Kanata is an aboriginal word meaning "village" or "settlement."
Until the mid-20th century, the Mohawk word "kanata" was thought to have been the origin of Canada's name. But, as evidenced by the journal of Jacques Cartier about his voyage to present-day Quebec,[1] Canada, in the early 16th century, Canada's name stems from the Saint-Lawrence Iroquoian word "canada",[2] which holds the same meaning. This Iroquoian language was spoken by the inhabitants of Stadacona and the neighbouring region near present-day Quebec City in the 16th century,[3] with words having similarities to those in related Iroquoian languages, most notably in Mohawk and Oneida.
Kanata, Ontario is the name of a former city, now part of the amalgamated city of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, and is home to the NHL's Ottawa Senators playing in Scotiabank Place.