View Full Version : How did US states get their names?
The_Doctor
08-01-2005, 14:58
Title says it all.
Gregoshi
08-01-2005, 15:01
Pennsylvania = Penn's woods, named after colony founder and Quaker-pursuing-religious-freedom-in-the-New-World William Penn.
Virginia was named after the virgin Queen, Queen Elizabeth I.
Florida was first seen by the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon on Palm Sunday on April 2, 1513. He then named the "Pascua de Florida," meaning "Feast of Flowers" and claimed it for Spain. Now Florida has been conquered by old people when nobody was looking.
Most of the east coast states where named either for British places (New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey) or royalty (Georgia - George, N/S Carolina - Caroline). I think the rest are mostly Native American names, like Mississippi and Illinois.
Florida was first seen by the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon on Palm Sunday on April 2, 1513. He then named the "Pascua de Florida," meaning "Feast of Flowers" and claimed it for Spain. Now Florida has been conquered by old people when nobody was looking.What's the Spanish phrase for "God's Waiting Room"? ~D
Leonin Khan
08-01-2005, 16:36
new york was named new amsterdam first wasnt it
Leonin Khan
08-01-2005, 16:41
yeah they traded it for suriname. those dutchies have ripped us off
new york was named new amsterdam first wasnt itThe city of New York was called New Amsterdam, I'm not sure about New York state.
TheSilverKnight
08-01-2005, 16:49
Yes, actually. I think it was dutch before the brits took it somehow.
Somehow??
The English took it in 1664 during the 2nd Anglo-Dutch War (1664-1667, iirc). It was named New York after King Charles II's brother, James, Duke of York, and was exchanged so the Dutch could have back Suriname. New York was reoccupied by the Dutch in 1673, but affirmed to the English in the 1678 peace treaty.
Leonin Khan
08-01-2005, 16:52
knew it was something like that
What's the Spanish phrase for "God's Waiting Room"? ~D
"Sala de espera de dios" (or something like that) doesn´t have quiet the same ring to it.
Nevada also comes from the spanish....nevada means "snowy"...i guess they tough that the sand seemed like snow...
discovery1
08-01-2005, 17:32
Actually, Nevada has a great many mountains so much of the state does receive snowfall in winter. Sometimes it does even in Vegas, not often though.
Montana means mountain in spanish doesn't it?
KukriKhan
08-01-2005, 17:35
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0854966.html
Gawain of Orkeny
08-01-2005, 17:56
Many states names come from the indians.
Alabama May come from Choctaw meaning “thicket-clearers” or “vegetation-gatherers”
Alaska Corruption of Aleut word meaning “great land” or “that which the sea breaks against”
Arizona From the Indian “Arizonac,” meaning “little spring” or “young spring”
Arkansas From the Quapaw Indians
Connecticut From an Indian word (Quinnehtukqut) meaning “beside the long tidal river”
Illinois Algonquin for “tribe of superior men”
Almost but not quite from the indians. I love this one. Pretty self explanatory
Indiana Meaning “land of Indians”
Iowa Probably from an Indian word meaning “this is the place” or “the Beautiful Land”
Kansas From a Sioux word meaning “people of the south wind”
Kentucky From an Iroquoian word “Ken-tah-ten” meaning “land of tomorrow”
Massachusetts From Massachusett tribe of Native Americans, meaning “at or about the great hill”
Michigan From Indian word “Michigana” meaning “great or large lake”
Minnesota From a Dakota Indian word meaning “sky-tinted water”
Mississippi From an Indian word meaning “Father of Waters”
Missouri Named after the Missouri Indian tribe. “Missouri” means “town of the large canoes.”
