Many places throughout North, Central, and South America take their names from the languages of the indigenous inhabitants of the area. The following list, organized by country, includes settlements, geographic features, and political subdivisions whose names are derived from indigenous languages.
Argentina See list of Mapudungun placenames for the respective placenames in Argentina
Catamarca Chubut Province Curuzú Cuatiá Machagai Paraná Puerto Iguazú Quilmes Tucumán Province Ushuaia
Bolivia Cochabamba Copacabana Guayaramerín Oruro Samaipata Uyuni Yacuíba
Brazil
Alagoas State Arapiraca Maceió
Ceará State Iguatu Maracanaú Maranguape Pacatuba
Minas Gerais State Araxá Paracatu
Pará State Abaetetuba Igarapé-Açu Igarapé-Miri Itaituba
Paraná State Apucarana Curitiba Guarapuava Paranaguá Umuarama
Pernambuco State Caruaru
Rio de Janeiro State Araruama Campos dos Goytacazes Guanabara Bay Niterói Nova Iguaçu Paraty Piraí
Santa Catarina State Itajai
São Paulo State Araçariguama Araçatuba Araraquara Araras Caraguatatuba Jaguariúna Piracicaba Ubatuba
Canada
Canada itself is a name derived from a Laurentian Iroquois word meaning "village" (cf. Mohawk kaná:ta’).Bright (2004:78) See Canada's name for more details. Aboriginal names are widespread in Canada - for a full listing see List of place names in Canada of aboriginal origin. Those listed here are only well-known, important or otherwise notable places.
Province and territory names
Ontario Quebec - from Míkmaq kepék, "strait, 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 Manitoba Saskatchewan Nunavut Yukon
British Columbia NB Too many settlements, lakes, rivers, mountains and other items in British Columbia have indigenous names for all of them to be included here. Only major or relatively notable items are listed.
Regions Chilcotin Cariboo Okanagan Kootenay Lillooet Country Nicola Country Stikine Country Nechako Country Cowichan Valley Shuswap Country Omineca Country Atlin Country Slocan Valley Haida Gwaii
Cities and towns Nanaimo Chilliwack Coquitlam Squamish Qualicum Beach Saanich Sooke Ucluelet Kitimat Keremeos Spuzzum Bella Coola Bella Bella Kamloops Sicamous Osoyoos Skookumchuck Lillooet Penticton Kelowna and West Kelowna Spallumcheen Malakwa Slocan City
Rivers and lakes Chilcotin River Chilko Lake, Chilko River, Taseko River Omineca River Kechika River Lillooet River Okanagan Lake & Okanagan River Similkameen River Skeena River Nass River Homathko River Nechako River Squamish River Klinaklini River Stikine River Alsek River Tatshenshini River Tagish Lake Atlin Lake Taku River Cheakamus River Elaho River Nimpkish River Somass River
Mountain ranges Shulaps Range Cayoosh Range Lillooet Ranges Chilcotin Ranges Stikine Ranges Cassiar Mountains Cariboo Mountains Kitimat Ranges Omineca Mountains Muskwa Ranges
Alberta Kananaskis Athabasca Wetaskiwin - from the Cree word wītaskīwin-ispatinaw (ᐑᑕᐢᑮᐏᐣ ᐃᐢᐸᑎᓇᐤ), meaning "the hills where peace was made".
Saskatchewan Saskatoon - from Cree misāskwatōmin, "saskatoon berry."
