What does the word kayenta mean in Navajo?

Answer 1

Kayenta is thought to come from a earlier Navajo name for the are recorded as Tye-nde by Father Haile in 1908 or so. He said it meant "place where wild aninimals fall in" or "game pit" for catching antelope or other game. His translation is hard to figure out.

The modern Navajo name is: Tó Dínéeshzhee'

"Toh"( prounouced t-woh) means "water" . The second part means spread out like a hand or fringe. The creek near here does that.

Answer 2

This is not the current Navajo name for the town.

The Navajo name is: Tó Dinéeshzheeʼ. This means Water that is in rivulets or like fingers. (Tó-water, Dinéeshzheeʼ--it is fringed).

This is an area right near town.

It is said that the name Kayenta may come from a Navajo word that has been rendered something like Tye-nde.This is not modern Navajo spelling so I'm not sure about it. It is said to have meant: at the pits where animals fall in". This was recorded by Father Berard Haile (1874-1961) in 1909. He thought they hunted antelope or other game here with dead fall pits.