Nebraska From an Oto Indian word meaning “flat water”
North Dakota From the Sioux tribe, meaning “allies”
Ohio From an Iroquoian word meaning “great river”
Oklahoma From two Choctaw Indian words meaning “red people”
South Dakota From the Sioux tribe, meaning “allies”
Tennessee Of Cherokee origin; the exact meaning is unknown
Texas From an Indian word meaning “friends”
Utah From the Ute tribe, meaning “people of the mountains”
Wisconsin French corruption of an Indian word whose meaning is disputed
and finally
Wyoming From the Delaware Indian word, meaning “mountains and valleys alternating”; the same as the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania
So you see although we may have stolen their land we at least honor their spirit by naming the land after them in most case.
Heres some to ponder
Idaho Though popularly believed to be an Indian word, it is an invented name whose meaning is unknown.
Maine First used to distinguish the mainland from the offshore islands. It has been considered a compliment to Henrietta Maria, queen of Charles I of England. She was said to have owned the province of Mayne in France.
Montana Chosen from Latin dictionary by J. M. Ashley. It is a Latinized Spanish word meaning “mountainous.”
This one surprises me
California From a book, Las Sergas de Esplandián, by Garcia Ordóñez de Montalvo, c. 1500
Oregon Unknown. However, it is generally accepted that the name, first used by Jonathan Carver in 1778, was taken from the writings of Maj. Robert Rogers, an English army officer.
Rhode Island From the Greek Island of Rhodes
Crazed Rabbit
08-01-2005, 18:22
Washington: after George Washington himself. (Some wanted to call it Columbia, but others realised no state had been named after any of out founders.)
Crazed Rabbit
The_Doctor
08-01-2005, 18:41
Very interesting. Thanks ~:cheers:
Now what about English place names?
-by means farm/villiage, eg Crosby means Village of the Cross.
-ton means hill. eg Sefton hill of sef?
Florida was first seen by the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon on Palm Sunday on April 2, 1513. He then named the "Pascua de Florida," meaning "Feast of Flowers" and claimed it for Spain. Now Florida has been conquered by old people when nobody was looking.
HAHAHAHAHAHA - old people taking over - so true!!
I think it would have been funny to have Washington state named Columbia.
Makes me wonder whether the canadians would still have called British Columbia, British Columbia....
And whether the americans would have called their Columbia - American Columbia....
Something to ponder regarding the pronounciation of these two states:
Arkansas and Kansas.
Why is Arkansas pronounced ARE-CAN-SAW and Kansas is pronounced CAN-SASS when both words are spelled the same (with regards to Kansas)?
Why isn't Arkansas prounounced ARC-CAN-SASS or Kansas pronounced CAN-SAW?
Al Khalifah
08-01-2005, 23:48
Why is District of Columbia called that?
King of Atlantis
08-01-2005, 23:55
most eastern states are names after british stuff.
The rest of the states are mainly indian or spansih names. some are also french like louisiana.
why district of colombia
-district cause its not a state
-colombia, not sure, probably in honor of colombus?????
Del Arroyo
08-01-2005, 23:57
Because Arkansas is full of hicks. They wanted to say it that way, so they did.
Missouri WOULD have been another good example, exept that there are a large number of civilized people living here, thus the Missour-EE Missour-UH compromise. The people who pronounce it Missour-UH live mostly down towards Arkansas, which would explain both weirdnesses.
We also pronounce the Meramec River as if it were spelled Merrimack, but that's such a subtle difference and it is a Jeff County river anyway that everyone has given up on that one and gone with the flow.
DA
Azi Tohak
08-02-2005, 00:29
Geez Kukri, spoiling all our fun making stuff up...
Anyway, about the whole people of the south wind. Yup! Darned Oklahomans and Texans won't keep their own wind so it blows across my fair state, carrying the stink of Bob Stoops and Bevo... ick. ~;)
Azi
Gawain of Orkeny
08-02-2005, 01:41
Now what about English place names?
You just had to ask didnt you? ~:)
Well not all quite English but ill give it a try.
