Learn the meaning behind all 50 state names

Have you ever wondered about the origin and meaning behind your state's name? Every state in the US has a unique and rich history. If you want to understand how your state came to exist, just take a look at its name. Take a look at the meaning behind every state name in the gallery! How many do you already know?

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Alabama - The origin of the name is still unclear. It may have come from the Native American Creek language, meaning "tribal town," or from the Choctaw language, meaning "thicket-clearers" or "vegetation-cutters."

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Alaska - It comes from the Aluet word, "alaskxaq," meaning "the mainland," or more specifically, "the object toward which the action of the sea is directed."

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Arizona - From the O'odham name "alĭ ṣonak" (earlier Spanish name: Arizonac) meaning "small spring."

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Arkansas - This name is a French pronunciation of the Quapaw word, "akakaze," meaning "land of downriver people." It can also be interpreted as "people of the south wind."

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California - The name has an interesting story behind it. It is said that it comes from the Spanish romance, "Las Sergas de Esplandián," by Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo. In the book, he talks about a mythical paradise that was mistaken by Spanish conquistadors for the territory now known as California. The meaning behind the actual name remains a mystery.

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Colorado - Colorado is the Spanish word for "colored red." It was given to the state in reference to the red sandstone typical of the region.

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Connecticut - This state was named for the Connecticut River that flows through the entire state. The word comes from the Algonquian word, "quinnitukqut," meaning "long tidal river."

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Delaware - It was named after Virginia’s first English governor, Baron De la Warr. The Old French word, "de la werre," means "of the war."

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Florida - The word comes from Spanish origin and means "full of flowers" or "flowery." It was named by Spanish explorers in 1513.

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Georgia - This state was named after King George II of Great Britain. His name comes from the Greek "Georgos," meaning "farmer."

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Hawaii - From the Hawaiian word, "hawaiki," meaning "place of the Gods."

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Idaho - This state name doesn’t actually mean anything. It was invented by mining lobbyist George M. Willing after a new territory was created in the Pikes Peak region in the 1860s. He claimed the word came from a Native American Shoshone expression, meaning "gem of the mountains."

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Illinois - The name Illinois came from the Native American word "illiniwek," which was exaggeratedly translated as "tribe of superior men" or "best people."

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Indiana - When explorers arrived in America, they mistook it for India and named the indigenous people "Indians." The name literally means "land of the Indians."

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Iowa - This name is a French spelling of "ayuwha," meaning "sleepy ones." It was given to the Ioway Nation tribe by the Dakota Sioux.

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Kansas - Named after the Kansa word for "south wind." Kansas’s name shares its origins with Arkansas.

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Kentucky - The name is attributed to many different possible meanings, the most popular being "land of tomorrow."

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Louisiana - This state was named after Louis XIV of France when the territory was claimed by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in 1682. It comes from the French word "La Louisiane," meaning "Land of Louis."

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Maine - There is no definitive origin for this state name. Current legislature traces it back to the French province of Maine, which originally came from an extinct Celtic language.

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Maryland - Maryland was named in honor of Henrietta Maria, the wife of English King Charles I. The word comes from the Hebrew Miryam, Moses's sister.

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Massachusetts - The state was named after the indigenous people living around the bay. It translates to "near the large hill."

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Michigan - It means "large water" and originates from the Ojibwe word, "mishigamaa."

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Minnesota - From the Dakota (Siouan) word, "mnisota," meaning "cloudy water."

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Mississippi - The French take on the Algonquian Ojibwa word, "meshi-ziibi," meaning "large river."

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Missouri - The name comes from an Algonquian word, "wimihsoorita," meaning "wooden canoe people." The word is often misinterpreted as meaning "muddy water."

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Montana - The name was given by early Spanish explorers and comes from the Spanish word, "montaña," meaning "mountain."

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Nebraska - The name comes from a Siouan name for the Platte River, meaning "flat river." The river is the state’s official symbol.

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Nevada - The state is named for the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and means "covered in snow" in Spanish.

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New Hampshire - It was named after the English county, Hampshire, and means "village-town."

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New Jersey - Sir John Berkley and Sir George Carteret were proprietors of the state, and named it after the island of Jersey in the English Channel.

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New Mexico - Mexico is an ancient Aztec word meaning "place of mexitli." The full name is an anglicized version of the Spanish word, "Nuevo Mexico."

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New York - The state was named in honor of the Duke of York, the future James II of England. York comes from the Old English word, "eoforwic," meaning "yew-tree place."

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North Carolina - The state was named after King Charles II of England. "Carolina" comes from the Latin word "Carolinus," and means "of Charles."

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North Dakota - Dakota is a Sioux word for "friend" or "ally."

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Ohio - The name comes from Iroquoian origin, and was named for the Ohio River. The word means "beautiful river."

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Oklahoma - A Choctaw word meaning "red people." It is said that a Choctaw Chief coined the name during treaty negotiations.

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Oregon - Oregon's name does not have definitive origins, but it is potentially a Shoshone word, meaning "River of the West."

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Pennsylvania - The name, meaning "Penn’s woods," was a combination of the Latin word "sylvania" and the surname Penn. King Charles II suggested the name to state proprietor William Penn in 1680, and he named it after his late father, Admiral William Penn.

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Rhode Island - It is thought that the state was named by Dutch explorer Adrian Block and comes from "Roodt Eylandt," meaning "red island," a fitting name for the red-clay cliffs typical of the region.

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South Carolina - This state originally made up the Carolina colony along with North Carolina. It shares the same origins.

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South Dakota - North and South Dakota originally made up the same colony and were only divided in 1889. They share the same origins.

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Tennessee - The origins remain uncertain but many believe it is a Cherokee modification of a word meaning "meeting place" or "winding river."

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Texas - From the Spanish word, "tejas," meaning "allies" or "friends."

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Utah - The name originates from the Ute tribe and means "people of the mountains." Other sources trace the name back to the Western Apache "yudah" meaning "high."

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Vermont - French explorer Samuel de Champlain named the area "mont vert," meaning "green mountain." Vermont was an English modification of the French word.

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Virginia - The state was named after Elizabeth I, known as the "Virgin Queen." The Latinized word means "virgin."

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Washington - It was named after the first president of the United States, George Washington. In Old English, the name means "estate of a man named Wassa."

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West Virginia - The state shares the same origins as Virginia. It officially became a separate state in 1863.

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Wisconsin - It likely comes from an Algonquian word meaning "long river." It is also possible that it comes from the Chippewa/Ojibwa/Anishinabe word, "Ouisconsin," meaning "grassy place."

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Wyoming -

Meaning "at the big river flat," from the Munsee Delaware (Algonquian) word, "chwewamink."

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Learn the meaning behind all 50 state names -

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