How Each US State Got Its Name

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The names of the 50 states in the United States have rich and varied origins, reflecting the diverse history, cultures, and influences that have shaped the country. These findings are based on the video by RobWords, which offers an insightful exploration of the etymology behind each state’s name. From Native American languages and European royalty to geographic features and mythical places, each state name carries its own unique story.

List of U.S. State Names and Their Origins

1. Alabama: Named after the Alabama tribe; origin possibly from a Native word meaning “thicket clearers” or “plant gatherers.”
2. Alaska: From the Aleut word “Aláxsxaq,” meaning “the object toward which the action of the sea is directed” or simply “mainland.”
3. Arizona: Likely from the O’odham word “ali ṣonak,” meaning “little spring.”
4. Arkansas: Named after the Quapaw people, known as the “downstream people”; derived from a French pronunciation of “Akansa.”
5. California: Named after a mythical island from a 16th-century Spanish novel, “Las Sergas de Esplandián.”
6. Colorado: From the Spanish word “colorado,” meaning “red-colored,” referencing the red silt of the Colorado River.
7. Connecticut: Likely from the Algonquian word “quinetucket,” meaning “long tidal river.”
8. Delaware: Named after Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and Virginia’s governor.
9. Florida: From the Spanish “Pascua Florida,” meaning “flowery Easter,” named by explorers who arrived during the Easter season.
10. Georgia: Named after King George II of Great Britain.
11. Hawaii: Derived from the native Hawaiian word “Hawai’i,” possibly meaning “homeland.”
12. Idaho: A made-up name thought to mean “Gem of the Mountains” but has no real Native American origin; nearly used for Colorado.
13. Illinois: From the French name for the native “Illiniwek” people, meaning “ordinary speakers.”
14. Indiana: Means “Land of the Indians,” named by English settlers.
15. Iowa: From the French version of the Dakota Sioux word “ayuhwa,” meaning “sleepy ones,” used by the tribe’s neighbors.
16. Kansas: Named after the Kanza (Kaw) people; the name comes from a Siouan word meaning “south wind.”
17. Kentucky: Origin unknown; theories include “land of tomorrow,” “at the head of a river,” or “among the meadows.”
18. Louisiana: Named after King Louis XIV of France by French settlers; “La Louisiane” means “Land of Louis.”
19. Maine: Possibly named “mainland” to differentiate it from offshore islands or after the French province of Mayenne.
20. Maryland: Named in honor of Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I of England.
21. Massachusetts: From the Algonquian word meaning “at the great hill,” referencing the Great Blue Hill region.
22. Michigan: From the Ojibwe word “mishigamaa,” meaning “big lake.”
23. Minnesota: Derived from Dakota words “Mní Sota,” meaning “cloudy water” or “clear water,” depending on pronunciation.
24. Mississippi: From the Ojibwe word “Misi-ziibi,” meaning “big river.”
25. Missouri: Named after the Missouri tribe, from an Illinois-Miami word meaning “people with the dugout canoes.”
26. Montana: From the Spanish word “montaña,” meaning “mountain.”
27. Nebraska: From the Otoe word for the Platte River, meaning “flat water.”
28. Nevada: From the Spanish “Sierra Nevada,” meaning “snowy mountains.”
29. New Hampshire: Named after the English county of Hampshire.
30. New Jersey: Named after the Channel Island of Jersey, possibly derived from a Viking’s name.
31. New Mexico: Named “Nuevo México” by Spanish explorers before Mexico was officially called Mexico.
32. New York: Named after James Stuart, the Duke of York, who became King James II of England.
33. North Carolina & South Carolina: Named after King Charles I of England; “Carolina” is the Latin form of “Charles.”
34. North Dakota & South Dakota: Named after the Dakota Sioux people; “Dakota” means “the allies.”
35. Ohio: Likely from the Iroquoian word “ohi-yo,” meaning “great river.”
36. Oklahoma: From the Choctaw words “okla” and “humma,” meaning “red people.”
37. Oregon: Uncertain origin; possibly from a French word or a misinterpretation of a Native word.
38. Pennsylvania: Named by William Penn after his father, combined with “sylvania,” meaning “forest land.”
39. Rhode Island: Possibly named after the Greek island of Rhodes or a Dutch description “Roodt Eylandt,” meaning “red island.”
40. South Dakota: Named after the Dakota Sioux tribe, meaning “the allies.”
41. Tennessee: Likely from the Cherokee word “Tanasi,” referring to a village; meaning uncertain, possibly “bend in the river.”
42. Texas: From the Caddo word “Taysha,” meaning “ally” or “friend.”
43. Utah: Named after the Ute people; either “people of the mountains” or derived from an Apache word meaning “those who are higher up.”
44. Vermont: From the French “vert mont,” meaning “green mountain.”
45. Virginia: Named after Queen Elizabeth I, known as the “Virgin Queen.”
46. Washington: Named after George Washington, the first U.S. president.
47. West Virginia: Split from Virginia during the Civil War; named similarly after Queen Elizabeth I.
48. Wisconsin: Possibly from the Menominee word meaning “a good place to stay” or a Miami-Illinois word for the Wisconsin River.
49. Wyoming: Likely from a Delaware word meaning “large plains” or “at the big river flat.”
50. Oregon: The origin is unclear; could be from a French word or a Native American name, or inspired by “Oregon River.”

