This list includes 8 Native American girl names that start with K, from “K’uksgim” to “Kineks”. Many entries reflect nature, family ties, or virtues in concise, lyrical forms. You can use these names for naming, storytelling, or creative research.

Native American girl names that start with K are given names rooted in specific tribal languages and cultures. Many carry meanings tied to landscape, kinship, or spiritual concepts, and some names are unique to one community. Use names with respect, recognizing their cultural importance to the people who use them.

Below you’ll find the table with Name, Pronunciation, Meaning, Origin, and Citation.

Name: Shows each name as it appears in sources, so you can scan and select options quickly.

Pronunciation: Provides a simple phonetic guide so you can say each name confidently and accurately.

Meaning: Gives a concise meaning that explains the name’s sense and cultural resonance in everyday words.

Origin: Lists the tribal language or community associated with each name to show cultural context and provenance.

Citation: Notes the source where the name and meaning appear, letting you follow up on specific entries.

Native American girl names that start with K

NamePronunciationMeaningTribe/Origin (Citation)
KateriGA-de-lee or KAH-te-reeMohawk form of the name Catherine, meaning “pure”.Haudenosaunee (Mohawk)
Kimimelakee-MEE-meh-lahButterfly.Lakota (Sioux) (Benson, 2011)
Kamamakah-MAH-mahButterfly.Cherokee (Cherokee Nation Language Dept.)
Kawisenhawegah-wee-sen-HA-wehShe holds the ice.Haudenosaunee (Mohawk) (snow-snake.com)
KeleKEH-lehSparrow.Hopi (Hopi Dictionary Project, 1998)
KineksKEE-neksRosebud.Sahaptin (Yakama/Umatilla) (yakama.fish/data/dictionary)
Kakáwinakah-KAH-wee-nahTurtle.Lenape (Delaware) (talk-lenape.org)
K‘uksgimKOOK-skimWealthy woman.Kwak’wala (Kwakiutl) (U’mista Cultural Centre)

Descriptions

Kateri
This name is famously associated with Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, a 17th-century Mohawk woman. It is a real name deeply respected within many Indigenous Catholic communities.
Kimimela
A beautiful and popular name derived directly from the Lakota word for butterfly. It is a poetic choice that reflects a connection to nature.
Kamama
This is the Cherokee word for butterfly. While traditionally Cherokee names were often longer and descriptive, using nature words like Kamama has become more common in modern times.
Kawisenhawe
A traditional Mohawk name with a strong, evocative meaning tied to the natural world. It reflects the descriptive and meaningful nature of traditional Haudenosaunee naming practices.
Kele
This is the Hopi word for “sparrow”. Using vocabulary words for animals or nature as personal names is a practice that exists in some modern contexts.
Kineks
A gentle name from the Sahaptin language spoken by peoples like the Yakama. It is a nature-based name that translates to “rosebud,” evoking beauty and new beginnings.
Kakáwina
This name means “turtle” in the Unami dialect of Lenape. The turtle holds a profoundly important place in Lenape cosmology, representing the earth itself.
K‘uksgim
A traditional name from the Kwakwaka’wakw people of the Pacific Northwest. Names in this culture often relate to lineage, status, and rights inherited by the name-holder.
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