The fascinating history behind your country's name

Curious beginnings

Have you ever wondered where your country or favourite holiday destination got its name from? We’ve delved into the past to discover some of the fascinating tales behind countries’ names.

Canada

Derived from the word ‘kanata’, meaning village in many First Nations languages, Canada supposedly got its name after a translation misunderstanding. French explorer Jacques Cartier took his local guides literally when they pointed in the direction of settlements and called them ‘kanata’. Another (less popular) tale involves Spanish explorers who called the place ‘aca nada’ or ‘ca nada’, meaning ‘nothing here’.

The Netherlands

In Dutch, the name ‘Nederland’ literally means lowlands, as does the English translation of Netherlands. It’s thought the name refers to the country’s flat landscape – about one third of it lies below sea level.

Brazil

Originally, Brazil was called ‘Ilha de Vera Cruz’ (Island of the True Cross) and ‘Terra de Santa Cruz’ (Land of the Holy Cross). It wasn’t until Lisbon-born merchant Fernão de Loronha discovered the region and started to exploit the country’s valuable Pernambuco wood, also known as ‘pau-brasil’, that European colonists started to call the country Brazil.

India

India literally translates to ‘land of the Indus river’ in English and was named after the body of water that flows through Jammu and Kashmir near Pakistan. It’s widely believed that the name Indus comes from the Sanskrit word ‘sindhu’, meaning sea, which is thought to be a reference to the river’s large size – it's one of the longest in Asia.

Australia

When ancient Greeks imagined an unknown land in the south, they called it ‘Terra Australis Incognita’ – Unknown Southern Land. This inspired Spanish explorers in 1625 to use Australia as the name for the island we today call Vanuatu. Then, almost 200 years later, British explorer Matthew Flinders used the name to refer to what we now know as Australia, recommending that it should be adopted by the Colonial Office. The Admiralty agreed to Flinders’ findings and officially named the country and continent Australia in 1824.

Spain

When the ancient seafaring people of Phoenicia sailed the western Mediterranean, they thought they saw lots of hyrax (shrew mice) on the Iberian peninsula and named the land accordingly – ‘I-shapan-im’ (the land of hyrax). The animals were actually rabbits, but this didn't stop the Romans adopting parts of the new name and eventually dubbing the country ‘Hispania’.

Ireland

It’s not entirely clear where Ireland’s name comes from but the two most common theories suggest either Gaelic or Proto-Celtic origin. One theory claims that Ireland was named after the Gaelic word ‘iar’, meaning west, which turned into ‘Iar-en-lan’ – Land in the West. In Proto-Celtic, the island was named ‘Eire’ after the Celtic fertility goddess.

Malaysia

The origin of Malaysia’s name has a long and questionable past. It most likely comes from the Tamil word ‘malai’ but in modern terminology, Malay refers to an ethnoreligious group from the Malay peninsula. While Malaysian refers to all citizens of Malaysia, ‘Malay’ refers to the Malay people indigenous to the area who make up about half the population.

Denmark

It’s most likely that Denmark took its name from the Danes (meaning ‘warrior’) – a tribe that lived in the area. Another theory suggests an Old High German origin from the word ‘tanar’ (sandbank) – a reference to the country’s many islands.

Greece

The ancient Greeks called their homeland 'Hellas', which was first mentioned in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. In the epic poem, Hellen was one of the first humans on Earth and is thought to be the source of the Hellenic terminology. It was the Romans who later adapted the ancient Greek name ‘Hellas’ to ‘Graecia’ in Latin.

South Africa

The south in South Africa's name refers to its geographical location as Africa’s southernmost country. The origin of the second part of the name still raises questions among linguists and historians. Some suggest it comes from the Berber word ‘afar’, meaning dust, while others believe it comes from the ancient Egyptian root ‘n’fr’, meaning good or beautiful.

Singapore

The name ‘Singapura’ in Malay is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘simhapura’, meaning Lion City. Singapore is an anglicised version of the Malay name.

The Philippines

The country got its name in the 16th century thanks to Philip II, King of Spain. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the two islands (Leyte and Samar) the Philippines in honour of his king. Now, the name refers to the entire archipelago.

Norway

Norway comes from the Old Norse word ‘norrevegr’, meaning ‘the way north’. It’s a reference to one of the routes used by Vikings from the western tip of Norway to its northernmost lands in the Arctic.

Finland

The etymology of the Finnish name (Suomi) for this Nordic country is uncertain. In Balto-Slavic or Finnish languages, the word means land. The anglicised name, literally meaning ‘the land of the Finns’, is thought to be a reference to the scale-like clothing worn by early Finnish tribes.

The United Arab Emirates

One of the youngest country names in the world, the United Arab Emirates is pretty self-explanatory. The country got its name in 1971 when British rule in the region ended and six of the seven emirates united to form a country. The word 'emirate' refers to a land or reign of an emir, which is the word for a Muslim ruler.

