Ciqala as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ciqala

What is the meaning of the name Ciqala ?

The baby name Ciqala is a Unisex name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced see-KAH-lah (approx. English),ǀiˈkala (approx. Nguni/Xhosa dental-click pronunciation).

Ciqala is in Origin.

Ciqala comes from Lakota, a Siouan language, where čík’ala means “small” or “little one.” As a given name it carries the affectionate sense of a beloved younger child or someone cherished despite smallness. Many treat it as unisex, and it’s often pronounced chee-KAH-lah.

In traditional Lakota naming, descriptive words like čík’ala functioned as epithets or by-names rather than formal first names, though they could appear within longer ceremonial names. As a modern standalone baby name, Ciqala is rare but attested in Native communities and among those honoring Lakota heritage. Variant spellings reflect different transcription systems: Cikala, Chikala, Čík’ala, or Chik’ala. The q in Ciqala is a modern stylistic choice; many linguistic sources instead write k’ to reflect a glottalized consonant in the Lakota form. Parallel forms occur across the Sioux languages (Dakota/Nakota), keeping the core meaning “small, little.”

⚙ Ciqala does not appear in any of the birth registries or name datasets we track. This usually means it's either extremely rare, a regional/traditional name not captured by official statistics, or a brand-new coinage. Use it knowing your child will almost certainly be the only one in the room.