The Baby Name Wizard

Reader Contributions

Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Seneca!

Comments and insights on the name Seneca: | Edit

We named our second daughter Seneca because my husband is from Elkins, West Virginia, and there is an Old Seneca Trail that runs through town.

Personal experiences with the name Seneca: | Edit

When we wanted to name our second daughter Seneca, our family thought it was an awful name. But we stuck to our guns and we think it suits her perfectly. Everyone we meet thinks it's a great name. We've only had one person pronounce it wrong at a doctor's office, it is pronounced SEN-eh-ka, and on this one occasion they said Sen-NEEK-qua.

I named my son Seneca after looking through a genealogy book from my mother's side of the family. There were several generations of male Senecas. In fact, in the mid to late 1800's, it was popular to name your child after famous Romans. I love the name, though most have never heard it, I know it's historic, not new and trendy!

Nicknames for Seneca: | Edit

Share what you know!

Meanings and history of the name Seneca: | Edit

The Seneca Indians were part of the Iroquois five nations, and were known as the "keepers of the western wall". It is also the name of a Roman philosopher. In Latin, Seneca means "old."

The Seneca name is Onöndowága, meaning "People of the Great Hill."

Famous real-life people named Seneca: | Edit

The Roman Philosopher, actually there were two. Seneca the elder and Seneca the younger. The younger Seneca was tutor to Nero.

Seneca in song, story & screen: | Edit

Seneca Crane from "The Hunger Games" trilogy by Suzanne Collins