The list of the names of the 50 US states is long, colorful, and fascinating. While some names appear to be self-explanatory, like Maryland or New York, the stories behind the names aren't always so simple. Linguists and historians have worked tirelessly for decades to decipher certain state names that appear to have their roots in old terms used by Native Americans, but its not easy work. What we have found out, however, can provide us a deeply insightful look into the cultures that thrived across North America before colonization, the importance of natural features to both Native Americans and European colonists, and the monarchs of the Age of Discovery that made the American experiment possible.
Read on to learn about the origins of the names of all 50 states.