The term "First Nations" came into common usage in the 1970s to replace "band" or "Indian", which some people found offensive. Despite its widespread use, there is no legal definition for this term in Canada. The term itself has two main uses – (1) First Nations people: Many people today prefer to be called "First Nations" or "First Nations people" instead of "Indians". Generally, First Nations people is used to describe both Status and Non-Status Indians. The term is rarely used as a synonym for "Aboriginal peoples" (i.e., it usually doesn't include Inuit or Métis people); (2) First Nation: First Nation has been adopted by some Indian communities to replace the term "Indian band". Many Indian bands started to replace the word "band" in their name with "First Nation" in the 1980s. (Source: Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development)

A term that came into common usage in the 1970s to replace the word "Indian". Although the term First Nation is widely used, no legal definition of it exists. The term has also been adopted to replace the word "Band" in the naming of communities.

A term that is a more respectable replacement for the word "Indian," which some people find offensive. Sometimes it is used to replace the word "band" in the name of a community.