Sedna

Sedna is a name of New World origin, most famously borne by the Inuit goddess of the sea, sea animals, and the underworld. The etymology of the name is uncertain, though it is borrowed from Inuktitut ᵴშᒤᓊ (sanna), referring to the deity often called the Mother of the Sea in Inuit mythology.

According to traditional Inuit legends, Sedna was once a beautiful woman who was thrown into the ocean by her father. As she clung to the side of his kayak, he cut off her fingers, which then transformed into the first seals, whales, and other sea creatures. Sedna herself became the ruler of the underwater realm, controlling the availability of sea animals for hunters. In some versions, she has a vengeful temper and must be appeased by shamans to ensure successful hunts.

The name entered wider recognition in 2004 when a dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her. Over 500 astronomical hits in the outer Oort cloud, (90377) Sedna is notable for its distant and highly elliptical orbit, raising interest in possible new planets beyond Neptune.

Among names of mythology, Sedna is one of the few with a distinctively New World and Arctic origin. Related names might include Nanook (Inuit spirit of polar bears) or Niviarsiannguaq (Inuit figure), though Sedna remains the most widely recognized non-Christian name from indigenous Canadian beliefs.

• Meaning: Unknown, but mythologically associated with the sea, sea mammals, and death.
• Origin: The Inuit tradition (esp. Greenland, Canada, Alaska).
• Type: First name, goddess Epynym (astronomical, zoological).
• Usage Regions: Pan-Arctic, but promoted as a given name in English-speaking countries and areas keen on alternative or unconventional names.