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List of Alaska placenames of Native American origin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following list includes settlements, geographic features, and political subdivisions of Alaska whose names are derived from Native American languages.

Listings

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Boroughs and census areas

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Settlements

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  • Adak – from the Aleut phrase adaax, whose English translation is unclear.
  • Alakanuk – from the Yupik phrase alakanuk, meaning "wrong way".
  • Akutan – from the Aleut phrase achan-ingiiga, whose English translation is unclear.
  • Chevak – from the Cup'ik phrase cev'aq, meaning "cut-through channel".
  • Eklutna – from the Dena'ina phrase idluytnu, meaning "river of objects".
  • Emmonak – from the Yup'ik phrase imangaq, whose English translation is unclear.
  • Hoonah – from the Tlingit phrase xunaa, meaning "leeward of the north wind".
  • Klawock – from the Tlingit phrase ɬawa:k, the name given to a subgroup of the Tlingit tribe.
  • Kotlik – from the Yup'ik phrase qerrulliik, whose English translation is unclear.
  • Kwethluk – from the Yup'ik phrase kuiggluk, meaning "unnatural river".
  • Noorvik – from the Iñupiaq phrase nuurvik, meaning "a place to move to".
  • Nunapitchuk – from the Yup'ik phrase nunapicuar, whose English translation is unclear.
  • Quinhagak – from the Yup'ik phrase kuinerraq, meaning "new river channel".
  • Savoonga – from the Yup'ik phrase sivungaq, whose English translation is unclear.
  • Selawik – from the Iñupiaq phrase siiḷivik, meaning "the place of sheefish".
  • Toksook Bay – from the Yup'ik phrase tuqsuk, whose English translation is unclear.
  • Unalakleet – from the Iñupiaq phrase uŋalaqłiq, meaning "from the southern side".
  • Unalaska – from the Aleut phrase ounalashka, meaning "near the peninsula".
  • Utqiagvik – from the Iñupiaq word utqiq, meaning "edible root", full name means "place to gather edible roots".
  • Wasilla – named after the eponymous Dena'ina chief.

Bodies of water

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  • Binnyanaktuk Creek – from an Iñupiaq phrase meaning "superlatively rugged".
  • Iliamna Lake – from the Dena'ina phrase nila vena, meaning "lake of the island".
  • Ipnek Creek – from an Iñupiaq word ipnaiq meaning "sheep".
  • Kapoon Creek – named after an Inuit resident from Wiseman.
  • Karillyukpuk Creek – from an Iñupiaq phrase meaning "very rugged".
  • Kenunga Creek – from an Iñupiaq phrase meaning "knife edge".
  • Kinnorutin Creek – from an Iñupiaq phrase Kinnaurutin meaning "you are crazy".
  • Kupuk Creek – named after an Inuit resident from Wiseman.
  • Mashooshalluk Creek – from an Iñupiaq word masu meaning "wild potato plant".
  • Nutirwik Creek – named after an Inuit hunter.
  • Pamichtuk Lake – from an Iñupiaq phrase meaning "other".
  • Pegeeluk Creek – from an Iñupiaq word pigiilaq meaning "not very good".
  • Publituk Creek – from an Iñupiaq phrase meaning "hollow, drumlike sound made when walking on shell ice".
  • Shukok Creek – from an Iñupiaq phrase meaning "rock found on a creek".
  • Teshekpuk Lake – from the Iñupiaq phrase tasiqpak, meaning "large lagoon".
  • Tobuk Creek – named after an Inuit resident from Alatna.

Islands

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Other

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See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Bright (2004), p. 134.

Sources

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  • Bright, William (2004). Native American Placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 080613576X.