# Georgia & Georgia: Any other places with such similar names? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986 "2008-08-14T15:26:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/21 "2008-08-14T18:50:25Z")
Galicia and variants are a bit more common than that, coming from the Gauls, or Celts having been spread over much of Europe. Galicia: Spain, Poland Galacia: Turkey Gaul: France I think there’s a variant in the Yugoslavian area too. Someone with more time on their hand could probably find more. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/22 "2008-08-14T19:09:01Z")
St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg, Russia Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester, England Oops, OP said no cities. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/23 "2008-08-14T19:27:49Z")
Two city/province or state combos: The province of Ontario, Canada vs. the city of Ontario, California, USA; The city of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada vs. the state of Victoria, Australia. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/24 "2008-08-14T19:40:22Z")
The Gambia in Africa insist on “The” as part of its name to help prevent confusion with Zambia. There’s the island of Nassau in the Cook Islands, and Nassau County in NY (and other Nassaus) ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/25 "2008-08-14T19:40:49Z")
Dominica vs. Dominican Republic Guyana vs. French Guiana Mauritania vs. Mauritius Romania (the country) vs. Romania (old name for a part of Italy) California (US) vs. Baja California and Baja California Sur (Mexico) Santa Cruz (province in Argentina) vs. Santa Cruz (department of Bolivia) vs. Santa Cruz (province of Peru) ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/26 "2008-08-14T19:47:52Z")
[QUOTE=bibliophage] Romania (the country) vs. Romania (old name for a part of Italy) [/QUOTE] Romania (the country) has many people from the Rom or Romany ethnic group, even though they’re unrelated to Romanians (and I believe the names are unrelated as well). Among peoples (one extant, one extinct): [Acadians](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acadians) and [Akkadians](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akkadian_Empire). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/27 "2008-08-14T20:24:06Z")
Since the Turks, Bulgars and Magyars were nomadic, their names popped up in places hundreds/thousands of miles apart. Consider Turkey and Turkmenstan, Volga Bulgars and Bulgaria, the Huns and Magyars/Hungary and Magyar Republic. I live in Alexandria, VA. No connection to Alexandria, Egypt. I get a chuckle out of looking at my library card, though. What’s the deal with Austria/Australia? Kangaroos don’t yodel. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/28 "2008-08-14T20:30:07Z")
Oh, also there are the Dominican Republic and Dominica, both in the Caribbean. I don’t think there’s a connection. I guess St. Dominic’s just pretty darned revered. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/29 "2008-08-14T20:30:49Z")
(oops, no cities) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/30 "2008-08-14T20:40:15Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] What’s the deal with Austria/Australia? Kangaroos don’t yodel. [/QUOTE] And we’re very glad of that. I think Austria was the southern German realm, or something like that. Or maybe it’s a direct transliteration of _Österreich_, which might mean ‘_eastern_ German realm’, and has nothing to do with ‘austral’ being southern. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/31 "2008-08-14T20:41:35Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] What’s the deal with Austria/Australia? Kangaroos don’t yodel. [/QUOTE] “Austria” comes from the German _Österreich_, meaning “eastern kingdom.” “Australia” comes from _Terra Australis_, “land of the south.” However, it does seem that if you look far enough back, they are both related to the proto-Indo-European root _aus_-, meaning “to shine.” ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/32 "2008-08-14T21:02:10Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] What’s the deal with Austria/Australia? Kangaroos don’t yodel. [/QUOTE] That’s due to some screwed up etymology. Australia basically means “Southern.” Austria in German is Österreich, which means “Eastern.” Converting it to Romance language phonemes somehow changed the pronunciation to also suggest “Southern.” Or what pulykamell said. Azerbaijan is a country, as well as a nearby province in Iran. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/33 "2008-08-14T21:05:17Z")
There are Sierra Nevada mountain ranges in Spain and California. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/34 "2008-08-14T21:10:27Z")
[QUOTE=thelurkinghorror] Azerbaijan is a country, as well as a nearby province in Iran. [/QUOTE] Luxembourg is a country, as well as a nearby province in Belgium. ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/35 "2008-08-14T21:24:19Z")
The 52nd, 93rd and 163rd longest rivers in the world have the same [name](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rivers_by_length) There is a State of Colorado, a Colorado River touching eight western States that goes between the state of Colorado and Mexico (5th largest in the U.S.) and a Colorado River in Texas (18th largest in the U.S.) and a Colorado River in Argentina - with many place names associated with each ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/36 "2008-08-14T21:30:50Z")
New Caledonia, the former area of Canada that is now somewhat analogous to British Columbia. New Caledonia, the island chain in the South Pacific. New Caledonia, the failed colony in early Panama. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/37 "2008-08-14T21:34:20Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] Washington the state and Washington the city often have to be identified. [/QUOTE] When first naming Washington Territory (as it split from Oregon Territory, and before it became the State of Washington), they considered naming it Columbia, both after the regions great river and just following the tradition of naming everything possible after ol’ Chris. But they rejected it because there was already a District of Columbia, which might confuse folks. Instead, they gave it the name of the city in D.C., causing every bit as much confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/38 "2008-08-14T21:35:26Z")
The original name of Amman, capital of the Kingdom of Jordan? Philadelphia. The West Bank city of Nablus (Shchem if you’re Jewish) was originally Neapolis, or “New City”. Another Neapolis is now known as Naples. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/39 "2008-08-14T21:43:43Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] There aree plenty of towns in the US with the same name, of course, but when a city shares a name with a state, it throws you. Like the case of **Indiana, Pennsylvania** : [Indiana, Pennsylvania - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana,_Pennsylvania) [/QUOTE] Just north of me is the City of Delaware, in the County of Delaware, in the State of Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986/40 "2008-08-14T22:18:24Z")
Jura, the mountain range and department and canton in France and Switzerland, and Jura, the Scottish island. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-georgia-any-other-places-with-such-similar-names/459986.md?page=3)