Cherokee is of Native American origin, specifically from the Cherokee Nation. It means "east" and was originally used as an adjective to describe the direction of the tribe's ancient homeland. The name became popular outside of Native American communities in the late 19th century after it was featured in various works of literature and art that romanticized the American West. Today, Cherokee is widely recognized as a unisex given name, with notable bearers including actress Cherokee Washington and musician Cherokee Turner.
"The name Cherokee has been relatively uncommon, with only six babies namedCherokee born in 1994 and five in 1995, making a total of eleven children given the name over these two years."