Cheyenne
Cheyenne is a unisex name of Lakota origin, though it is more commonly used by females than males. The origin of the word is uncertain, though it may be derived from the Lakota language, from the word Šahíyena. Alternative spellings include Cheyanne and Shyanne and diminutives include Chey.
Meaning & Origin of Cheyenne
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Cheyenne is a unisex name of Lakota origin, though it is more commonly used by females than males. The origin of the word is uncertain, though it may be derived from the Lakota language, from the word Šahíyena. Alternative spellings include Cheyanne and Shyanne and diminutives include Chey.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Cheyenne
Cheyenne first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1946, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1996, when 4,866 Cheyennes were born — ranking #68 that year. As of 2026, Cheyenne ranks #952 for baby girls with 273 births, falling sharply (-45%). In total, more than 71K Cheyennes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Cheyenne
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cheyenne is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cheyenne
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About the name Cheyenne
Cheyenne is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1946 and has accumulated 71K births in the dataset. Cheyenne's peak popularity came in 1996 when it ranked #68. Use the chart and map above to compare Cheyenne's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1996 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.