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Mekwan

♀ Unisex

Pronounced MEH-kwan

Meaning: feather

In 30 seconds: Mekwan comes from mêkwan, the Plains Cree nêhiyawêwin word for feather — a sky gift that carries prayer and connects the earth to the spirit world.

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Origin Cree, Native American

Meaningfeather

History & Origin

Mekwan comes from mêkwan, the Plains Cree nêhiyawêwin word for feather, recorded in the itwêwina dictionary maintained by the University of Alberta. In Cree tradition feathers are offered in prayer with tobacco, carried into healing ceremonies, and treated as gifts from the sky world. A bird dropping a feather is understood as a messenger act. As a name, Mekwan carries that ceremonial weight with quiet simplicity.

Did you know? The itwêwina Plains Cree dictionary records mêkwan specifically as a duck feather, showing the language's ecological precision in naming individual feather types.

Cree Dictionary — mekwan (feather) entry — mekwan: a duck feather — animate noun in Plains Cree (nêhiyawêwin)Muin'iskw — Significance of the Eagle Feather in Plains ceremony — Eagle feathers as sacred ceremonial gifts; protocols for dropping; use to adorn sacred pipe and honor peopleitwêwina Plains Cree Dictionary (University of Alberta) — Records mêkwan as Plains Cree for feather (specifically duck feather)Cree Dictionary Online — Entry for mekwan confirming feather meaning in nêhiyawêwin

Variations

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Nicknames

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If you like Mekwan…

Miigwaans— Also means feather in Ojibwe, a close Algonquian language neighbor to Cree

Migizi— The Ojibwe eagle whose feathers are among the most sacred objects in Anishinaabe ceremony

Kimiwan— A Plains Cree nature name meaning rain, from the same nêhiyawêwin tradition

Sekwan— Another Plains Cree name drawing from seasonal nature, meaning early spring

Frequently Asked

What does Mekwan mean?

Mekwan comes from the Plains Cree word mêkwan, meaning feather. The itwêwina Cree dictionary records it specifically as a duck feather, though all feathers carry spiritual meaning in Cree ceremony.

How do you pronounce Mekwan?

Mekwan is pronounced MEK-wahn, with stress on the first syllable.

What language is Mekwan from?

Mekwan is from nêhiyawêwin, the Plains Cree language spoken across the Canadian Prairies.

Is Mekwan a boy's or girl's name?

Mekwan is used as a gender-neutral name. In Plains Cree tradition, nature-based names honoring feathers, seasons, or animals are given to children of any gender.