The Kaw people (also known as the Kanza) are a Native American people living in the central part of the Midwestern United States. The Kaw people have also been known as the "People of the South wind", "People of water", "Kansa", "Kaza", "Kosa", and "Kasa". The US state of Kansas was named after the Kaw people. Kansas' capital city, Topeka, was named after a Kaw word meaning "a good place to dig potatoes". The Kaw are closely related to the Osage Nation.