​The Lenape

The name by which we call ourselves is Lenape [pronounced as if spelled “lun-NAH-pay”], and this name means something like “The People.” It is common for many groups of people around the world to use a name that has a similar translation. We do not know how long that name has been in use, but related tribes use similar words, so we think it has been in use for many hundreds of years.

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Why did the Lenape people accept the name “Delaware”?

It has long been known that the name applied to the Native people who lived along the Delaware River was taken from the title of an Englishman, Lord de la Warr, whose name was Sir Thomas West. He was appointed governor of the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia in 1610.

One of his followers, Captain Samuel Argall, once sailed into a majestic bay which he named “de la Warr Bay” in honor of the governor. The river that flowed into the bay was given the same name, and they both were later contracted into Delaware.

People have asked why the Lenape people seem to have no problem with accepting this “foreign” name for themselves. The reason is that the Lenape have their own story about the origin of the name “Delaware.” It is as follows:

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The Lenape story is that when the Europeans first arrived, a white man kept trying to ask a Lenape what tribe he belonged to, and he told him “Lenape.” For some reason the white man had trouble saying the word properly, and would say “Lenuhpee,” “Renahpay” and other mispronunciations.

Finally, he said “Lenape” correctly, and the Lenape said, “Nal në ndëluwèn! Nal në ndëluwèn!” (That’s what I said! That’s what I said!).

The white man heard the DULUWEN part and he said, “Oh, you said Delaware! So, you are a Delaware. Now I know what to call you,” and the name stuck.

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The Delawares have used the name ever since that time because they knew that the whites just could not say Lenape properly. Of course, when speaking to each other, Lenape people call themselves “Lenape.”