
Shawnee is a sublime traditional baby name for girls. As the self-designation of a proud Native American tribe, Shawnee went on to become a surprise favorite name during the early 1990s. Shawnee is the name of a character in the Story Girl series, and Shawnee Ray Toose was the spirited heroine of The Bingo Palace by Louise Erdrich. Keep reading to learn more about this baby name.
Meaning of the name Shawnee:
Algonquin: Southern people
Origin of the name Shawnee:
Shawnee originates from the Algonquin word šawanwa (meaning “people of the south”). The name referred to a tribe of Native Americans located in what is now southern Ohio.
Symbolism of the name Shawnee:
Shawnee derived from the Native American word šawanwa (meaning “southern people”). It was a self-designated name for tribes living in the southern region of Ohio. Historically, symbols of the Shawnee tribe included green corn and stomp dances.

Style of the name Shawnee:
Traditional
Gender of the name Shawnee:
Shawnee is a girl's name.
Pronunciation of the name Shawnee:
shaw-NEE
Number of syllables in the name Shawnee:
Two
Emotion evoked from the name Shawnee:
The name Shawnee evokes feelings of sagacity and strength.
Alternative spellings for the name Shawnee:
- Shaunee
- Shawney
- Shawnie
Nicknames for the name Shawnee:
- Shaw
- Nee
- Nene
Popularity of the name Shawnee:
According to the Social Security Administration index, Shawnee was the 10,979th most popular baby name for girls in 2020.
Related names for the name Shawnee:
Great middle names for Shawnee and their meanings:
- Amelia (work, industriousness)
- Babette (foreigner, my God is an oath)
- Carol (free man, song, hymn)
- Emma (whole, universal)
- Farah (happiness, joy, gladness)
- Harleigh (hare meadow, rock meadow, long field)
- Inara (illumination, enlightenment, shining light)
- Lucette (little light)
- Quetzal (beautiful feather)
- Renata (reborn)
- Venus (goddess, love, delight)
- Zuri (beautiful)
Famous people with the name Shawnee:
- Shawnee Arvelo (actress)
- Shawnee Boze (pageant titleholder)
- Shawnee Brittan (television producer)
- Shawnee Holt (animator)
- Shawnee Free Jones (actress)
- Shawnee Elysse Jewel Pattynama (television personality)
- Shawnee Rebecca Smith (actress)
- Shawnee Taylor (singer)
Shawnee in popular culture:
- Shawnee (character in Story Girl by Paul Mosier)
- Shawnee Lord (protagonist of Shawnee Lord by Shirl Henke)
- Shawnee Ray Toose (character in The Bingo Palace by Louise Erdrich)