Editor's Corner

Good morning, hello, and good day,

This is our last installment of state names and their etymologies. I hope you’ve learned a thing or two. My main takeaway is the importance of large water sources when naming things around the area; there are so many names from Indigenous Americans that revolve around rivers and lakes. And how important they are!

Rhode Island

While somewhat disputed, most likely the name Rhode Island originally comes from the Dutch een rodlich Eylande, a name given to what is today Aquidneck Island by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. It means “Red Island,” a reference to the red clay on the shore. The name was later Anglicized into Rhode Island, linking the place with the mythical Isle of Rhodes. The name was shortened from State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to simply Rhode Island in 2020 because of the association with slavery.

South Carolina

As we already know, the Carolina part of South Carolina comes from the Latin name for Charles, a reference to King Charles I and King Charles II of the United Kingdom. The South part of the name was added when the Carolina territory was split in 1712.

South Dakota

Similarly, we have already seen that the name Dakota comes from the name of the Dakota tribe, also known as the Sioux. It means “friendly people” or “allies” in that language. In 1861, the Dakota Territory was formed. After a dispute over the location of the state capital, the territory was split in two in 1889. The southern part of the state is South Dakota.

Tennessee

The name Tennessee comes from the Cherokee word Tanasqui, a name for two towns in the state, meaning roughly “meeting place.” The Anglicized spelling Tennessee is attributed to James Glen, Governor of South Carolina in the 1750s.

Texas

According to popular legend, the name Texas ultimately comes from Caddo taysha, a term used by the Caddo people meaning “friend” or “ally.” It was adopted as Tejas by the Spanish and became Texas in English. However, historian García Ruiz has proposed a controversial twist: that the state was named after the Spanish word for yew (a tree found in Spain), teja. The local bald cypress trees reminded the Spanish of the yew, and they chose the word to refer to the region.

Utah

The name Utah may come from a series of misunderstandings. The Apache used the word Yuttahih to mean “one that is higher up.” This was transcribed by the Spanish as yuta and was given as a name to the area inhabited by the Ute tribe. It is also possible that the name comes from a corruption of Nuutsiu, what the Ute call themselves.

Vermont

It is popularly believed that the name Vermont comes from the French ver(t) mont, or “green mountain,” describing the state’s mountain ranges. However, historian Joseph-André Senécal suggests that in fact revolutionary Thomas Young translated the existing nickname Green Mountain into French in 1777 to come up with the name for the territory: Vermont.

Virginia

The commonwealth of Virginia is named in honor of Queen Elizabeth I, nicknamed “the Virgin Queen,” who gave the land grant for the colony in 1584.

Washington

Washington State has the honor of being the only state named after a president: President George Washington.

West Virginia

West Virginia used to be part of the state of Virginia, named for the Virgin Queen, until it seceded from the Confederate state in 1862.

Wisconsin

While the name Wisconsin, like so many other state names we have seen, likely comes from a Native American language and word, it is uncertain which one. Some argue it comes from the Menominee Weskohsaeh, meaning roughly “a good place to stay.” Others suggest it comes from Algonquin Meskousing, meaning “river running through a red place,” a reference to the red cliffs in the state.

Wyoming

The name Wyoming was first used to refer to a valley in Pennsylvania. The name was suggested for the state by Representative James M. Ashley, who was born in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania. The name Wyoming itself is said to come from a Native American word and language of disputed origin.

That’s it! I hope you have enjoyed our little road trip through the United States!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Technical Publications

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/