Apache Name Generator

Apache covers several related Southern Athabaskan peoples of the Southwest: the Chiricahua, Mescalero, Jicarilla, Lipan, Plains Apache and the Western Apache groups, who call themselves Ndee or Indé, the people. A person's true name was traditionally private, so most names history remembers are public nicknames. Many are Spanish: Geronimo, Victorio, Loco, Chato, Nana, Mangas Coloradas (Red Sleeves), Cuchillo Negro (Black Knife). Others are Apache phrases recorded by soldiers, such as Goyaałé (One Who Yawns), Hashkee Bahnzin (Angry Men Stand in Line for Him), Kas-tziden (Broken Foot) and Daklugie (Forces His Way Through).

Descriptive names follow Apache grammar, noun first and modifier after: Dził Łigai is White Mountain, Shash Łizhin is Black Bear, Itsá Łigai is White Eagle. Building blocks include animals (shash bear, itsá eagle, ba' coyote, łį́į́' horse), landscape words (dził mountain, tú water, tséé rock), colors (łigai white, łizhin black, łichíí' red, dotł'izh blue) and size words like nchaa (big) and nez (tall).

Modern Apache families carry surnames that grew out of those old names or from Spanish and English records: Altaha, Dosela and Goseyun at San Carlos and White Mountain, Chino and Enjady at Mescalero, Vicenti and Pesata among the Jicarilla, and Naiche, Daklugie and Haozous among the Fort Sill Chiricahua. The list mixes all three layers so you can pick the right one for your setting.