States, origin of the names of
Alabama (Indian), “Here we rest.”
Arkansas (Indian), the same as
Kansas, “smoky water,” with the prefix of the
French arc, or bow for arrows.
California, a name given by
Cortez in 1535 to the peninsula of
Lower California.
He probably derived it from
Esplanadian, a Spanish romance published in 1510, in which the name is given to an imaginary island “on the right hand of the Indies, very near to the terrestrial paradise,” abounding in great treasures of gold.
Colorado (Spanish), “red,” or “colored.”
Connecticut, from the
Indian word,
Quahna-ta-cut, “country upon the long river.”
Delaware, in honor of
Thomas West,
Lord De la Warr, or
Delaware, first governor of the
Virginia colony.
Florida, so named by
Ponce de Leon because of the abundance of flowers there, or because of the day on which he discovered it—Easter or Palm Sunday (
Pascua Florida), 1512.
Georgia, in honor of George II.
of
England, in whose reign it was settled.
Illinois, from the
Indian word illini, “men,” and the
French suffix ois, “tribe of men.”
Indiana, from the word “Indian.”
Iowa, the
French rendering of an Indian word signifying “the drowsy,” or the “sleepy ones.”
Kansas (Indian), “smoky water.”
It is also said to signify “good potato.”
Kentucky (Indian),
Kain-tuck-ee, “at the bead of a river.”
Louisiana, so named by
La Salle after King Louis XIV.
of
France.
Maine, in compliment to the
Queen of Charles I., who owned the province of
Mayne, in
France.
Maryland, named in honor of
Henrietta Maria,
Queen of Charles I., who called the province Terra Mariae, “
Mary's land.”
Massachusetts (Indian), “about the great hills.”
Michigan (Indian),
mit-chi, “great,” and sawgye-gan, a Chippewa word for “liken.”
Minnesota (Indian), “whitish water.”
Mississippi (Indian), “great, long river.”
Missouri (Indian), “muddy river.”
Nebraska (Indian), “water valley,” or “shallow river.”
Nevada, a Spanish word.
New Hampshire, so named by
George Mason after
Hampshire, a county in
England.
New Jersey, so called in honor of
Sir George Carteret, one of its proprietors.
who had been governor of the island of
Jersey, in the
British Channel.
New York, so named in compliment to the
Duke of
York, to whom the territory was granted in 1664.
Carolina, North and South, so named in compliment to Charles II.
(Latin
Carolus), who granted the colonial charter.
Ohio (Indian),
O-hee-yuh (
Seneca) “beautiful river.”
The
French spell it O-y-o.
Oregon, from oregano (Spanish)., the wild marjoram, which grows abundantly on the
Pacific coast.
Pennsylvania, “
Penn's woods,” so named in honor of
Admiral Penn, to whose son William it was granted by Charles II.
Rhode Island, a corruption of Roode Islandt, “
Red Island,” so named by the
Dutch traders because of the abundance of cranberries found on the shore.
Tennessee (Indian), “river of the big bend.”
Texas, from an Aztec word signifying “north country.”
Vermont (
French,
verd mont), “green mountain,” from the green mountain ranges that traverse it.
Virginia, so named in compliment to Elizabeth, the unmarried
Queen of
England.
West Virginia, formed from the western portion of old
Virginia.
Wisconsin, or Ouisconsin, the
French form of an Indian word meaning “a wild, rushing river.”