1. States Named After European Places

Several states in the United States are named after places in Europe, reflecting the influence of European settlers who named the new territories after familiar locations from their homelands.

• New York: Named after James Stuart, the Duke of York, who became King James II of England. The name “York” itself comes from “Jórvik,” the Viking name for the English city, which evolved from the Roman “Eboracum” and the Anglo-Saxon “Eoforwic.”
• New Hampshire: Named after the English county of Hampshire. The name “Hampshire” comes from Old English “Hámtún-scir,” which means “village town county.” The word “scir” later evolved into “shire.”
• New Jersey: Named after the Channel Island of Jersey, which is located off the coast of Normandy, France. The island’s name is likely derived from a Viking’s name, “Geirr,” which combined with “ey,” the Old Norse word for “island,” to form “Geirr’s Island.”
• New Mexico: Named “Nuevo México” by Spanish explorers in the 1500s, after the Valley of Mexico (present-day Mexico City). Interestingly, the region was called New Mexico before Mexico itself became an independent country and took the name “Mexico.”
• Maine: The origin of Maine’s name is debated. It could be named after the French province of Mayenne, or it might simply mean “mainland,” distinguishing it from nearby islands.
• Rhode Island: The name “Rhode Island” could be derived from a Dutch phrase “Roodt Eylandt,” meaning “red island,” referencing the reddish appearance of the region. Alternatively, it could be named after the Greek island of Rhodes.

2. States Named After European Monarchs

Many U.S. states are named in honor of European royalty, reflecting the colonial practice of flattering the monarchy by naming new lands after them.

• Georgia: Named after King George II of Great Britain, who granted the charter for its establishment in 1732. The state was one of the original 13 colonies.
• The Carolinas (North Carolina and South Carolina): Named after King Charles I of England. The name “Carolina” comes from the Latin form of “Charles,” which is “Carolus.” The Carolinas were originally a single colony named “Carolana,” but they were split into North and South Carolina in 1712.
• Virginia and West Virginia: Named after Queen Elizabeth I, who was known as the “Virgin Queen.” Virginia was one of the first established colonies in America. West Virginia separated from Virginia during the Civil War in 1863.
• Louisiana: Named by French settlers in honor of King Louis XIV of France. The original French name, “La Louisiane,” means “Land of Louis.”
• Maryland: Named after Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I of England. She played an active role in raising an army during the English Civil War, making her an interesting figure in both English and American history.

3. States Named After Native American Words

A large number of U.S. states are named after Native American words or tribes, reflecting the diverse languages and cultures of the indigenous peoples who inhabited the land long before European colonization.

• Alabama: Named after the Alabama tribe, possibly from a Choctaw word meaning “thicket clearers” or “plant gatherers.”
• Arkansas: Named after the Quapaw people, known as the “downstream people.” The name is a French pronunciation of the native word “Akansa.”
• Dakotas (North Dakota and South Dakota): Named after the Dakota Sioux people. “Dakota” means “the allies,” referring to the alliance between different groups of Dakota people.
• Illinois: From the French name for the “Illiniwek” group of tribes. The word “Illiniwek” translates to “ordinary speakers.”
• Iowa: Derived from the Dakota Sioux word “ayuhwa,” meaning “sleepy ones.” The name was used by neighboring tribes to refer to the Ioway people.
• Kansas: Named after the Kanza (Kaw) people. The name comes from a Siouan word meaning “south wind,” reflecting their use of wind in ceremonies.
• Kentucky: The origin is uncertain but could mean “land of tomorrow,” “at the head of a river,” or “among the meadows,” reflecting the lush landscapes.
• Massachusetts: From an Algonquian word meaning “at the great hill,” referencing the Great Blue Hill region south of Boston.
• Michigan: From the Ojibwe word “mishigamaa,” meaning “big lake,” a reference to the Great Lakes region.
• Minnesota: Derived from Dakota words “Mní Sota,” meaning “cloudy water” or “clear water,” depending on pronunciation. It refers to the state’s many lakes and rivers.
• Mississippi: From the Ojibwe word “Misi-ziibi,” meaning “big river,” referring to the Mississippi River.
• Missouri: Named after the Missouri tribe, derived from the Illinois-Miami word meaning “people with the dugout canoes.”
• Nebraska: From the Otoe word for the Platte River, “Ñí Brásge,” meaning “flat water.”
• Ohio: Likely from the Iroquoian word “ohi-yo,” meaning “great river.”
• Oklahoma: From the Choctaw words “okla” and “humma,” meaning “red people.”
• Tennessee: Likely from the Cherokee name for a village along what is now the Little Tennessee River; possible meanings include “bend in the river” or “meeting place.”
• Texas: From the Caddo word “Taysha,” meaning “ally” or “friend.”
• Utah: Named after the Ute people. The Ute name means “people of the mountains,” while an Apache word meaning “those who are higher up” could also be a source.
• Wisconsin: Possibly from the Menominee word meaning “a good place to stay” or a Miami-Illinois word for the Wisconsin River.
• Wyoming: Possibly from a Delaware word meaning “large plains” or “at the big river flat.”

