List of California placenames of Native American origin facts for kids
Many places in the state of California in the U.S. have names that come from the languages of the original people who lived there, the Native American tribes. These names are used for towns, cities, mountains, rivers, and even whole counties. They often tell us something about the land or the people who named them.
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California's Native American Place Names
Many areas in California get their names from the languages of the Native American tribes. These names are found in counties, towns, and natural spots like mountains and lakes.
Counties Named by Native Americans
Several counties in California have names that come from Native American languages. These names often honor a chief, describe the land, or come from a tribal name.
- Inyo County – This county is named after a Mono chief.
- You can find the Inyo Mountains, the Inyo Volcanic Chain, and the Inyo National Forest here.
- Marin County – Named after a Coast Miwok chief.
- Places like Marin City, Marin Creek, and the Marin Headlands are in this county.
- Modoc County – This county gets its name from the Modoc people.
- It includes the Modoc National Forest and the Modoc Plateau.
- Mono County – The name comes from the Yokuts word monachi. This means "those from the Sierra Nevada mountains."
- You can visit Mono Village and the famous Mono Lake.
- Napa County – From the Patwin word napo, which means "home."
- The City of Napa, the Napa River, and the famous Napa Valley are here.
- Shasta County – Named after the Shasta people.
- This area includes the Shasta Cascade region and the City of Shasta Lake. You'll also find Mount Shasta and Shasta Lake.
- Siskiyou County – The exact meaning is debated. It might come from a Chinook Jargon phrase about a "bob-tailed horse."
- The Siskiyou Mountains are part of this county.
- Solano County – Named after a Suisun chief.
- Sonoma County – Its origin is debated. It likely comes from a Pomoan phrase meaning "valley of the moon."
- The City of Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley are found here.
- Tehama County – From a Wintuan phrase meaning "high water."
- The City of Tehama is in this county.
- Tuolumne County – The meaning is debated. It might come from talmalamne, meaning "cluster of stone wigwams."
- You can find the Tuolumne River and Tuolumne Meadows here.
- Yolo County – From the Patwin phrase yo-loy, meaning "a place with lots of rushes."
- The Village of Yolo is in this county.
Towns and Cities with Native American Names
Many towns and cities across California also have names that come from Native American languages. These names often describe the local area or were the names of villages.
- Azusa – From the Tongva village "Azucsagna."
- Cherokee – Named after the Cherokee people.
- Malibu – From the Ventureño word "Umalibu," which might mean "the surf makes a loud noise."
- Mi-Wuk Village – Named after the Mi-Wuk people.
- Napa – Also a county name, meaning "home."
- Pismo Beach – From the Chumash word "Pismu" for "tar."
- Poway – From the Kumeyaay language.
- Simi Valley – From the Ventureño word "Simiyi."
- Sonoma – Also a county name, possibly meaning "valley of the moon."
- Suisun City – Named after the Suisun people.
- Temecula – From the Luiseño word "Temeekunga."
Natural Places with Native American Names
Beyond counties and towns, many natural features in California, like rivers, lakes, and mountains, also carry names from Native American languages.
- Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park – Named after the Achomawi people.
- Tahquitz Canyon and Creek, Falls, Peak, and Rock – These are named after a legend from the Cahuilla people, Tahquitz.
- Mojave Desert – Named after the Mohave people.
- Yosemite National Park – This famous park also has a name from a Native American language.
See also
- List of place names in the United States of Native American origin
- List of placenames of indigenous origin in the Americas
- Native Americans in the United States
