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
Enjoy
C.L.F!
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