American Indian languages Native Indian cultures American Indian genealogy

The Name Maycel

Q: I am sure that I am going to be one of the statistics that you mention on your webpage. But I was wondering if you would know the origin of the name Maycel. I was told it meant "I am waiting, or I am waiting for you?" I was also told it was cherokee. Thank you for your help.

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A: Unfortunately no, it does not have that meaning Cherokee ("I am waiting for you" is Gvgatiya in Cherokee, and any first-person verb form like this would begin with Gv or Sgv and end in a vowel, so a synonym isn't really a possibility either.) To the best of our knowledge, there is no Cherokee word that sounds much like "Maycel."

However, this does not necessarily mean it is not a Cherokee name. Unlike in some Native American cultures, traditional Cherokee names-- especially women's names-- do not necessarily have transparent meanings. Sometimes they were borrowed from English or from other Native American languages, and sometimes parents just chose names that they liked the sound of (as many American parents do today.) It's possible that "Maycel" could have been a Cherokee version of "Michelle," or that it was borrowed from another source.

It is a pretty name, either way. :-) Have a good day!
Native Languages of the Americas

The Name Maycel

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