List of indigenous names of Eastern Caribbean islands

Map of the indigenous languages of the Caribbean in 1492

This list of the indigenous names of the Eastern Caribbean islands is a compilation of the indigenous names that were given by Amerindian people to those islands before the Europeans started naming them. The islands of the Eastern Caribbean were successively settled beginning with Trinidad at least around 5000 BC, long before European arrival in 1492. The Eastern Caribbean islands were dominated by two main cultural groups by the European contact period: the Arawaks and the Kalinago. Individual villages of other distinct cultural groups were also present on the more southerly, larger islands. The large island of Trinidad in particular was shared by both Kalinago and Arawak groups.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Arawaks arrived first, settling the islands as they travelled north from the Orinoco River in Venezuela. The Kalinago people, who proved to be more dominant in warfare, had begun a campaign of conquering and displacement of the Arawaks at the point of European arrival. Also starting at the southern end of the archipelago, they had worked their way north, reaching as far as the island of Saint Kitts by the 16th century.

The islands north of the Saint Kitts 'borderline' had Arawak names while the islands south of it had Kalinago names. The island of Barbados was uninhabited at the point of European arrival, but evidence suggests that Barbados followed the same pattern of displacement as witnessed on neighbouring islands, but that it was abandoned for unknown reasons. The only indigenous name on record for Barbados is one documented as the name used by Arawak peoples on Trinidad in reference to that island.

Leeward Islands[]

Present Island Name	Indigenous Name	Origin	Meaning
Anguilla	Malliouhana	Arawak	Arrow-Shaped Sea Serpent
St. Martin	Soualiga Oualichi	Arawak	Land of Salt; Land of Beautiful women
St. Barths	Ouanalao	Arawak	Toad on Top
Saba	Siba Amonhana	Arawak	The Rock
St. Eustatius	Aloi	Arawak	Cashew Tree
Saint Croix	Ay Ay	Taino	The River
Saint Kitts	Liamuiga	Kalinago	Fertile Land
Nevis	Oualie	Kalinago	Land of Beautiful Water
Montserrat	Alliouagana	Kalinago	Land of Prickly Bush
Barbuda	Wa'omoni	Kalinago	Land of the herons (broader interpretation: Land of the large birds)
Antigua	Waladli	Kalinago	Land of Fish Oil
Redonda	Ocananmanrou	Kalinago	Unknown
Guadeloupe	Karukera	Kalinago	Island of Gumtrees
Marie Galante	Aichi Touloukaera Aulinagan	Kalinago Arawak Arawak	Land of chili peppers; Land of touloulou crabs; Land of cotton

Windward Islands[]

Present Island Name	Indigenous Name	Origin	Meaning
Dominica	Wai'tukubuli Kairi	Kalinago Arawak	Tall is Her Body Island
Martinique	Jouanacaeira	Kalinago	Land of Iguana
St. Lucia	Hewanorra	Kalinago	Land of the Iguana
Saint Vincent	Hairouna	Kalinago	Land of the Blessed
Bequia	Becouya	Kalinago	Island of the Clouds
Canouan	Cannouan	Kalinago	Island of Turtles
Carriacou	Kayryouacou	Kalinago	Island of Reefs
Grenada	Camerhogne	Kalinago / Galibi?	Conception Island

Continental[]

Present Island Name	Indigenous Name	Origin	Meaning
Barbados	Ichirouganaim	Arawak	Red land/island with white teeth (reefs)
Tobago	Tobago	Kalinago / Galibi?	Tobacco Pipe
Trinidad	Kairi Iere	Kalinago	Land of the Hummingbird

Greater Antilles[]

Present Island Name	Indigenous Name	Origin	Meaning
Hispaniola	Ayiti	Taino	Rough earth; Mother of all lands
Cuba	Cobao	Taino	Large island or place
Puerto Rico	Borikén	Taino	Land of the Valiant and Noble Lord
Jamaica	Yamaye	Taino	Land of Wood and Water or Land of Springs

References[]

"SCL Frequently Asked Questions". Auburn University: Center for Diversity and Race Relations. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2008.

"Taíno name for the Islands". Taino Cyber Culture Center. Archived from - Indio.net the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2013. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)