Spokane: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Spokane – Meaning: round head – Origin: Salishan – Pronunciation: spoh-KAN


Spokane is a Salishan name meaning “round head”. It appears in our list of 175+ State-Inspired Baby Names as American as They Come.

Meaning & Origin of Spokane

Meaning: Round head.

Origin: Salishan.

A common claim: children of the sun Actually: 'Children of the sun' is a widespread popular etymology, but linguists trace the tribal autonym to a term meaning 'round head.'

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Spokane

Phonetic: spoh-KAN   IPA: /spoʊˈkæn/

Popularity of Spokane

Spokane doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.

Lists That Include Spokane

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