The following list includes settlements, geographic features, and political subdivisions of Connecticut whose names are derived from Native American languages.
Listings State 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
Settlements
Aspetuck: (Paugussett) "at the high place" Shared with the Aspetuck River. Cos Cob: (Mohegan from Cassacubque) "high rocks" Hockanum: (Podunk) "hook" Shared with the Hockanum River. Massapeag: (Mohegan) "place at the large cove" Mohegan: named after the Mohegan people. Mianus River (and town): (Paugussett) a 17th-century chief's name – "Mianu/Mayanno's" Moodus): (Wangunk) from "mache moodus" or "bad noises"Skinner, Charles Montgomery (1969) "Moodus Noises" Myths & Legends of Our Own Land Singing Tree Press, Detroit, Michigan, page 266 ; reprinted from the fifth edition of 1896 of J.B. Lippincott Company. Shared with the Moodus River and Moodus Reservoir. Moosup: (Narragansett) a chief named "Mausup" Mystic River (and town): (Pequot-Mohegan) "great tidal river" Naugatuck River (and town): (Quinnipiac) "single tree" Niantic River (and town): tribe; "point of land on tidal river" Norwalk River (and city): (Algonquian) noyank or "point of land" or from the name Naramauk. Oronoque: (Quinnipiac) "curved place" or "land at the bend" Pequabuck: (Wangunk) "clear, open pond" Poquonock Bridge: (Algonquian – several) "cleared land" Shared with the Poquonock River. Poquetanuck: (Mohegan) "land broken up" (like dried mud cracking) Quinebaug: (Nipmuck) "long pond" Shared with the Quinebaug River. Scitico: (Nipmuck) "land at the river branch" Taconic: (Mahican) "steep ascent" Uncasville: (Mohegan) 17th-century chief's name (wonkus – "fox") Willimantic River (and town): (Mohegan or Nipmuck) "good cedar swamp" Yantic: (Mohegan) "as far as the tide goes up this side of the river". Shared with the Yantic River.
Bodies of water
Congamuck Ponds (on Maine border Congamond Lake): (Nipmuck) "long fishing place" Coginchaug River: (Wangunk) "place where fish are dried/cured" Housatonic River: (Mahican) from the Mohican phrase "usi-a-di-en-uk", "beyond the mountain" Mashapaug Pond: (Nipmuck) "large pond" Menunketesuck River (and Menunketesuck Island): (Hammonasset) "strong flowing stream" Natchaug River: (Nipmuck) "between rivers" Nepaug Reservoir: (Wangunk) "fresh pond" Pachaug River (and pond): (Narragansett) "at the turning place" Pataguanset Lake: (Niantic) "at the round, shallow place" Pawcatuck River (Rhode Island border): (Niantic/Pequot) "the clear divided (tidal) stream" Pistapaug Pond: (Quinnipiac) "muddy pond" Pocotopaug Lake: (Wangunk) "divided pond" or "two ponds" Quaddick Reservoir: (Nipmuck) "bend in river" or (Narragansett) "boggy place" Lake Quassapaug: (Quinnipiac) "big pond" or "big rock" Quinnipiac River: (Quinnipiac) "where we change our route" Lake Quonnipaug: (Quinnipiac) "long pond" Saugatuck River: (Paugussett) "outlet of the tidal river" Shenipsit Lake: (Mohegan) "at the great pool" Shepaug River: (Tunxis) "great pond" Shetucket River: (Mohegan) "land between rivers" Shunock River: (Mohegan) "stony place" or possibly "place between streams" Skungamug River: (Nipmuck) "eel-fishing place" Wangum Lake: (Paugussett) "bend/crooked" Wangumbaug Lake: (Nipmuck) "crooked pond" Lake Waramaug: (Mahican) "good fishing-place" Winnepauk: (Mahican) "beautiful pond" Wononpacook Pond: (Mahican) "land at the bend in the pond" Wononskopomuc Lake: (Mahican) "rocks at the bend in the lake" Wopowaug River: (Wangunk) "crossing-place" Wyassup Lake: (Mohegan) "flags" or "rushes"
Islands Cockenoe Island: (Montauk) from the name of a 17th-century native interpreter
Other Connecticut, the state, and river: (in several dialects) "place of the long river" or "by the long tidal stream" Hammonassett Point: (Hammonassett) "place of sand bars"“where we dig holes in the ground,” Mohawk Mountain: eastern Iroquois tribe; Algonquian term for their western enemies – "wolves," "hungry animals," or "cannibals" Sachem Head: (Algonquian/general) "chief"
See also List of place names in the United States of Native American origin
References Citations
Sources
Bright, William (2004). Native American Placenames of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. .