4. States Named After Geographical Features

Several state names are based on geographical descriptions, often from the Spanish language or local indigenous terms.

• Arizona: Likely from the O’odham word “ali ṣonak,” meaning “little spring,” which refers to the region’s water sources.
• Colorado: Derived from the Spanish word “colorado,” meaning “red-colored,” referring to the reddish silt in the Colorado River.
• Montana: From the Spanish word “montaña,” meaning “mountain,” reflecting the state’s rugged terrain.
• Nevada: From the Spanish “Sierra Nevada,” meaning “snowy mountains.”
• Oregon: The origin is unclear; possible sources include a French word or a Native American name. It may also be linked to “Oregon River.”

5. States with Unique or Uncertain Origins

Some state names have origins that are either unique or remain uncertain, with multiple theories surrounding their etymology.

• Alaska: Derived from the Aleut word “Aláxsxaq,” meaning “the object toward which the action of the sea is directed” or “mainland.”
• California: Named after a mythical island from a 16th-century Spanish novel, “Las Sergas de Esplandián,” where an island of Amazonian women was ruled by a queen named Califre.
• Idaho: A made-up name thought to mean “Gem of the Mountains” but has no real Native American origin. The name was almost used for Colorado before it was discovered to be fictitious.
• Indiana: Simply means “Land of the Indians,” reflecting the area’s original inhabitants.
• Vermont: From the French “vert mont,” meaning “green mountain.” However, the word order is somewhat awkward in French, suggesting it might have been translated from English.
• Washington: Named after George Washington, the first U.S. President.
• Oregon: Its origins are mysterious; theories include derivations from a Native American word, the French word for “hurricane,” or even a Basque word.

6. States Using Indigenous Place Names (Native or Local Words)

Some states are named using indigenous or local terms that refer to a specific feature or aspect of the place, often describing geographical characteristics or cultural attributes.

• Hawaii: The name “Hawaii” comes from the Hawaiian language. In Hawaiian, “Hawai’i” refers to the place itself. In other related Polynesian languages, similar words mean “homeland.” For example, to New Zealand’s Māori, “Hawaiki” can mean a spiritual, ancestral, or physical homeland.
• Missouri: Named after the Missouri tribe. The word “Missouri” itself is derived from an Illinois-Miami term meaning “people with the dugout canoes,” but the state name in its local context could also be included in a category reflecting native or local place names.

7. States Named After Individuals Other Than Monarchs

Some states are named after notable individuals who played significant roles in American history or in the establishment of the states themselves, but who were not monarchs.

• Pennsylvania: Named after William Penn, a prominent English Quaker who founded the Pennsylvania Colony. The name combines “Penn” (his family name) with “sylvania,” which means “forest land” in Latin. Although named after an individual, it differs from those named after European monarchs.
• Washington: Named after George Washington, the first President of the United States. It falls in the same category as Pennsylvania, named after an influential non-royal figure in American history.

8. States with Origins Linked to Religious or Cultural Descriptions

Some states derive their names from specific religious or cultural references, drawing upon traditions or celebrations observed by the explorers or settlers.

• Connecticut: The name “Connecticut” is derived from the Algonquian word “quinetucket,” which means “long tidal river.” While it could be considered under Native American terms, the way it was adapted reflects more cultural adoption and thus might be uniquely categorized.
• Florida: The name “Florida” comes from the Spanish phrase “Pascua Florida,” meaning “flowery Easter,” a reference to Spain’s Easter celebration. The name reflects the time of year when Spanish explorers arrived and observed the local flora.

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Marcel Iseli

Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.