Florida Capital is Tallahassee
Name:
As mentioned above, Florida was named by Ponce de Leon in 1512. “la Florida,” he called this land, Spanish for flowery, covered with flowers, or abounding in flowers. Historians favor the idea that Ponce de Leon named the state because he discovered it on Easter or Palm Sunday. Others don’t discount this theory, but impress upon us that the full flush of spring was on the area and the abundance of flowers in bloom and the “fragrant and delicious odors” certainly played a role.
Georgia’s is Atlanta
Name:
The last of the thirteen original British colonies was named after England’s King George II in 1733. The terms of the charter granted by the king specified that the colony to be founded by James Oglethorpe be named after the king and so it was.

Arkansas’s is Little Rock
Name:
Arkansas is another form of Kansas and first appeared on a 1673 map of the region. The Kansas Indian tribe is a member of the Sioux nation.
The Quapaw Indians lived west of the Mississippi River and north of the Arkansas River. The Quapaws were known as the “downstream people”. Perhaps influenced, by French pronunciation of Indian names, the Algonkian-speaking Indians from the Ohio Valley called the Quapaws “Arkansas” meaning “south wind”.
North Carolina’s is Raleigh
Name:
North and South Carolina were one colony until 1729. Carolina was named to honor Charles IX of France and then Charles I and Charles II of England. Carolina is rooted in Latin and comes from the word Caroliinus. This word is derived from the name Carolus, translated as “Charles.”
Alabama’s is Montgomery
Name:
The state of Alabama was named after the river. The Alabama River was named by early European explorers after the Indian tribe that lived in the territory and first appeared in 1540 spelled as “Alibamu”, “Alibamo” and even “Limamu” in the journals of the Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto (c.1500-1542).
The origin of the name Alabama is thought to come from a combination of two Choctaw words; Alba and Amo. In Choctaw, “Alba” means vegetation, herbs, plants and “Amo” means gatherer or picker. “Vegetation gatherers” would be an apt description for the Alabama Indians who cleared much land for agricultural purposes.
Louisiana’s is Baton Rouge
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Louisiana is another state, along with Illinois, that bears the mark of Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle. The first European to descend the Mississippi River to the delta, this French explorer named the area La Louisianne after Louis XIV of France in 1682.
Mississippi’s is Jackson
Name:
The state of Mississippi is named after the Mississippi River. Though the river was called by many different names, the name Mississippi given to it by the Indians was the name that was used on Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle’s map of the area in 1695.
Mississippi means “large river” to the Chippewa Indians.
Virginia’s is Richmond
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Virginia was named to honor Queen Elizabeth of England often referred to as the “Virgin Queen.”
Tennessee’s is Nashville
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The state of Tennessee was named after the Little Tennessee River. Originally “Tanasi” the river took its name from two Cherokee villages on its banks.
Kentucky’s is Frankfort
Name:
Kentucky comes from the Wyandot Indian name for “plain” in reference to the central plains of the state.
South Carolina’s is Columbia
Name:
North and South Carolina were one colony until 1729. Carolina was named to honor Charles IX of France and then Charles I and Charles II of England. Carolina is rooted in Latin and comes from the word Caroliinus. This word is derived from the name Carolus, translated as “Charles
West Virginia’s is Charleston
Name:
Until 1861 West Virginia was part of Virginia. Virginia was named to honor Queen Elizabeth of England often referred to as the “Virgin Queen.”