Why do people say 'Indian' or 'Native American'? Which is right?

Both are used. Neither is perfect. ‘Indian’ was a Columbus error (he thought he’d reached India), but it has been used for 500 years, is used by many Native people themselves, and appears in the names of tribal organizations and federal agencies. ‘Native American’ came into wider use in the 1970s. ‘Indigenous’ is often preferred in academic and international contexts. The best approach: use the specific tribal nation’s name when you know it, Diné, Lakota, Pueblo, Cherokee, and follow the lead of the person in front of you.

1 · MindWhat people believe, and how they know

The name ‘Indian’ arrived with Columbus in 1492, the result of a geographical mistake. Despite its inaccuracy, it became entrenched, in treaties, in federal agency names (Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service), in the American Indian Movement (founded 1968), and in many tribal members’ own preferred usage.

‘Native American’ emerged as a preferred term among activists and academics beginning in the late 1960s and 1970s. Some Native people prefer it; others find it artificial or politically coded.

‘Indigenous’ is preferred in academic literature and in international contexts (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples). It’s increasingly used, especially by younger generations.

Tribal names, Diné (Navajo), Lakota, Cherokee, Ojibwe (Anishinaabe), Pueblo, are the most specific and most respectful. When you know a person’s tribal nation, use it. ‘Navajo’ is more specific and more accurate than ‘Native American,’ the way ‘Japanese’ is more accurate than ‘Asian.’

Usage varies by generation, region, and political orientation. There is no consensus. Polls of Native people have consistently shown divided preferences, with no single term preferred by a majority.

What each tradition or community says

Many older Native people

Often comfortable with ‘Indian’ or ‘American Indian,’ especially in political contexts. The American Indian Movement, one of the most significant Native rights organizations, kept this term deliberately.

Many younger Native people and academics

Often prefer ‘Native American,’ ‘Indigenous,’ or tribal-specific terms. ‘Indigenous’ connects them to global indigenous rights movements.

Best practice

Use the specific tribal name when you know it. Ask if you don’t. Follow the preference of the person you’re talking with. Don’t agonize visibly, a quiet, respectful question is better than a performance of uncertainty.

2 · HeartWhat it feels like

Name confusion can feel like another way of saying ‘we never really had to think carefully about you.’ Native people hear this often enough that the question itself carries a history.

That said, asking, carefully and genuinely, is always better than assuming or avoiding. ‘What do you prefer?’ is a complete sentence.

Columbus got lost and named a whole continent’s worth of people wrong. Five hundred years later, we’re still sorting it out. The least we can do is try to learn the name of the specific nation.Neighbor Radio

3 · HandsHow to be a good neighbor

If you meet a Native person and don’t know their tribe, ‘What nation are you from?’ or ‘What tribe do you belong to?’ are both respectful and commonly used.

In writing and public speech, ‘Native American’ or ‘Indigenous’ is safe and widely accepted. In conversation with someone specific, follow their lead.

This weekDo you know the tribal nations whose traditional land is where you live? What do they call themselves in their own language?

Four questions to take with you

From Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan, about the stranger who stopped to help. We call it the Samaritan Test.

Did they see? Or look right past?
Did they stop? Even when it was inconvenient?
Did it cost them? Time, money, comfort, reputation?
Did they treat the person like a person? Not like a label?

Try it on: what it means to have your name be someone else’s mistake, and to have that mistake written into the law of the land for five centuries.

Quick questions

Is ‘Indian’ offensive?

It depends on context and the person. Many Native people use it themselves. Others prefer ‘Native American’ or ‘Indigenous.’ Using a tribal nation name (Navajo, Cherokee) is almost always more appreciated than either.

Is ‘Indigenous’ always correct?

It’s widely accepted and politically neutral in most contexts. In direct conversation, the specific tribal nation’s name is more precise.

Why do government agencies still use ‘Indian’?

Historic names in treaties, laws, and agency names haven’t been changed in most cases. The Bureau of Indian Affairs dates to 1824. Renaming federal agencies requires an act of Congress.

Sources and research

How this answer was made

Written in plain words by the Neighbor Radio team. Each faith's and community's section is checked by someone from that faith or community. Until then, this page says so. Spot something wrong? Tell us. We read every note and fix mistakes.

Why do people say ‘Indian’ or ‘Native American’? Which is right?