in the band Amisk: "Beaver" in Cree. Athabasca: "Where there are reeds" in Cree (formerly spelled Athabaska) Athabasca (town) Athabasca River Athabasca Falls Lake Athabasca Mount Athabasca, Battle River translation of Cree place name. There were many fights in its area between Cree, Blackfoot and Nakoda.Fromhold, 2001 Indian Place Names of the West Bear Hills Lake translation of Cree place name. Bear Hill translation of Cree place name. Beaver Hills (includes today's Elk Island Park) translation of Cree, Blackfoot and Nakoda place names for the feature. Cree name for area is , Cree name for Edmonton is (Beaver Mountain House, Blood Reserve 148 (formerly Indian reserve) Kinai First Nation, name roughly translated as Blood in the past Bow River English translation of Blackfoot name for the river – Makhabn, "river where bow reeds grow" (Blackfoot), reeds there were good for making bows with which to shoot arrows."About the Bow River". Bow Riverkeeper. Archived from the original on 2010-05-18. Retrieved 9 April 2012 Bow Valley Natural Area (see Bow River) Calgary roads (trails) named after Indigenous nations and an element of Métis lifestyle—Stoney, Blackfoot, Metis, Shaganappi, Sarcee, and Peigan Trails are all named in honour of the first people on this continent, although the latter two have since changed their names. The Peigan are now known as the Piikani Nation and the Sarcee are now the Tsuut’ina Nation, but both street names remain. Chipewyan: "duck lake" (includes Fort Chipewyan)Dempsey, 1969 Cooking Lake is a translation of its Cree place name , indicating a cooking place. Crowfoot Crossing—named after Crowfoot, chief of the Siksika First Nation and signatory of treaty. He was instrumental during the Treaty 7 negotiations and acted as a representative of his people. Deerfoot Trail: after Deerfoot-Bad Meat, a Blackfoot man who was known around CalgaryCalgary Herald, May 29, 1889, p. 8 Edmonton wards (municipal election districts) all bear names of Indigenous origin, since 2020. Nakoda Isga: Sioux, "the people," referring to the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation. O-day’min: Anishinaabe, "strawberry," literally "heart berry," invoking the image of "the heart [of the city] through which the North Saskatchewan River runs." Anirniq Pronunciation: : Inuktun, "breath of life," honouring Inuit who were brought to Edmonton in the 1950s and 1960s for treatment for tuberculosis, being separated from their families for long periods and often mistreated; many died and were buried in Edmonton. tastawiyiniwak () Pronunciation: : Cree, "the in-between people," referring to the two-spirit and LGBTQ+ communities Dene Pronunciation: : Dene language, "the people," referring to the Dene people Métis Pronunciation: : Michif, "Métis people," who farmed in this area sipiwiyiniwak Pronunciation: : Enoch Cree, "river Cree," referring to the Enoch Cree people papastew Pronunciation: : Papaschase Cree, "woodpecker," the name of the Papaschase people, commemorating Chief Papaschase or Papastew (ca. 1838–1918) pihêsiwin Pronunciation: : Cree, "land of the thunderbirds" Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi Pronunciation: : Blackfoot, "northward migration of the bison" Karhiio Pronunciation: : Mohawk, "tall beautiful forest" (name of Michel Karhiio, chief of the Michel First Nation) Sspomitapi Pronunciation: : Blackfoot, "star person," a sacred iron meteorite, also known as the Iron Creek Meteorite or Manitou Stone (Manitou Asinîy), now in the Royal Alberta Museum Ermineskin Reserve 138 (formerly Indian reserve) owned by Ermineskin Cree Nation, one of the Four Nations of Maskwacis Goosequill Lake translation of Cree word for the lake.Holmgren and Holmgren, 1972 Grand Forks: translation of Blackfoot name for the place Grand Prairie: translation of Cree name "Big Prairie" Ipiatik Lake.Aubrey, p.159 James Mowatt Trail. James Mowatt (Métis, born in St. Andrews, Manitoba) carried message from Edmonton to Calgary during 1885 rebellion, asking for military assistance for Edmonton, which was thought to be under threat of Native uprising. He made the trip in only 36 hours, a record at that time. He later was a gold-rusher and then moved back to Manitoba.Edmonton Bulletin, May 6, 1897 Kakisa River.Aubrey, p.172 Kakwa River. Kananaskis Kapasiwin: Cree for 'campsite'Aubrey, p.173 Kapawe'no First Nation Kaskitayo: Edmonton community. Originally spelled Kaskiteeo, this name is derived from the Cree word, noted by J. B. Tyrrell