Indigenous
Chicago
Illinois (IL)est. 1833pop. 2,746,388/shih-KAH-goh/
The meaning
“Wild leek place / striped skunk plant”
How it got the name
The name descends from the Miami-Illinois word shikaakwa, the name for a pungent wild allium — a ramp or wild leek — that grew thick in the marshes at the mouth of the river. French explorers Jolliet and Marquette recorded the portage as 'Checagou' in 1673. The plant and the striped skunk shared a root in the language because both were described by their sharp smell, which is why the city is sometimes teased as 'the place that stinks of onions.'
Disputed / alternate theory
A persistent folk claim ties the name to a Potawatomi chief named Chicagou, but the plant etymology is documented decades before any such leader appears in the record.
Former names
- Checagou
- Fort Dearborn settlement
- Chicago