New Zealand

New Zealand’s name is inspired by the Dutch province of Zeeland. When New Zealand was discovered, Dutch cartographers used ‘Nova Zeelandia’ in Latin to describe the land, later called ‘Nieuw Zeeland’ in Dutch. It was anglicised to become New Zealand by the legendary British captain and explorer James Cook in the 1700s.

Colombia

Previously called New Granada by Spanish explorer Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada as an homage to the Spanish city Granada, the country was renamed in 1863 to honour the explorer Christopher Columbus.

Indonesia

Indonesia was first described in ancient Greek texts, where it was referred to as ‘Indos Nesos’, meaning 'Indian islands'. The term was used again in the mid-19th century as an alternative to the East Indies – a colonial term introduced by the Dutch – and was later adapted to Indonesia.

Venezuela

When explorers Alonso de Ojeda and Amerigo Vespucci first arrived at Lake Maracaibo, the stilt houses built on the lake reminded them of the buildings in the Italian city of Venice, so they named it Venezuela – 'Little Venice'.

Sweden

The Swedish word ‘Sverige’ takes its name from ‘Svear’, the name of the Germanic people who lived around Lake Mälaren, where modern-day Stockholm is situated.

United Kingdom

The country’s full name, The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is one of the longest official country names in the world. The name comprises Great Britain – England, Scotland and Wales – and Northern Ireland. The latter country was added in 1927, five years after the creation of the Irish Free State (now Ireland).

 

Belgium

Named after the Belgae, a confederation of tribes that lived between the Rivers Rhine and Loire in the third century, Belgium got its name from the Romans, who called it ‘Gallia Belgica’. The current Kingdom of Belgium adopted the name after independence from the Netherlands in 1830.

Argentina

The legend goes that wealthy natives of this South American country tempted sailors with mountains of silver, who sought the treasure to no avail. As centuries passed, the story stuck and the country became known as ‘Tierra Argentina’ – The Land of Silver.

Chile

The name Chile was first recorded in 1565 when Spanish explorers returned to Europe from the region. They called themselves 'The Men of Chili' after the Inca name for the region. One theory suggests 'Chili' is derived from the Mapuche word chilli, meaning 'where the land ends'. Another claim is that it refers to ‘cheele-cheele’ – a Mapuche imitation of a bird.

Thailand

Some suggest the word 'Thai' originally meant 'people', and evidence suggests the word is still used in that way in some rural areas in Thailand. Thailand literally means ‘the land of the Thai’.

Peru

As with many of the countries on this list, there are a couple of theories about Peru's name. According to 16th-century Spanish soldier and poet Garcilaso de la Vega, the country was named by Spanish explorers after an exchange with a local fisherman. When they asked the name of the land they had arrived on, the local man said it was called 'Pelu', which was the local word for river. The Britannica encyclopaedia, however, claims 'Peru' is derived from a Quechua Indian word for 'land of abundance'. 

Austria

Österreich (Austria in English) has origins in the region’s military past. Emperor Charlemagne’s Frankish Kingdom’s eastern border became a buffer against the nomadic Mongolian tribes. Comprising most of Austria's modern day territory, the area was known as ‘Ostmark’ – Eastern Mark.

Turkey

Named after the native Turks, Turkey was first used by the Byzantine emperor and scholar Constantine VII. He used the Greek version of the name – ‘Tourkia’.

Portugal

Portugal got its name from the Latin ‘portus cale’, meaning warm harbour. When Romans first settled at the mouth of the River Douro, they noticed that the port was never icy and called the area ‘Portucale’, which now forms the Portuguese cities Porto and Gaia.

The United States of America

The name was first coined in 1776 in the Declaration of Independence that united 13 states. As for the name America, it’s an homage to the explorer Amerigo Vespucci who discovered large parts of what is now Central and South America. When the famous mapmaker Mercator first drew maps of the New World, he used the name America to mark both the northern and southern continents.

Germany

Deutschland, as it’s known in German today, wasn’t a country until 1871 when Prussia, Bavaria and other surrounding nations were united. The name, meaning ‘the land of the people’, originates from Old High German. 

Italy

Italy was once called ‘Vitalia’, meaning ‘land of cattle’ due to the large grazing herds in its southern areas. When Greeks colonised the area, they influenced the language and the first letter of the word was dropped. Today, if you order vitello in an Italian restaurant, you’ll get a calf or veal dish – a reminder of the country’s original name.

Vietnam

'Viet' is the Vietnamese pronunciation of a Chinese character that means 'beyond' and was used by the Chinese Empire to refer to people living in the southern reaches of the Empire and the Red River Delta. ‘Nam’ (south) was later added to distinguish the Viet Kingdom from other kingdoms. Throughout history, several variations of the word have been used until the current name was officially adopted in 1945.

Liked this? Click on the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Now check out the world's best beaches, with tips on what to do when visiting