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 "Kulsetsiyi" in Cherokee translates to "honey-locust place," derived from "kulsetsi" (honey-locust) and "yi" (locative). The word "kulsetsi" also came to be used for "sugar." This led to the town being referred to as "Sugartown" by English colonists.