Benally Family History

Native American (Navajo): from an American English shortened and altered form of a Navajo personal name based on the word binálí ‘his grandchild’.

This term was mistakenly understood by whites to be a surname.

It reflects the cultural misunderstanding and misinterpretation of Indigenous names.

The Navajo language and its meanings hold significant cultural importance that often gets lost in translation.

For example, the term is related to the name Begay, which further illustrates the complexities involved.