The second element -gua refers to 'men or people', so the meaning of the two elements is 'Kiowa people' to express 'Principal People' (sometimes 'Chief People') or 'genuine, real or true People' in Kiowa is to add the ending -hin.Īncient names were Kútjàu or Kwu-da (′Emerging / Coming Out ′) and Tep-da, relating to the myth pulling or coming out of a hollow log until a pregnant woman got stuck. Kae-kia means a Kiowa man Kae-ma is a Kiowa woman. The first part of the name is the element Kae-, Cáui- or Gai- which means the Kiowa themselves - it may derive from the word ka' (mother) or from ka-a' (a type of spear with feathers along its length). Kiowa call themselves Ka'igwu, Cáuigù or Gaigwu, most given with the meaning 'Principal People'.