Manitou Lake Little Manitou Lake Manitou | North American Indian religion
Manitoba Winnipeg—a transcription of a western Cree word meaning "muddy waters" Manitoba -- "where the spirit (manitou) speaks"
Ontario Adjala-Tosorontio:Tosorontio is derived from the Huron (Wyandot) word meaning "beautiful mountain", and Adjala was the name of the wife of Chief Tecumseh. Algonquin Provincial Park: Named after the Algonquin (Anishinaabeg) people of Ontario. Almaguin Highlands: Derived from the words Algonquin and Magnetawan. Assiginack Algoma District Atikokan: Ojibwe for "caribou bones." Attawapiskat: "People of the parting of the rocks" from the Swampy Cree (Omushkegowuk) chat-a-wa-pis-shkag. Brantford: Named after Joseph Brant, a Mohawk leader. Cataraqui River Cayuga: Named for the Cayuga people of Ontario. Chinguacousy Couchiching: Derived from the Ojibwe gojijiing, meaning "inlet." Deseronto: Named for Captain John Deseronto, a native Mohawk leader who was a captain in the British Military Forces during the American Revolutionary War. Eramosa: Thought to be derived from the word un-ne-mo-sah (possibly meaning "black dog", "dead dog", or simply "dog"). Esquesing Township: Mississauga Anishinaabe word ishkwessin, meaning "that which lies at the end", which was the original name for Bronte Creek. Etobicoke: "The place where the alders grow" from the word wadoopikaang in the Ojibwe language. Fort Erie: Iroquoian, erige, meaning "cat". Gananoque: Origin unknown, thought to be derived from Native languages for "place of health" or "meeting place" or "water running over rocks." Garafraxa: Possibly derived from the word for "panther country". Iroquois Falls: Named for the Iroquois people of Ontario. Kakabeka Falls: From the Ojibwe word gakaabikaa, "waterfall over a cliff". Kaministiquia River: Derived from gaa-ministigweyaa, an Ojibwe word meaning "(river) with islands". Kanata: Mohawk word meaning "village" or "settlement." Kapuskasing: Of Cree origin, possibly meaning "bend in river." Kawartha Lakes: An Anglicization of the word ka-wa-tha (from ka-wa-tae-gum-maug or gaa-waategamaag), a word coined in 1895 by Martha Whetung of the Curve Lake First Nation, meaning "land of reflections" in the Anishinaabe language. The word was subsequently changed by tourism promoters to Kawartha, with the meaning "bright waters and happy lands." Keewatin: Algonquian for "north wind." Derived from either kīwēhtin in Cree or giiwedin in Ojibwe. Madawaska: Named after an Algonquian band of the region known as Matouweskarini, meaning "people of the shallows". Magnetawan: Derived from the word for "swiftly flowing river." Manitoulin Island: Manitoulin is the English version, via French, of the Old Odawa name Manidoowaaling, which means "cave of the spirit". Manitouwadge: From manidoowaazh in Ojibwe, meaning "cave of the spirit." Manitowaning Manotick: Derived from Algonquin for "island." Matachewan Matawatchan Mattawa: "Meeting of the waters" in Ojibwe. M'Chigeeng Michipicoten: "Big bluffs" in Ojibwe. Missinaibi Provincial Park: Cree for "pictured waters," thought to refer to the pictographs found on rock faces along the river. Mississauga: Named for the native tribe of the Mississaugas Mississippi Mills: May originate from Mazinaa[bikinigan]-ziibi, Algonquian for "[painted] image river", referring to the pictographs found on Mazinaw Lake. Moosonee: Derived from the Cree word moosoneek, meaning "at the Moose (River)". Muskoka: Named for a First Nations chief of the 1850s, Chief Yellowhead or Mesqua Ukie. Napanee Nassagaweya: Derived from the Mississauga word nazhesahgewayyong, meaning "river with two outlets." Neebing Niagara: Iroquois in origin, meaning uncertain. Nipigon: May have originated from the Ojibwe word animbiigoong, meaning "at continuous water" or "at waters that extend [over the horizon]." Nipissing: From the Anishinaabe term nibiishing, meaning "at (some) water". Nottawasaga River: Derived from the Algonquin words for "Iroquois" and "river outlet". Ohsweken Oneida Nation of the Thames Onondaga Ontario Opasatika, "river lined with poplars". Oshawa: from the Ojibwe term aazhaway, meaning "crossing to the other side of a river or lake" or just "(a)cross". Otonabee: From the Ojibwe term "Odoonabii-ziibi" (Tullibee River). Otonabee comes from the words ode which means "heart" and odemgat that comes from "boiling water". It translates into "the river that beats like a heart in reference to the bubbling and boiling water of the rapids along the river" Ottawa: "To buy" from the word adaawe in the Anishinaabe language; adapted as the name of the Odawa people. Penetanguishene: believed to come from either the Wyandot language or from the Abenaki language via the Ojibwa language, meaning "land of the white rolling sands". Petawawa: From Algonquin meaning "where one hears the noise of the water" Powassan: From the word for "bend." Pukaskwa National Park Saugeen: Ojibwa language, Zaagiing, meaning outlet Shawanaga Scugog: Derived from the Mississauga word sigaog, which means "waves leap over a canoe." Shuniah: named after the Ojibwa word "zhooniyaa" for "money" or "silver" Sioux Narrows Sioux Lookout Tecumseh Tehkummah Temagami: from the Anishinaabe word dimiigami, "deep water(s)". Timiskaming: from the Algonquin language Temikami or Temikaming, meaning "deep waters". Toronto: from an Iroquoian language, but of uncertain derivation. Another story says it is derived from the Mohawk word "tkaronto" meaning "trees standing in the water". Tuscarora Tyendinaga: Derived from a variant spelling of Mohawk leader Joseph Brant's traditional Mohawk name, Thayendanegea. Wahnapitae: from the Anishinaabe waanabide, "be shaped like a hollow tooth". Wasaga Beach: Derived from "Nottawasaga," as above. Wawa Wawanosh Wikwemikong: from the Anishinaabe wiikwemikong, "Bay of Beavers" from Nishnaabe word "Amik" meaning beaver. Wyoming: derived from the Munsee name xwé:wamənk, meaning "at the big river flat."
