Just like every other culture and religion, naming is extremely important for the Inuit people. But what sets Inuit people apart is the fact that they name their children after body parts. For instance, baby name Taqtu, means ‘kidney’, Putuguq means ‘big toe’, and Shin means ‘lower part of the leg’. They even take inspiration from celestial bodies, for example, Siqiniq, which means ‘sun’, Taqqiq, which means moon, and Nanurjuk, which means ‘Betelgeuse star in the Orion constellation’.
Inuit people are strict followers of animism, which explains their love for spiritual names, such as Nuliajuk, which means a ‘woman with a fin, who is the leader of all the seals in the sea’, Ijiraq, which means ‘caribou like spirit’, and Nanurluk, which is the name of a mythical, large polar bear.
Inuit people even name their children after parents, grandparents, ancestors, or anyone they respect. They believe that the purpose of naming children after people they love is to ensure that the person lives on, even after death. It’s their way of keeping the memories alive. Also, Inuit elders do not call the grandchildren by names. They refer to them as irnngutaq, which means ‘grandchild’.
Now that MomJunction has acquainted you with a small, but important part of Inuit naming customs and conventions, let’s proceed to the baby name list below. We’ve handpicked the best and unconventional Inuit baby names for you.
NAMES | MEANING | GENDER | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adlartok | Clear sky | Unisex | |||
Ahnah | A wise woman. | Girl | |||
Akna | Inuit goddess of fertility and childbirth. | Girl | |||
Alasie | She who is honest and noble. | Girl | |||
Alornerk | Under-feet | Unisex | |||
Amaqjuaq | The strong one | Boy | |||
Amaruq | Grey wolf | Unisex | |||
Amka | One with a friendly spirit. | Girl | |||
Anjij | Inuit form of Anne. It means grace. | Girl | |||
Aput | Inuit word for snow. | Unisex | |||
Aqakuktuq | Inuit word for fish catcher. | Girl | |||
Arnaaluk | Big woman or spirit of the woman under the sea. | Girl | |||
Arnakuagsak | Old woman from the sea. Goddess of the hunters. | Girl | |||
Arnapkapfaaluk | Name of the goddess who inspires fear in the hearts of hunters. | Girl | |||
Arnaq | Woman, girl | Girl | |||
Asiaq | Goddess prayed for good weather. | Girl | |||
Ataksak | Goddess of the ruler of the sky. | Girl | |||
Atiqtalaaq | Atiqtalaaq means Polar bear cub in Inuit language. | Unisex | |||
Atiqtalik | Polar bear mother | Girl | |||
Cupun | Inuit word for coal. | Unisex | |||
Elisapee | Elisapee is a spelling variation of Elisapie. It means my God is an oath. | Girl | |||
Elisapie | Inuit form of the name Elizabeth. It means my God is an oath. | Girl | |||
Hitty | A form of Hiti. It means hyena. | Girl | |||
Ikiaq | Red spruce in Inuit language. | Unisex | |||
Inuksuk | The name refers to inuksuk, an Alaskan cairn to mark pathways. It means on the right path. | Boy | |||
Isapoinhkyaki | Singing crow woman. | Girl | |||
Jissika | Inuit form of Jessica. It means rich or God beholds. | Girl | |||
Kallik | This name means lightning. | Unisex | |||
Kanaaq | Lower part of the leg. | Unisex | |||
Kireama | A hill | Girl | |||
Kirima | Kirima means A Hill | Girl | |||
Kumaglak | Kumaglak is a fictional name featured in "Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner". | Boy | |||
Meriwa | Thorn | Girl | |||
Nanouk | Nanouk is a variant of Nanuq, which means polar bear. | Unisex | |||
Nanurjuk | The star | Unisex | |||
Nootaikok | God of icebergs | Boy | |||
Nukilik | One who is strong | Unisex | |||
Nuliajuk | A woman with a fin. | Girl | |||
Nuniq | Nuniq is a form of Nanuq, a fictional name featured in the film "Nanook of the North". It means polar bear. | Unisex | |||
Nuvua | "This fictional name was featured in the movie ""The Journey Home""." | Girl | |||
Pana | God who cares for the souls in the underworld before their reincarnation. | Boy | |||
Panuk | Island | Boy | |||
Pilip | Inuit form of Philip. It means lover of horses. | Boy | |||
Qimmiq | Dog | Unisex | |||
Silla | God of sky | Boy | |||
Siqiniq | The sun | Unisex | |||
Tanaraq | Name of Tundra's granddaughter. | Girl | |||
Tapeesa | Arctic flower. | Girl | |||
Taqtu | Kidney | Unisex | |||
Tehoronianhen | Covered in clouds | Unisex | |||
Tekkeitsertok | God of hunting or master of caribou. | Boy | |||
Ticasuk | Possessing the treasure of knowledge. | Girl | |||
Tiguaak | The adopted child. | Boy | |||
Toklo | He who is spontaneous and versatile. | Boy | |||
Tonraq | Tiny man | Boy | |||
Tootega | Old woman deity who could walk on water. | Unisex | |||
Torngarsuk | Name of a powerful sky god. | Boy | |||
Tukkuttok | He who is generous. | Unisex | |||
Tulimak | Tulimak is a form of Tulimaq. It means rib. | Unisex | |||
Tulimaq | Inuit word for rib. | Boy | |||
Tulok | Warrior or god of the stars. | Boy | |||
Tulugaak | Like a raven or the creator of light. | Boy | |||
Ujurak | Ujurak is a variant of Ujarak. It means rock. | Boy | |||
Uki | Survivor | Girl | |||
Umiaktorvik | River | Unisex | |||
Uukkarnit | Calved ice | Unisex | |||
Yoskolo | Breaking off sugar-pine cones | Boy | |||
Yotimo | A yellow jacket used for carrying pieces of meat from the house to the nest. | Boy | |||
Yuka | A bright Star | Unisex | |||
Yura | One who is beautiful. | Unisex | |||
Yutu | To claw | Boy | |||