in the 1870s as , meaning 'blackmud creek'. (Neighbourhood names in the Kaskitayo area honour Aboriginal leaders Bearspaw, Big Bear, Ermineskin, Kainai)Indigenous Place Names of Edmonton | Edmonton Open Data Portal (online) Kikino Trail, Edmonton. The name of this trail, a major walkway in the Thorncliff neighbourhood, reflects the theme of most of Edmonton’s walkways, which are named for prominent Aboriginal people or have a relationship with Aboriginal heritage. Kikino is said to be the Cree word for “our home.” Kikino Trail is one of a number of trail names approved between 1969 and 1971. This name has been in use since 1895. While its origin is not recorded, the name is taken from the Cree word , which means “a long lake.”Indigenous Place Names of Edmonton | Edmonton – Open Data Portal (online) Kimiwan: Cree word for rainy Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park (Wood Buffalo Park). Kitaskino Nuwenëné is both Cree and Dene meaning “our land.” Lake Minnewanka: "Water of the Spirits" in Sioux (Nakoda/Stoney language) Lily Lake—name is translation of Indigenous place name.Harrison, Place Names of Alberta, volume 3 Little Plume, former locality S of Medicine Hat. Named after South Peigan chief Tom Little Plume (1889-1971), who served in the First World War.Karamitsanis, Place Names of Alberta volume II Makaoo. Cree name of early leader of the band, the Onion Lake Cree Nation in Alberta and Saskatchewan,. Ma-Me-O Beach: from . Manawan Lake: Cree for "egg-gathering place". Many Island Lake, east of Medicine Hat. trans of Cree place name or , many islands. Manyberries, calque of Blackfoot place name , many berries. Marie Lake: derived from the Cree word for the place , pronounced merai, which translates as a fish. Maskêkosihk Trail (formerly 23 Avenue between 215 Street and Anthony Henday Drive) Road of the "people of the land of medicine" in Cree"Renamed Maskêkosihk Trail part of City's ongoing reconciliation commitment," CBC News, 12 Feb. 2016 Maskepetoon Park (Red Deer) after Chief Maskepetoon (1807–1869). Said to be the "Gandhi of the Plains", he made temporary peace between the Cree and the Siksika before being killed by an enemy.MacEwan, Fifty Mighty Men Maskwa Creek near Wetaskiwin (Cree for 'black bear') Maskwacis (formerly known as Hobbema): collection of several First Nations name translates as 'bear hills'. Matchayaw Lake: Cree for bad spirit. Palliser translated the name as Little Manitoo in 1865. Medicine Hat: Translation of the Blackfoot word , meaning "headdress of a medicine man". Meeting Creek: English translation of the Cree name , which references the frequent meeting between the Cree and Blackfoot there. Metiskow: Cree for 'many trees'.Aubrey, p.210 Mewassin: Cree for 'good, beautiful'. Minaik: Cree (also Nakoda) "Minahik" for evergreen (pine or tamarack) Michichi: Cree for 'hand' (nearby Hand Hills has the same source). Mikkwa River: Cree, 'it is red'. Ministik (in the Beaver Hills UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) a former school district (Ministik School District #1796). Ministik Lake is nearby. Ministik means 'island' in Cree. Mitsue Creek.Aubrey, p.215 Mokowan Ridge.Aubrey, p.217 Moose Lake. Known to early French-Canadian fur traders as , meaning Moose Lake. This may have been a direct translation of the local Cree name of the same meaning, .Moose Lake, Alberta Namaka (hamlet) Blackfoot name "near the water", referring to nearby Bow River or Eagle Lake.https://wheatlandcounty.ca/locations/namaka/ (other places names of indigenous origin in the area are Blackfoot West End and Crowfoot) Nemiskam (locality S of Medicine Hat). Blackfoot place name trans. as between two coulées. Neutral Hills Name commemorates the place where the Cree and Blackfoot made peace and chose to share the area's bison, ending decades-long fighting there.Michaelides, Bathroom Book of Alberta History, p. 144 Nikanassin Range: "First range" in Cree Nose Creek within limits of Calgary. Name is trans. of Cree place name . Nose Hill northeast of Coronation. Name is translation of Cree name Nose Hill within the limits of Calgary. Named prior to whites' arrival due to resemblance to the nose of a Native chief, or due to a nose being bitten off there during a fracas in the old days. Notikewin (hamlet) and Notikewin River. The name derives from , the Cree word for "battle".ePodunk. "Notikewin". Retrieved March 17, 2010Cree dictionary. "nôtinikewin". Retrieved March 17, 2010. Okotoks: "Big Rock" in Blackfoot