Title: Native American vs. American Indian: Which Is Preferred?
Headings: ‘Native American’ or ‘American Indian’? How to Talk About Indigenous People of America
‘Native American’ or ‘American Indian’? How to Talk About Indigenous People of America
Where these terms originated
Which should you use?
What about ‘Alaska Native’?
Can I just say ‘Indigenous’?
What about tribe names?
How to talk about it
If someone corrects you
Terms to avoid
The bottom line

Content: Native American vs. American Indian: Which Is Preferred? ‘Native American’ or ‘American Indian’? How to Talk About Indigenous People of America
Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — Written by Crystal Raypole on March 15, 2021
Term origins
Which one to use
‘Alaska Native’
‘Indigenous’
Tribe names
How to ask
Terms to avoid
Takeaway
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LAUREN LEE / Stocksy
Most people living in the United States are familiar with the terms “Native American,” “American Indian,” and, increasingly, “Indigenous American” or “Indigenous peoples.” But if you’re still uncertain about which term to use, you’re not alone. Perhaps you learned to say “Native American” in elementary school and stuck with it until college, when a class on American Indian literature led you to rethink the terminology. Maybe you have a friend who uses “American Indian” and a co-worker who describes themselves as “Native American.” This inconsistency might leave you confused, wondering how to best avoid giving offense. Should you use “American Indian”? Is “Native American” still the best term?