In Cherokee, the name was Kulsetsiyi (Syllabary:ᎫᎳᏎᏥᏱ), meaning "honey-locust place" from "kulsetsi" (honey-locust) and "yi" (locative). The word "kulsetsi" came to be used for "sugar" as well, thus the town name was often rendered "Sugartown" by the English colonists. One Sugartown was located on the Keowee River near Fall Creek, close to present-day Salem, South Carolina.
The name of this town, Kulsetsiyi, is rooted in Cherokee language and culture, reflecting its location and local resources. The word "kulsetsi" also came to be used for "sugar," which influenced how English colonists referred to the town as "Sugartown."