SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
CIRCULAR OF INFORMATION REGARDING INDIAN POPULAR 
NAMES ’ 
This bureau is in receipt of numerous requests for Indian names 
suitable for use by Camp Fire Girls and as camp names, and often for 
the translation into one or more of the many Indian languages of 
English expressions involving concepts wholly foreign to the Indian 
mode of thought. It is impossible for the bureau to devote the 
time and to meet the expense of special research incident to questions 
of this kind. 
Appended is a selection of simplified Indian names designed to 
meet most of the requests received. The pronunciation of these 
names is as follows: a as in father; @ as in law; e as a in hate; 7 as 
in machine; ai as in aisle; uw as in rule. Short vowels are indicated 
in the customary manner (4, @, i, 6, 1); f is nasalized, as in drink. 
The consonants are as in English. 
PERSONAL NAMES 
DAKOTA (SIOUX) 
Chiimanis= s=s-s= Dewdrops. | Waftyécha_-___-___. Firefly. 
Chafitéyukani____ Benevolent. LeWWiLe hit kc ee set = To be true. 
Chspaes42 542-3 Beaver. pe We aaa eine Snow. 
Chantésuta______ To be firm of heart. | Zitkdla_________- Little bird. 
Akiktae ses s2n2- One whoworkswith | Zénta__________- Trustworthy. 
determination. | Wakdapa_-_---__-_- Eovexcel: 
WAG tss tas The aurora. Wispmicn ce es OF = Skillful. 
Kamimelase = = The butterfly. | Wakifiyela__-____ Dove. 
AAD Ket Kae ee Her younger sister. | Wéape_..------- Hope. 
Wozhupiwi__.____ The planting moon | Wéwashi_--_-__--- A worker. 
(May). Mahpfyato______- Blue cloud. 
Woksapiwi_-_- - - -- The harvest moon | Winéna-_--_----- First-born daughter. 
(August). | Wiyushkin______- Harmonious. 
Wakpdla___.____ Streamlet; little Nahimana.__.____ Mystic. 
stream. Wichaka: 2 Doe Loyal. 
Wishtecha___.--- Modest. hUWityapka ss 272i. Radiant. 
Wakichofize ____-_ A leader. peWashte:c a2 os {it is] Beautiful. 
OMAHA 
Miitenrae 3 ess The coming moon. | Tadéwi_-__---_---- Wind woman. 
Wigitia 2S s2 ks The returning | MDa oer Ses The returning new 
moon. moon. 
Mithewi= ==) 5-2 = Sun woman. Wensmi. 252502": Helpful to every- 
ARE Wh oN ise es eee A The coming new body. 
moon. Urikan coe. ee pee Useful to all. 
