dAlene

dAlene is a variant spelling commonly associated with the Coeur d'Alene name, used to refer to the Native American people of the region as well as to places in northern Idaho linked to them. In standard usage, the geographic and cultural unit is more often written as Coeur d'Alene, as in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Coeur d'Alene Lake, and the Coeur d'Alene Nation. The form without an apostrophe or with a lowercase d appears in some branding or historical texts, but the conventional name for the city and surrounding features remains Coeur d'Alene.

Etymology of the term Coeur d'Alene traces to French traders who named the people Cœur d'Alène, often translated in popular accounts as “heart of the awl,” though the precise origin and meaning are debated. The name has been applied to the tribe and to the geographic area, including the city, the lake, and the county, reflecting both indigenous heritage and 19th-century naming by European settlers.

Geography and demographics are tied to Lake Coeur d'Alene, a large, glacier-fed lake in the Idaho Panhandle, and to the city of Coeur d'Alene, the county seat of Kootenai County. The surrounding region is known for outdoor recreation, including boating, hiking, and golf, as well as a tourism economy that centers on lakefront amenities, parks, and cultural events.

History and economy reflect a shift from Indigenous stewardship and early settlement to a modern service-oriented economy. The area has long hosted Indigenous communities, with non-Native settlement expanding after the arrival of the railroad era. Today, the Coeur d'Alene region emphasizes tourism, healthcare, education, and small-scale manufacturing, while preserving its cultural heritage through institutions, museums, and events.