Some tribes names were acquired from Europeans usinging a second tribe's name for the first tribe. In many cases, tribal name origins are lost in the mists of history. Some definitions below are based on conjecture by historians. In some cases, some tribal members would agree with the names below, while other members will not. In essense, this is a list of commonly used definitions.
Many tribes have more than one name.
Some tribes have a name they give to the world, and another name which was meant to be used only amoungst themselves. Some tribes became know by the names other tribes called them. For example, Cherokee is name given to them by others. There are many variations on how Europeans spelled tribal names. Indians with spellings that varied from page to page.