The multicultural heritage of the United States is vividly reflected in its maps. To fully grasp the literal meanings of every American place name, you’d need to understand a variety of languages, including French, English, Spanish, Hawaiian, and Algonquian, among others. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a polyglot to decode a U.S. map like a storybook. Simply explore the graphic below to discover the English translations of state and capital city names.
To create this etymological map of America, Wordtips drew from multiple authoritative sources, such as the American Library Association, the Online Etymology Dictionary, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Each name’s origin was verified using at least two references to ensure accuracy in the report.
Some state name meanings are widely recognized. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, you might already know that Colorado translates to “colored red” and Florida means “flowery” or “land of flowers.” If you grew up in Pennsylvania, you probably learned that the state’s name means “Penn’s woods,” honoring its founder, William Penn.
The origins of some state names are quite intuitive. For example, Michigan, often called the Great Lake State, derives its name from the Ojibwe word for “great water.” However, other etymologies are more nuanced. Alabama, for instance, is believed to come from the Choctaw words meaning “weed gatherer,” possibly referencing the clearing of grassy land for farming.
The map also features the translations of each state’s capital city. As Wordtips explains, Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, means “Botolph’s stone,” named after a town in England that honored the patron saint of travelers. If you know French, you might recognize that Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital, translates to “red stick.” However, you may not know that this name refers to an actual red stick that once marked the boundary between two Native American tribes in the area.
Some translations are straightforward and provide all the context you need. For example, Topeka, the capital of Kansas, comes from the Kansa-Osage words meaning “a good place to dig potatoes.” Meanwhile, Lincoln, Nebraska, pays tribute to an American president, as do Jackson, Mississippi; Jefferson City, Missouri; and the state of Washington itself. Explore the full map above to discover the literal translations of U.S. place names.
Even when language experts decipher the meaning of a place name, the historical reasons behind its origin are often lost to time. Similarly, many everyday words we use remain etymological enigmas. The linguistic roots of common terms like dog, bad, girl, boy, log, and curse are still unclear, leaving experts puzzled to this day.
The names of U.S. states and their capitals often have rich historical, cultural, or linguistic origins. Here are some literal translations or meanings behind their names:
States:
- Alabama – Derived from the Native American Choctaw words “alba” (meaning vegetation) and “amo” (meaning gatherer), often translated as “vegetation gatherers.”
- Alaska – From the Aleut word “Alyeska,” meaning “great land” or “mainland.”
- Arizona – Likely from the O’odham word “ali ṣona-g” (meaning small spring) or the Basque phrase “aritz ona” (meaning good oak).
- Arkansas – From the Quapaw word “akakaze,” meaning “land of downriver people.”
- California – Named after a mythical island in Spanish literature, “Califia,” possibly derived from the Arabic “khalifa” (meaning leader or ruler).
- Colorado – Spanish for “colored red,” referring to the reddish hue of the Colorado River.
- Connecticut – From the Algonquian word “quinatucquet,” meaning “beside the long tidal river.”
- Delaware – Named after Lord De La Warr, a colonial governor, but the name itself is of Old French origin.
- Florida – Spanish for “flowery” or “land of flowers.”
- Georgia – Named after King George II of England.
- Hawaii – Possibly derived from the Proto-Polynesian word “hawaiki,” meaning “place of the gods” or “homeland.”
- Idaho – Likely from the Native American Shoshone word “ee-da-how,” meaning “gem of the mountains” or “light on the mountain.”
- Illinois – From the Native American Illiniwek word “ilinwe,” meaning “tribe of superior men.”
- Indiana – Latin for “land of the Indians.”
- Iowa – From the Native American Dakota word “ayuxba,” meaning “sleepy ones.”
- Kansas – From the Sioux word “kká:ze ,” meaning “people of the south wind.”
- Kentucky – Possibly from the Iroquoian word “ken-tah-ten,” meaning “land of tomorrow.”
- Louisiana – Named after King Louis XIV of France.
- Maine – Possibly derived from the French province of Maine or the nautical term “mainland.”
- Maryland – Named after Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I of England.
- Massachusetts – From the Algonquian word “massachusett,” meaning “at the great hill.”
- Michigan – From the Ojibwe word “mishigamaa,” meaning “large water” or “large lake.”
- Minnesota – From the Dakota word “mnisota,” meaning “cloudy water” or “sky-tinted water.”
- Mississippi – From the Ojibwe word “misi-ziibi,” meaning “great river.”
- Missouri – From the Native American Sioux word “ouemessourita,” meaning “those who have dugout canoes.”
- Montana – Spanish for “mountainous.”
- Nebraska – From the Otoe word “nebrathka,” meaning “flat water” (referring to the Platte River).
- Nevada – Spanish for “snow-covered.”
- New Hampshire – Named after the English county of Hampshire.
- New Jersey – Named after the Channel Island of Jersey.
- New Mexico – Spanish for “new Mexico,” referencing the Aztec Valley of Mexico.
- New York – Named after the Duke of York, later King James II of England.
- North Carolina – Named after King Charles I of England.
