List of California placenames of Native American origin

Many places throughout the U.S. state of California take their names from the languages of the indigenous Native American/American Indian tribes. The following list includes settlements, geographic features, and political subdivisions whose names are derived from these indigenous languages.

Counties

 * Inyo County – named after the eponymous Mono chief.
 * Inyo Mountains
 * Inyo Volcanic Chain
 * Inyo National Forest
 * Marin County – named after the eponymous Coast Miwok chief.
 * Marin City
 * Marin Creek
 * Marin Headlands
 * Marin Hills
 * Marin Islands
 * Modoc County – named after the Modoc people.
 * Modoc National Forest
 * Modoc Plateau
 * Modoc Crater
 * Mono County – from the Yokuts phrase monachi, meaning "those from the Sierra Nevada".
 * Mono Village
 * Mono Mills
 * Mono Lake
 * Napa County – from the Patwin phrase napo, meaning "home".
 * City of Napa
 * Napa River
 * Napa Valley
 * Shasta County – named after the Shasta people.
 * Region of Shasta Cascade
 * City of Shasta Lake
 * City of Mount Shasta
 * Village of Shasta
 * Village of Little Shasta
 * Mount Shasta
 * Shasta Dam
 * Shasta Lake
 * Shasta River
 * Siskiyou County – disputed origin; likely from a Chinook Jargon phrase meaning "bob-tailed horse".
 * Siskiyou Mountains
 * Siskiyou National Forest
 * Solano County – named after the eponymous Suisun chief.
 * Sonoma County – disputed origin; likely from a Pomoan phrase meaning "valley of the moon".
 * City of Sonoma
 * Sonoma Valley
 * Sonoma Mountains
 * Tehama County – from a Wintuan phrase meaning "high water".
 * City of Tehama
 * Mount Tehama
 * Tuolumne County – disputed origin; likely from the phrase talmalamne of unknown origin, meaning "cluster of stone wigwams".
 * Tuolumne City
 * Tuolumne River
 * Tuolumne Grove
 * Tuolumne Meadows
 * Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne
 * Yolo County – from the Patwin phrase yo-loy, meaning "a place abounding in rushes".
 * Village of Yolo

Settlements

 * Acalanes Ridge
 * Aguanga
 * Ahwahnee
 * Alleghany
 * Aptos
 * Azusa – from Tongva village "Azucsagna".
 * Cabazon
 * Cahuenga
 * Calistoga
 * Camanche Village
 * Camanche North Shore
 * Cherokee – named after the Cherokee people.
 * Cohasset
 * Colma
 * Concow
 * Cotati
 * Honcut
 * Jurupa Valley
 * Klamath River
 * Named after the Klamath River
 * Laguna Niguel
 * Lake Shastina
 * Lompoc
 * Malibu – from Ventureño "Umalibu, perhaps reflecting, "it (the surf) makes a loud noise all the time over there".
 * Merrimac
 * Milpitas
 * Mi-Wuk Village
 * Napa
 * New Chicago
 * Nimshew
 * Nipinnawasee
 * Nipomo
 * Ojai
 * Petaluma
 * Piru
 * Pismo Beach – from Chumash "Pismu" for "tar".
 * Point Mugu
 * Port Hueneme
 * Poway – from Kumeyaay language.
 * Rancho Cucamonga
 * Saratoga
 * Saticoy
 * Simi Valley – from Ventureño "Simiyi".
 * Sisquoc
 * Sonoma
 * Soquel
 * Suisun City
 * Tehachapi
 * Temecula – from Luiseño "Temeekunga".
 * Tionesta
 * Toluca Lake
 * Topanga
 * Tujunga
 * Wyandotte
 * Yucaipa
 * Yeomet
 * Yreka
 * Zayante

Bodies of water

 * Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park – named after the Achowami people.
 * Lake Cachuma
 * Tahquitz Canyon and Creek, Falls, Peak, and Rock, named for Cahuilla legend Tahquitz
 * Temescal Canyon, Creek, Mountains, and Valley

Islands

 * Anacapa Island

Other

 * Mojave Desert – named after the Mohave people.
 * Yosemite National Park