In the symbolism of colors, pale blue or white is generally used for background, and represents sky or heaven; red, life; dark blue or black, shadow or trouble; green, summer or plenty; and yellow, sun-light or happiness. Dark blue, dovetailed with pale blue or yellow, represents the light and shade of life’s common experience.
Animal figures are much used in conventionalized designs. The figure of the bear means courage; the buffalo, plenty; the eagle (wings spread), honor; the owl, observation; the wolf, skill; the turtle, wisdom and longevity; the serpent, healing; the hawk, swiftness; the beaver, industry; the deer, love. The figure of a man on horseback represents a warrior.
No Indian girl may wear the skin or any representation of the bear, wolf, or cat, nor wear the feathers of the eagle, since these are masculine emblems. The doe, ermine, otter, and mink are feminine emblems.
It is usually possible to distinguish feminine from masculine personal names by the meaning. The names of the fiercer wild animals, such as bear, wolf, and eagle, are given to boys; girls are called after the fawn, mink, beaver, etc. Either may be called after sky, wind, or water, but the name of Fire is masculine. The syllable “wee” is a feminine termination.
“Na” is a diminutive, used much like “ie” in English.
The following are Sioux feminine names appropriate to “Camp Fire girls,” with their literal and symbolic meanings.
| Wee-no´-nah. | Eldest Daughter. Loafgiver, charitable. |
| Wee-hah´-kay-dah. | Youngest Daughter. Little One. |
| War-chah´-wash-tay. | Pretty Flower. Beautiful. |
| O-jin´-jint-kah. | Rose. Queen of Flowers. |
| Zit-kah´-lah-skah. | White Bird. Pure. |
| Do´-wan-ho´-wee. | Singing Voice. |
| Wa-chee´-wee. | Dancing Girl. |
| Han-tay´-wee. | Cedar Maid. Faithful. |
| Wa-zee´-me-nah-wee. | Odors of the Pine. Wholesome, refreshing. |
| Mah-kah´-wee. | Earth Maiden. Generous, motherly. |
| Mah-pee´-yah. | Sky. Heavenly. |
| E-ha´-wee. | Laughing Maid. |
| Wee-ko’. | Pretty Girl. |
| Ptay-san´-wee. | White Buffalo. Queen of the Herd. |
| Mah-gah´-skah-wee. | Swan Maiden. Graceful. |
| Wah-su´-lah. | Little Hailstorm. Stormy, impulsive. |
| Snah´-nah. | Jingles (like little bells). Musical. |
| Ta-lu´-tah. | Scarlet. Brilliant. |
| Ta-tee´-yo-pah. | Her Door. Happy Hostess. |
| Wee-tash´-nah. | Virgin. Untouched. |
| Tak-cha´-wee. | Doe. Loving. |
| Chah´-pah-wee. | Beaver. Industrious. |
| An-pay´-too. | Day. Radiant. |
| Wik-mun´-kee-wee. | Rainbow. Return of Blessing. |
And some Ojibway girls’ names.
| Man-e-do-bin´-es. | Spirit Bird, or Bird Spirit. |
| O-min-o-tah´-go. | Pleasant Voice. |
| Ke-we-din´-ok. | Woman of the Wind. |
| A-ya´-she. | Little One. |
| A-be´-da-bun. | Peep of Day, |
| Ke-zhe-ko´-ne. | Fire Briskly Burning. |
| O-dah-ing´-um. | Ripple on the Water. |
| Me-o-quan´-ee. | Clothed in Red. |
| Nah-tah´-ak-on. | Expert Canoeist. |
| She-she´-bens. | Little Duck. |
| A-be´-qua. | She Stays at Home. |