Declining since 1996.
Popularity of Cheyenna since 1978
Babies named Cheyenna per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 11 |
| 1980s | 85 |
| 1990s | 377 |
| 2000s | 215 |
| 2010s | 27 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Cheyenna first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1978 and saw its peak year in 1997, during the height of the Cheyenne name popularity wave. Although it has never ranked among the top 1000 names, Cheyenna's trajectory shows a decline since 1996, reflecting a broader shift away from creative spellings of popular names. Its use remains sporadic, with no clear state concentration. As a modern respelling, Cheyenna carries the cultural resonance of the Cheyenne name but without a deep historical etymology.
Cheyenna is a modern respelling of the name Cheyenne, which itself is derived from the Dakota Sioux word šahiyena, meaning 'little speakers of a foreign language' or 'red talkers,' referring to the Cheyenne Native American tribe. The name Cheyenne gained popularity in the United States during the late 20th century, and Cheyenna emerged as a distinctive variant spelling, likely influenced by the Italian -enna suffix or simple phonetic appeal.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Chey, Cheyenne, Anna
Sibling names for Cheyenna
Names that share Cheyenna's style, for a brother or sister.
