Files On 'State Names'
Where The State Of Nevada Got Its Name
The state of Nevada is actually named after the Sierra Nevada mountain range which in Spanish translates to 'snow-capped mountain range.
North Dakota: Where The State Got Its Name
The name 'Dakota' originally came from a tribe of native Americans known as the Dakota.
Rhode Island: How It Was Named After The Greek Islands
Rhode Island sounds familiar to anyone who's visited Greece and for good reason - it was named after the Rhodes islands.
Alabama's Origins + How It Got Its Name
The state of Alabama was named after a local Choctaw word meaning 'gathering weeds'.
Alaska Origins: Where The State Name Came From
The name 'Alaska' actually comes from a native Aleut word meaning 'the object towards which the action of the sea is directed.
The State Of Arizona: Origin Of The Name
Do you know where the name Arizona originated? It's an Uto-Aztecan word meaning 'small spring'.
Arkansas Origin: Where The State Got Its Name
Similar to Kansas, Arkansas got its name from a Quapaw tribe word meaning 'land of downriver people'.
The Origin Of California: Where It Got Its Name
The name 'California' actually came from a fictional novel by Spanish novelist Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo.
History Of Colorado: Where They Got Its Name
The state of Colorado was named after the Spanish river 'rio Colorado' which means 'red colored river'.
Connecticut: Where The State Got Its Name
The state of Connecticut is named after its river - the Connecticut river - which is an Algonquian tribal word meaning 'upon the long river'.
Delaware Origin: The Indian Origin Of Its Name
The first inhabitants of Delaware were the Lenape Indians, also known as the Delaware Indians.
The Origin Of Texas: From Caddo To Tejas To Texas
The Spanish colony Tejas, which was formally the native land of the Caddo, evolved into what we now call 'Texas'.
Origin Of Hawaii: Where The Name Came From
The Polynesian people who settled in Hawaii originally called the island chain 'Sawaiki' meaning 'homeland'.
Idaho: It's All About The Potatoes
How Illinois Got Its Name
Did you know how the state of Illinois got its name? It's not an English word. It's a French version of a native American name - Illiniwek.
Iowa: America's Heartland
Where The State Name Indiana Came From
As you would assume, Indiana comes from the word 'indian' and literally means 'land of the indians'.
Where The Name State Name 'Kansas' Came From
The name of the state of Kansas originally comes from the Kansa people, a native American tribe from the area.
The Origin Of Kentucky's Iroquois Name
Kentucky was formally part of a region known as Catawba and the modern state's name was derived from an Iroquois word meaning 'meadow land'.
Louisiana State's Origin: The Land Of Louis
As the name suggests, Louisiana was named after the king of France, King Louis XIV. La Salle named the area 'La Louisiane' which meant 'land of Louis'.
Maine: Nobody Knows Where Its Name Originates
The origin of the state of Maine's name has no clear explanation. It's also the only state name in the US with one syllable.
State Of Maryland Origin: It Was Literally Mary's Land
Charles I had a wife named Henrietta Maria. The state of Maryland was ultimately named after his wife in 1632.
Massachusetts: Or Is It Taxachusetts?
Michigan Gets A Name... From The Indians
The Origin Of Georgia: Where The State's Name Came From
Georgia was actually one of the original 13 colonies and was later one of the original 7 confederate states.
Minnesota: History Of The State's Name
Montana: Land Of Mountains
Ohio: Home Of The Buckeyes
Pennsylvania Gets A Name
How New York Got It's Name (+ Why Big Apple?)
Today I'll tell you where New York got its name and why it became commonly referred to as 'The Big Apple'.
Wisconsin: History Of The State's Name
Origin Of New Hampshire: Not The 'Old' Hampshire
Even though New Hampshire was named after a county in England called Hampshire, it was still the first colony to break away from British control in the late 1700's.
New Jersey: New Owners And A New Name
New Mexico: There's Gold In Them Thar Hills
Mississippi: Long Name, Long River
Missouri: The Show Me State
North Carolina: The Tarheel State
Nebraska: We Got Corn
Oklahoma: More Than Just A Musical
Oregon: Where The Sun Don't Shine
South Dakota: Where The Buffalo Roam
Tennessee: Volunteers For A Name
Utah: The Mormon State With An Arapaho Name
Did you know that the name Utah is an Arapaho name (native Americans from the region)? Here's what it means.
Virginia: Old Dominion
Vermont: Where The State Got Its Name
The state of Vermont has a French name since it was originally claimed by the French. Here's what it means.
