How do the Indians themselves get their Indian names?

Answer 1

Indian and Native America tribes all hand picked their names which were derived from a variety of sources. Most were related to location such as "people of the blue water" or "people of the green water". Others had personality derivations.

Answer 2

If you mean individual personal names, the traditions regarding the giving of names was different in each tribe. Names were far more meaningful and important than in European naming traditions (particularly today, when many modern, "cool" personal names are invented and have no meaning at all).

Among the Crows of Montana, for example, the names of recently deceased people were never spoken - they were considered to be sacred. A Crow man could never mention the name of his mother-in-law, nor could they ever speak to each other directly. A boy child was named by a relative, often a grandfather; chief Plenty Coups was given that name by his own grandfather, who told his mother that he had received a sacred vision telling him that the child would live to be old, become a chief and count many war achievements (hence "Plenty Coups") - this vision was explained to everyone in the tribe, so they all knew the sacred meaning and origin of Plenty Coups' name.

Many native children were given a name that could be changed later in life, sometimes several times. It is no surprise to discover that Pocahontas (a nickname) had at least two other names.

Among the Caddo, an infant was named by any member of the family; this name was kept until the child received a sacred vision, when his name was changed to reflect the spirit power of that vision. Sometimes another name, a nickname referring to a personal charcteristic, was also used.

So, if a modern English or American boy is called John his name has no real power or meaning beyond its historic origin; but a Nez Perce boy named Chapowits (Many Coyotes) was likely to have experienced a vision from the spirit world in which he spoke with many coyotes, who would give him sacred songs, personal war paint designs and the promise of protection in battle.

Answer 3

It would depend entirely on the specific culture you are talking about.

Prior to European arrival, thousands of cultures existed north of what we now call the Rio Grande. Each with it's own customs, language, name tradition, belief system, et cetera.

Answer 4

The exact name giving tradition differs between tribes, but the general statement is this:

• At birth, the baby receives the name his parents give him. This may be the first thing the father sees at the time of the birth or it may be from a dream the mother had, or it may be a name the parents hope the child will grow into.
• At adolescence, when the child becomes a man/woman he takes a name for himself or a descriptive name his "class" or the leaders decide fits him.
• At adulthood a name is earned through the man's accomplishments or experiences.
• There may also be a sacred name that only the person and medicine man know.

Many people equate this with the nicknames that are picked up through one's life. Family, friends, work buddies, play buddies may have different names for one person because of something that happened.