Delaware From Delaware River and Bay; named in turn for Sir Thomas West, Baron De La Warr
Georgia In honor of George II of England
Louisiana In honor of Louis XIV of France
Maryland In honor of Henrietta Maria (queen of Charles I of England)
Nevada Spanish: “snowcapped”
New Hampshire From the English county of Hampshire
New Jersey From the Channel Isle of Jersey
New York In honor of the Duke of York
North Carolina In honor of Charles I of England
Pennsylvania In honor of Adm. Sir William Penn, father of William Penn. It means “Penn's Woodland.”
South Carolina In honor of Charles I of England
Vermont From the French “vert mont,” meaning “green mountain”
Virginia In honor of Elizabeth “Virgin Queen” of England
Washington In honor of George Washington
West Virginia In honor of Elizabeth, “Virgin Queen” of England
Any others you would like to know?
Any others you would like to know?
Do you know where Canada got it's name, gentle scribe?
Big_John
08-02-2005, 02:11
how did the northwest territories get its name???
iirc, canada is a french corruption of the iroquois word for "town".
iirc, canada is a french corruption of the iroquois word for "town".
Actually, I think it was the word "village".
Big_John
08-02-2005, 02:32
"village" is the iroquois word for town? wow, what a coincidence! how the hell did the french get "canada" out of that?? :dizzy2:
Uesugi Kenshin
08-02-2005, 03:24
Damn Gawain you stole my state!!!
But to further clarify Vermont was named for Ver=green Mont=Mountain(not sure if it's plural...) because it was discovered by a frenchman.
But French people would say Mont Vert, not Vert Mont.
The same way English people would say roller skates, not skates roller.
"village" is the iroquois word for town? wow, what a coincidence! how the hell did the french get "canada" out of that?? :dizzy2:
Don't be a smartass (that's my job thank you). The Iroguois word for town/village/settlement is Kanata. Change 2 letters and you have Canada. Jeez. ~:confused:
Big_John
08-02-2005, 03:44
"ass-hat"? man, i haven't heard that term since my CS days..
ah, memories..
Now, now.
Let's all do the group hug thingy and just... get along. ~:grouphug:
Samurai Waki
08-02-2005, 04:46
Actually Montana isn't named after the spanish word "mountainous" at all, in fact the Spanish never even set foot in Montana, actually it comes from French, or Montanya(sp?) for mountainous, such subtle differences, Montana has been regarded by French Artists as being one of the most beautiful places in the world, and the town that I hail from actually has a Center where French tourists/Artists can come and stay. Previous to achieving statehood, Montana was full of French Fur Traders, and it still maintains a rather large French ancestry amongst current residents. Actually if you are born in Montana you can achieve French Citizenship by signing a few papers, or so I've heard. unfortunately, I was born in New York City so I don't have access to do that. Montanya was turned in Montana, as many of the British/Irish/German settlers in the region opted for a neutral Latin name.
The_Doctor
08-02-2005, 09:36
Now what about English place names?
I meant English places, not American.
The Stranger
08-02-2005, 09:57
Actually Montana isn't named after the spanish word "mountainous" at all, in fact the Spanish never even set foot in Montana, actually it comes from French, or Montanya(sp?) for mountainous, such subtle differences, Montana has been regarded by French Artists as being one of the most beautiful places in the world, and the town that I hail from actually has a Center where French tourists/Artists can come and stay. Previous to achieving statehood, Montana was full of French Fur Traders, and it still maintains a rather large French ancestry amongst current residents. Actually if you are born in Montana you can achieve French Citizenship by signing a few papers, or so I've heard. unfortunately, I was born in New York City so I don't have access to do that. Montanya was turned in Montana, as many of the British/Irish/German settlers in the region opted for a neutral Latin name.
the french word for mountain is Montagne
Samurai Waki
08-02-2005, 09:59
well yes, thats besides the point. It's name isn't of Spanish Origin.
Ja'chyra
08-02-2005, 11:17
That was interesting Gawain, some of those native names are quite beautiful.
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