Given name
Cherokee
“a tribal name”
Cherokee is used as a given name. One Native American interpretation is “a tribal name.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Native American interpretation is “a tribal name.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Native American.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1920. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Cherokee through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,909
- 337 boys · 2,572 girls
- Most popular year
- 1995
- 174 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #13,556 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −53%
- Cooling
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 2% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 13,556 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 51.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 143 in 1998. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,337 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cherokee’s family of names
Cherokee has a related form in Cherokea. Cherokee has a related form in Cherokeah. Cherokee has a related form in Cherokeigh.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Cherokee, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Chumani
“resembling a dewdrop”
>99% girls
Yosemite
“resembling a grizzly bear”
>99% girls
Cheyenne
“unintelligible speaker”
1% boys · 99% girls
Shoshone
“a tribal name”
>99% girls
Nida
“an elflike woman” · “resembling an elf”
>99% girls
Chenoa
“resembling a white dove; peaceful”
>99% girls
Shawnee
“a tribal name”
>99% girls
Kachina
“a spiritual dancer”
>99% girls