Names of the States
Many people don't know where the names of their states actually come from, or what they mean, however many of the states' names and meanings are very interesting! See if you can find yours!
Alabama - While the definite origin of the word 'Alabama' is unknown, the most supported theory is that it is derived from the two Choctaw words 'Alba' and "Amo' meaning 'to gather vegetables'.
Alaska - 'Alaska' is derived from the Inuit word 'aleyska' meaning 'the mainland'.
Arizona - 'Arizona' is an anglicized version of the spanish 'Arissona'. The name may trace further back to a spanish translation of the Pima word meaning "Place of Little Spring".
Arkansas - 'Arkansas' is the French pronunciation/transliteration of the Quapaw word "akakaze" meaning 'the down river people'. This word also has a connection to the Sioux word 'akakaze' meaning 'people of the south wind'.
California - 'California' is named by Spanish conquistadors after the mythical island 'Califia', that is described in a Spanish romance novel written in 1510.
Colorado - 'Colorado' is named after the reddish dirt banks of the river that runs through it. The word 'colorado' itself is a conglomeration of Spanish words that ultimately means "coloured red".
Connecticut - "Connecticut" originates from Proto-Eastern-Algonquian languages that were spoken in the area. The river was named by the natives, and the state was named based off of the river. An approximate of the native word is 'Kwunuhtkwunk'. The Algonquian word means "at a long tidal river". (kwən - long, əhtəkw - tidal river, ənk - 'at')
Delaware - 'Delaware' was named to honour the governor of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, Sir Thomas West (Lord De la Warr).
Florida - 'Florida' is a Spanish word meaning 'Land of Flowers'.
Georgia - 'Georgia' was named after King George II.
Hawaii - 'Hawaii' may have been named after the hawaiian word 'Owhyhee' meaning 'homeland'. (Also: The Hawaiian Islands were originally named 'The Sandwich Islands' by Captain James Cook in 1778, in honour of the Earl of Sandwich.)
Idaho - 'Idaho' was a word invented and proposed to congress by a Mining lobbyist George M. Willing. However, there's strong evidence to support the theory that it was based off of a Shashone phrase 'E Da Hoe' meaning "Gem of the Mountains".
Illinois - 'Illinois' is the French spelling/transliteration of the Peoria native word 'ilniwok' meaning 'men' or 'warriors'.
Indiana - 'Indiana' was a word created in 1800 meaning 'the land of the indians'.
Iowa - 'Iowa is the English translation of the French word 'Ioway', which is the French translation for the 'Ayuway tribe'. The word 'Ayuway' is the Dakota native translation of the 'Ayuway' denonym 'Ayuxba' meaning 'sleepy-ones.
Kansas - named after the Kaw or Kansa tribe, thought to meant 'of the wind', it's french spelling accounts for the added 's' on Kansa, and the English pronunciation results in our modern pronunciation of it
Kentucky - the word 'Kentucky' most likely came from local tribal words such as the Mohawk word 'kenhtà:ke' or the Seneca word 'gëdá’geh' both meaning 'at the meadow'.
Louisiana - named after the King of France at the time, Louis XIV.
Maine - there are three possible origins for this state's name. The English explanations are that it was either named 'Main' to indicated it as the mainland in contrast the surrounding islands, or as 'Mayne' in reference to the estate of the colony's founder. The French explanation is that is was named after 'Maine', a French province.
Maryland - named after Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles the First of England
Massachusetts - this state's name is the remnant of an extinct Algonquin language, Narragansett. Their word 'Massachusêuck', meaning 'at the foot of the great-little mountain'.
Michigan - this state's name is the French form of the Old Algonquin word 'mishigami', meaning 'great water'
Minnesota - this state's name is derived from the Dakota word 'mnisota' meaning 'cloudy water'
Mississippi - this state's name is the French form of the Ojibwe word 'misi-ziibi' meaning 'the great river'. This means that 'Mississippi River' means 'The Great River River'
Missouri - this state is named after a group of people referred to as the 'wimihsoorita' meaning 'one who builds dugout canoes'. This means Missouri's name means dugout canoe (mihsoori).
Montana - this name comes from the Spanish word 'montaña' meaning mountain
Nebraska - this name comes from the Chiwere word 'ñįbraske' meaning 'flat water' due to its winding rivers through its flat lands
Nevada - this name also has Spanish roots, residing in the word 'nevado' meaning 'Snow Covered' which is probably referring to the Sierra Mountains.
New Hampshire - named as a 'new' version of the English county, 'Hampshire'
New Mexico - is a direct translation of Nuevo Mexico
New York - named as a 'new' version of the English 'York', or possibly after the then Duke of York
North Carolina - both carolinas were named after the Latin word for Charles, Carolus.
North Dakota - both dakota's get their names from a word borrowed from the Sioux 'dakhóta' meaning 'an ally'.
Ohio - this state's name comes from a Seneca word meaning a 'large creek', ohi:yo’
Oklahoma - a word that combines two Choctaw words meaning
people' (okla) and 'red' (homa)
Oregon - this state's name is so heavily disputed that no one knows for sure where it came from
Pennsylvania - name meaning 'Penn's Woods' and 'sylvania' is a latin word meaning forest or woods.
Rhode Island - derived from the Dutch 'roodt eylandt' meaning 'Red Island'
South Carolina - both carolinas were named after the Latin word for Charles, Carolus.
South Dakota - both dakota's get their names from a word borrowed from the Sioux 'dakhóta' meaning 'an ally'.
Tennessee - is an Anglicization of the Cherokee word 'ᏔᎾᏏ' or 'tanasi' which was the name of a Cherokee village.
Utah - derived from the Spanish word 'yuta' which is from the Apache word 'yúdah' meaning 'a high place'
Vertmont - from the French word 'vert' (green) and 'mont' (mountain) due to it's landscape
Viriginia - named after the 'Virgin Queen' Elizabeth the First of England
Washington - named after George Washington
West Virginia - same origin as Virginia
Wisconsin - most likely deriving from the French word Ouisconsin (from the earlier Mescousing) which is taken from the Miami word 'Meskonsing' meaning 'a river running through a red place'
Wyoming - from the Munsee word 'xwé:wamənk' meaning 'at the big flat river' which was first used to describe the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania
Tally:
Names Derived from Native Words: 25
Names Derived from European Words: 8
Names Derived form Landscape: 20
Names Derived from People: 9
Works Consulted:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_state_name_etymologies_of_the_United_States
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0854966.html
http://www.businessinsider.com/state-name-meanings-2014-1
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31100/how-all-50-states-got-their-names
