Names That Mean Tribe

  1. Genevieve
    • Origin:

      English from French
    • Meaning:

      "tribe woman"
    • Description:

      Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni, meaning "kin", and wefa, meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of Paris, defended the city against Attila the Hun through her rational thinking, courage and prayer.
  2. Amara
    • Origin:

      Igbo, Sanskrit, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "grace, immortal, tribe"
    • Description:

      Strong, attractive, and stylish, Amara is a true multicultural choice enjoying some popularity in both the US and the UK. In the US Top 1000 since the turn of this century, Amara has been holding steady in the rankings between overly popular and obscure.
  3. Jocelyn
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "member of the Gauts tribe"
    • Description:

      Jocelyn has gotten new life and popularity as a result of the current passion for lyn endings. Though it was a male name in medieval times, now Jocelyn couldn't sound more softly feminine.
  4. Dakota
    • Origin:

      Native American tribe and place name; Sioux
    • Meaning:

      "friendly one"
    • Description:

      A Native American tribe name which is found in the names of two US states, Dakota was one of the first trendy nineties place names, but is now flagging a little in popularity. The cultural question around using a Native American tribe name as a baby name may be partly to blame.
  5. Shawnee
    • Origin:

      Native American tribe name
    • Description:

      The Shawnee were an Eastern tribe that migrated westward; Shawnee makes an unusual name, if a little dated a la Shawn and Tawnee.
  6. Algot
    • Origin:

      Swedish from Old Norse
    • Meaning:

      "elf + Geat tribe member"
    • Description:

      This modern form of the Old Norse name Algautr is popular with parents in Sweden today.
  7. Josselyn
    • Origin:

      English variation of Jocelyn
    • Meaning:

      "member of the Gauts tribe"
    • Description:

      One of many modern spellings of Jocelyn, this one used by actress Samantha Harris for her daughter.
  8. Fenno
    • Origin:

      A Finnish tribe and language
    • Description:

      If you've heard this name, it's probably from the hero of the acclaimed Julia Glass novel, Three Junes, or else the political scientist Richard Fenno. As well as a Finnish name, it's alos a Frisian diminutive from names in the Frederick family, making it is a cousin of Freddie, Fritz and Fedde. This name is so rare it's never appeared on the charts, but with its energetic O ending it might appeal if you're looking for an alternative to names like Otto and Arlo.
  9. Sioux
    • Origin:

      Native American tribe name
    • Meaning:

      "little snakes"
    • Description:

      The Sioux are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations peoples in North America, the two major modern divisions of which are the Dakota and Lakota. Not recommended as a baby name.
  10. Betony
    • Origin:

      English botanical name
    • Meaning:

      "flower name derived from the Vettones tribe"
    • Description:

      This unusual English botanical name belongs to a minty-smelling, flowering herb (also called bishopwort), which has been used since medieval times to treat various ailments.
      In the language of flowers, Betony signifies surprise, so this might make for a meaningful choice for an unexpected pregnancy.
      Variant spelling Bettany (as in actor Paul Bettany, or English historian Bettany Hughes), could take this name into trendy surname-as-first-name territory.
  11. Dorián
    • Origin:

      Hungarian variation of Dorian, Greek tribe name
  12. Betony
    • Origin:

      English botanical name
    • Meaning:

      "flower name derived from the Vettones tribe"
    • Description:

      This unusual English botanical name would make an interesting update to 80s and 90s favorite Bethany. It belongs to a minty-smelling, flowering herb (also called bishopwort), which has been used since medieval times to treat various ailments.
  13. Kula
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "tribe"
    • Description:

      There are a number of towns and villages named Kula across the world, most of them in Eastern Europe and Pacific Islands. Kula is also a name of tribes in Thailand and Cambodia, Australia, and Nigeria. Although there are no Indian tribes by the name, the literal translation of the Sanskrit word kula is "tribe."