The origin of country names tells their history. Here are 20 etymologies that surprise.
France
From the “Franks,” Germanic people who invaded Roman Gaul in the 5th century. They themselves took their name from Proto-Germanic meaning “the bold,” “the brave.”
Argentina
From Latin argentum, “silver.” The first Spanish explorers hoped to find large quantities of silver there (which were not present in significant quantities).
Pakistan
Acronym invented in 1933 by Choudhary Rahmat Ali. P for Punjab, A for Afghani (Pashtuns), K for Kashmir, S for Sindh, TAN for Balochistan. And “pakistan” also means “land of the pure” in Urdu.
Australia
From Latin terra australis, “southern land.” Europeans assumed the existence of a southern continent even before its discovery.
Canada
From the Iroquois word kanata, meaning “village.” When Jacques Cartier asked locals what they called their land in 1535, they indicated their village.
Brazil
From brasilwood (pau-brasil), a tree whose red wood was harvested for dye. The commercial name of the product ended up naming the country.
Mexico
From Mexihco, capital of the Aztec empire corresponding to today’s Mexico City. The Aztecs called themselves Mexica.
Indonesia
Neologism from 1850 formed from “Indo” (Indies) and “nesia” (island, from Greek nesos). “The islands of the Indies.”
Russia
From the Rus people, Vikings from Sweden who founded Kyiv in the 9th century. Their name likely comes from Finnish Ruotsi which means Sweden (land of rowers).
Japan
From Chinese Rìběn, meaning “origin of the sun” because Japan is east of China. The Japanese themselves call it Nihon or Nippon, meaning the same.
China
Probably from the Qin dynasty (-221 to -207 BC). The Chinese themselves use Zhongguo, “the middle kingdom.”
India
From Sanskrit Sindhu, the Indus, the river. Persians pronounced Hindu, Greeks Indos. Indians themselves call their country Bharat.
United States
“United States of America.” America comes from Amerigo Vespucci, Italian navigator who first claimed in 1502 that the New World was not Asia but a new continent.
Germany
From Alemanni, Germanic people of the 3rd century. The Germans themselves call their country Deutschland, from thiudisk, “of the people.” English Germany comes from the Latin name for these peoples.
Spain
From Phoenician I-shphanim, “island of rabbits,” because the Phoenicians were apparently struck by the quantity of rabbits in the Iberian peninsula.
Italy
From Italia which originally referred to the south of current Italy. Uncertain etymology, perhaps linked to vitulus, “calf.”
United Kingdom
“United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” formed in 1801. Great Britain comes from Latin Britannia.
Egypt
From Greek Aigyptos. Origin debated, probably Semitic. The Egyptians themselves call it Misr.
Switzerland
From the region of Schwyz, one of the three founding cantons of the Confederation in 1291.
Netherlands
Literally “low country,” because mostly below sea level (down to -7 meters).
Some modern invented names
Tanzania. Acronym of Tanganyika + Zanzibar, when they merged in 1964.
South Sudan. Independent in 2011, simple name in contrast to Sudan.
Czechoslovakia (1918-1993). Joint name for the Czechs and Slovaks.
The Burma / Myanmar case
Since 1989, the official name is Myanmar but many continue to say Burma. The military junta changed the name to break with the colonial legacy.
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