yellowhead

Yellowhead is a toponym and nickname used in North America, most prominently in Canada, where it designates several geographic and administrative entities as well as natural features. The best-known use is the Yellowhead Highway, designated Highway 16, which runs across western Canada from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, to Edmonton, Alberta. The highway connects urban centers and passes through areas associated with the Yellowhead name.

Yellowhead County is a municipal district in west-central Alberta. The term also appears in the names of regions in western Canada that are associated with the highway and local geography, commonly referred to as the Yellowhead Region.

In biology, yellowhead is a common name applied to some species with a yellow head coloration, including certain birds and fish. The name is also used as a surname or nickname in some local histories.

Because the name arises from multiple local features and histories, there is no single authoritative origin for all uses of Yellowhead. The term often reflects regional identity linked to transportation corridors and geographic features in western Canada.