|
Alabama
|
From Alabama River by early European explorers and named "Alibamu"
after the local Indian tribe |
|
Alaska
|
Corruption of Aleut word meaning “great land” or “that which the
sea breaks against” |
|
Arizona
|
Uncertain. Perhaps from the O'odham Indian word for “little
spring” |
|
Arkansas
|
From the Quapaw Indians |
|
California
|
From a book, Las Sergas de Esplandián, by Garcia Ordóñez de
Montalvo, c. 1500 |
|
Colorado
|
From the Spanish, “ruddy” or “red” |
|
Connecticut
|
From an Indian word (Quinnehtukqut) meaning “beside the long tidal
river” |
|
Delaware
|
From Delaware River and Bay; named in turn for Sir Thomas West,
Baron De La Warr |
|
Florida
|
From the Spanish Pascua Florida, meaning “feast of flowers”
(Easter) |
|
Georgia
|
In honor of George II of England |
|
Hawaii
|
Uncertain. The islands may have been named by Hawaii Loa, their
traditional discoverer. Or they may have been named after Hawaii or
Hawaiki, the traditional home of the Polynesians. |
|
Idaho
|
An invented name whose meaning is unknown. |
|
Illinois
|
Algonquin for “tribe of superior men” |
|
Indiana
|
Meaning “land of Indians” |
|
Iowa
|
From the Iowa River which was named after the Ioway Indian
tribe |
|
Kansas
|
From a Sioux word meaning “people of the south wind” |
|
Kentucky
|
From an Iroquoian word “Ken-tah-ten” meaning “land of
tomorrow” |
|
Louisiana
|
In honor of Louis XIV of France |
|
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. |
|
Maryland
|
In honor of Henrietta Maria (queen of Charles I of England) |
|
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.” |
|
Montana
|
From the Spanish word meaning “mountain.” |
|
Nebraska
|
From an Oto Indian word meaning “flat water” |
|
Nevada
|
Spanish: “snowcapped” |
|
New Hampshire
|
From the English county of Hampshire |
|
New Jersey
|
From the Channel Isle of Jersey |
|
New Mexico
|
From Mexico, “place of Mexitli,” an Aztec god or leader |
|
New York
|
In honor of the Duke of York |
|
North Carolina
|
In honor of Charles I of England |
|
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” |
|
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. |
|
Pennsylvania
|
In honor of Adm. Sir William Penn, father of William Penn. It means
“Penn's Woodland.” |
|
Rhode Island
|
From the Greek Island of Rhodes |
|
South Carolina
|
In honor of Charles I of England |
|
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” |
|
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 |
|
Wisconsin
|
French corruption of an Indian word whose meaning is disputed |
|
Wyoming
|
From the Delaware Indian word, meaning “mountains and valleys
alternating”; the same as the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania |
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education,
Inc. All rights reserved.
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