Ever Wonder What Your State’s Name Means?

Ever Wonder What Your State’s Name Means? This All-American Map Shows the Answers for All 50 States

By Colin Chocola (1 day ago) | Elections

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We’re pretty used to names like California or Texas, but do residents know what their home state names even mean? Two cartographers have dived into the original and etymological meaning of all 50 states and their cities.
Here are the original meanings for the names of all 50 states:

• Missouri – Land Of The People With Dugout Canoes
• Maryland – Land Of The Rebellious One
• Illinois – Land Of Those Who Speak Normally
• Alabama – Land Of The Thickest Clearers
• Iowa – Land Of The Dormant Ones
• Texas – Land Of Friends
• New Jersey – New Isle Of Spears
• Delaware – Land Of War
• Louisiana – Land Of The Famous People
• Virginia – Virgin’s Land

• North Carolina – North Freewoman’s Land
• Connecticut – Land Beside The Long Tidal Wave
• Washington – Marsh Farm Land
• Oregon – Beautiful Land
• California – Land Of The Successor
• Nevada – Snowy Land
• Idaho – Light On The Mountains
• Montana – Mountain Area
• Rhode Island – Red Island
• Wyoming – Land At The Big River Flat
• Utah – Land Of The Sun
• Colorado – Reddish Land
• Arizona – Small Springs
• New Mexico – New Navel Of The Moon
• The Dakotas – Land Of Friends
• Nebraska – Land Of The Shallow Water
• Kansas – Land Of The South Wind People (same as Arkansas)
• Oklahoma – Land Of The Red People

• Arkansas – Land Of The South Wind People (same as Kansas)
• Mississippi – Land Of The Great River
• Georgia – Farmer’s Land
• Florida – Blooming Land
• South Carolina – South Freewoman’s Land
• Wisconsin – Red River Land
• Minnesota – Land Of The Cloudy Water
• Kentucky – Meadowland
• Tennessee – Land Of The River
• West Virginia – West Virgin’s Land
• New York – New Yew Tree Estate
• Vermont – Green Mountain
• New Hampshire – New Enclosed Farmshire
• Maine – Land Of Folks
• Massachusetts – Land At The Little Big Hills

“Green Mountain,” “Land of the Great River,” “Light on the Mountains” — all great ways to describe America the Beautiful.
Update: The following states were left out:

• Ohio – Land Of The Beautiful River
• Hawaii – Land Of The Gods
• Alaska – Land Towards Which
• Indiana – Land Of The Flowland People
• Michigan – Land Of The Big Lake
• Pennsylvania – Land Of The Main Hill Wood