Quebec
Regions Abitibi Kativik Manicouagan Nunavik Outaouais Saguenay Temiscamingue Ungava
Towns and villages Cascapédia Chibougamau Chicoutimi Chisasibi Hochelaga Inukjuak Ivujivik Kahnawake Kanesatake Kenogami Kuujjuaq Matagami Matapedia Métabetchouan Mistissini Nemaska Paspebiac Puvirnituq Salluit Shawinigan Shigawake Stadacona Tadoussac Wemindji
Nunavut Pangnirtung Iqaluit
Northwest Territories Aklavik Tuktoyaktuk Inuvik Somba K'e - alternate official name, in the Dogrib language, of Yellowknife
Yukon Yukon River Klondike
Caribbean
Bahamas Bimini Mayaguana
Cuba Baracoa Guanabacoa Guantánamo
Dominican Republic Bonao Cibao Dajabón Higüey Jarabacoa Jaragua National Park Jimaní Mao Yuna River
Grenada Carriacou
Haiti Gonaïves -from Gonaibo Gonâve Island -from Guanabo Grand-Goâve -from Aguava Jacmel Léogâne -from Yaguana Petit-Goâve -from Aguava
Puerto Rico Bayamón Caguas Humacao Jayuya Maunabo
Saint Christopher and Nevis Mount Liamuiga
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Bequia Canouan
Trinidad Arima Aripo Arouca Carapo Caroni Chacachacare Cachipa Caura Chaguanas Chaguaramas Couva Cunupia Curucaye Guaico Guanapo Guaracara Guayaguayare Icacos Iere Macoya Mayaro Naparima Nariva Oropuche Ortoire (disambiguation) Paria Salybia Siparia Tamana Tumpuna Tunapuna Yarra
Chile
List of Mapudungun placenames
Non-Mapudungun Placenames: Arica Calama Copiapó Coquimbo Coyhaique Iquique Pali-Aike National Park Torres del Paine National Park
Colombia
Arauca Department Bogotá - from former main Muisca settlement Bacatá Cali - from Calima Cúcuta Duitama - from Tundama Ibagué - from Pijao cacique Ibagué Maicao Nemocón Sogamoso - from Suamox Tunja - from former Muisca settlement Hunza Zipaquirá - Muysccubun: "land of the zipa" or "city of our father" Cundinamarca Department - Quechua: “Condors nest” Boyacá Department - Muysccubun: "Near the cacique" Tolima Department - from Panche language Cesar Department - from Chimila language Quindío Department - from Quimbaya Chocó Department Cauca Department - from Emberá Valle del Cauca Department - from Emberá La Guajira Department - from Wayuu Putumayo Department - from Quechua Huila Department - from Paéz Caquetá Department Amazonas Department Guaviare Department Vaupés Department Guainía Department Meta Department Vichada Department Inírida - from Puinave language Yopal Mitú Popayán Quibdó Funza Machetá Firavitoba Ráquira Tequendama Sumapaz Ubaté Lake Guatavita Chivor Tipacoque Sugamuxi Boavita Zetaquirá Duitama Tutazá Firavitoba Tota Chivatá Gachancipá Tocancipá Guanentá Chipatá El Guacamayo Zapatoca Ayapel Tubará Guatapé - Quechua: ”Stones and water” Chimá Tuchín