- North Dakota – From the Dakota Sioux word “dakȟóta,” meaning “allies” or “friends.”
- Ohio – From the Seneca word “ohi:yo ’,” meaning “great river.”
- Oklahoma – From the Choctaw words “okla” (people) and “humma” (red), meaning “red people.”
- Oregon – Origin unclear, possibly from the French word “ouragan” (hurricane) or a Native American term.
- Pennsylvania – Latin for “Penn’s woods,” named after William Penn.
- Rhode Island – Possibly named after the Greek island of Rhodes or derived from the Dutch “Roodt Eylandt” (red island).
- South Carolina – Named after King Charles I of England.
- South Dakota – From the Dakota Sioux word “dakȟóta,” meaning “allies” or “friends.”
- Tennessee – From the Cherokee word “tanasi,” the name of a village.
- Texas – From the Caddo word “taysha,” meaning “friends” or “allies.”
- Utah – From the Ute tribe, meaning “people of the mountains.”
- Vermont – French for “green mountain.”
- Virginia – Named after Queen Elizabeth I, the “Virgin Queen.”
- Washington – Named after George Washington.
- West Virginia – Named after Queen Elizabeth I, the “Virgin Queen.”
- Wisconsin – From the Ojibwe word “wiskonsin,” meaning “grassy place.”
- Wyoming – From the Munsee Delaware word “xwé:wam ənk,” meaning “at the big river flat.”
Capitals:
- Montgomery, Alabama – Named after General Richard Montgomery.
- Juneau, Alaska – Named after gold prospector Joe Juneau.
- Phoenix, Arizona – Named after the mythical bird that rises from its ashes, symbolizing the city’s rebirth.
- Little Rock, Arkansas – Named after a small rock formation on the Arkansas River.
- Sacramento, California – Spanish for “sacrament,” referring to the Catholic Eucharist.
- Denver, Colorado – Named after James W. Denver, a governor of the Kansas Territory.
- Hartford, Connecticut – Derived from “Hartford,” meaning “stag ford” or “deer crossing.”
- Dover, Delaware – Named after the English town of Dover.
- Tallahassee, Florida – From the Muskogean words “talwa” (town) and “hasi” (old), meaning “old town.”
- Atlanta, Georgia – Shortened from “Atlantica-Pacifica,” referencing its railroad connections.
- Honolulu, Hawaii – Hawaiian for “sheltered harbor.”
- Boise, Idaho – French for “wooded.”
- Springfield, Illinois – Named for its natural springs.
- Indianapolis, Indiana – Latin for “city of the Indians.”
- Des Moines, Iowa – French for “of the monks,” possibly referring to Trappist monks.
- Topeka, Kansas – From the Kansa-Osage word “topeka,” meaning “a good place to dig potatoes.”
- Frankfort, Kentucky – Named after Frank’s Ford, after an early settler.
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana – French for “red stick,” referring to a red pole marking a boundary.
- Augusta, Maine – Named after Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales.
- Annapolis, Maryland – Named after Queen Anne and the Greek word “polis” (city).
- Boston, Massachusetts – Named after Boston, Lincolnshire, England.
- Lansing, Michigan – Named after Lansing, New York.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota – Named after the apostle Paul.
- Jackson, Mississippi – Named after General Andrew Jackson.
- Jefferson City, Missouri – Named after Thomas Jefferson.
- Helena, Montana – Named after Helena, Minnesota, or Saint Helena.
- Lincoln, Nebraska – Named after Abraham Lincoln.
- Carson City, Nevada – Named after Kit Carson.
- Concord, New Hampshire – Latin for “harmony.”
- Trenton, New Jersey – Named after William Trent, a merchant.
- Santa Fe, New Mexico – Spanish for “holy faith.”
- Albany, New York – Named after the Duke of Albany.
- Raleigh, North Carolina – Named after Sir Walter Raleigh.
- Bismarck, North Dakota – Named after Otto von Bismarck.
- Columbus, Ohio – Named after Christopher Columbus.
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Named after the state.
- Salem, Oregon – Derived from the Hebrew word “shalom,” meaning “peace.”
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Named after John Harris, Sr., an early settler.
- Providence, Rhode Island – Named for “God’s merciful providence.”
- Columbia, South Carolina – Named after Christopher Columbus.
- Pierre, South Dakota – Named after Pierre Chouteau, Jr., a fur trader.
- Nashville, Tennessee – Named after Francis Nash, a Revolutionary War hero.
- Austin, Texas – Named after Stephen F. Austin, the “Father of Texas.”
- Salt Lake City, Utah – Named after the Great Salt Lake.
- Montpelier, Vermont – Named after Montpellier, France.
- Richmond, Virginia – Named after Richmond, England.
- Olympia, Washington – Named after the Olympic Mountains.
- Charleston, West Virginia – Named after Charles Clendenin, an early settler.
- Madison, Wisconsin – Named after James Madison.
- Cheyenne, Wyoming – Named after the Cheyenne Native American tribe.
These names reflect the diverse cultural, linguistic, and historical influences that have shaped the United States.