Declining since 1997, #920 for girls today.
Popularity of Cheyenne since 1946
Babies named Cheyenne per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 42 |
| 1950s | 135 |
| 1960s | 83 |
| 1970s | 825 |
| 1980s | 2,289 |
| 1990s | 31,849 |
| 2000s | 23,910 |
| 2010s | 9,258 |
| 2020s | 2,341 |
Meaning & origin
Cheyenne is a name rooted in Native American heritage, derived from the Sioux word for the Cheyenne people. It entered the U.S. naming pool in 1946 and saw a significant surge in the 1990s, peaking at rank 920 in 1996, when it was especially favored in states such as Oregon, Utah, and Oklahoma. Since peaking, its popularity has been falling, dropping to rank 920 in 2025, with a current frequency of approximately 1 in 5,640 births. The name remains a distinctive choice that evokes the American West and Native American culture.
The name Cheyenne derives from the Dakota Sioux word šahíyena, meaning 'speak a foreign language' or 'relatives of the Cree'. The Cheyenne people are a Native American tribe originally from the Great Lakes region. Adopted as a given name in the mid-20th century, Cheyenne gained popularity in the 1990s as a unisex name and became particularly common in the United States.
Where Cheyenne is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Cheyenne” around the world
Where Cheyenne lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Chey, Cheyenne
Sibling names for Cheyenne
Names that share Cheyenne's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Dakota, Montana, Sierra, Savannah, Cheyenne, Alexus, Dakotah, Deja, Destinee, Savanah, Shelbie, Shyann, Shyanne, Arizona, Cherokee, Indiana, Kansas, Lakota, Laramie, Nevada, Shawnee, Sheyenne, Alixandria, Brandilyn, Chessie, Cheyenna, Destani, Germany, Haliegh, Montanna, Sequoya, Texie, Kassidie, Kenosha, Shenandoah, Symantha, Yakima, Mescal, Tulsa, Amerika, Arvada, Chantea, Dacotah, Jamilette, Mekaela, Navada, Sacheen, Topeka
Brothers: Dakota, Austin, Wyatt, Jesse, Logan, Colton, Dekota, Dakoda, Geronimo, Rowdy, Stoney, Dacota, Ontario, Texas, Utah, Kiowa, Nakota, Tacoma, Bronc, Bronco, Dakodah, Frisco, Waco
Names like Cheyenne
Names whose popularity has moved with Cheyenne's over the last 50 years.
