# Help with place name origins **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 17, 2017, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376 "2017-01-17T09:24:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/142 "2017-02-05T02:13:25Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Since significant levels of US-China trade and Chinese immigration into the US both got going in the early 19th century, I would consider it almost certain that the Nankin, OH placename is likewise from Nanking in China. I didn’t think there was that much Chinese immigration until the mid-19th when the Central Pacific RR brought in large numbers of laborers from Canton. But there was a lot of trade as well as interest in exotic locations, so I agree it’s very likely named for Nanjing. I’m adding it with the “needs confirmation” tag. Except for those tags, this page is almost ready for submission. I’m thinking of submitting it anyway, although I expect some anal-retentive type will object. And they’ll probably also object to only having one place per foreign city. Personally, I find hunting down and confirming the dozen or more places each named for London, Dublin, Paris, Lyon, Geneva, Hamburg, Berlin, Milan, Warsaw, Moscow, etc. etc. to be tedious in the extreme. Not all them are named for the foreign place; sometimes they’re named for each other. And anyone who really wants to know about them can look at the disambiguation page for those names. So what do you think of the page right now? I’ve gotten the references done and can’t think of anything else to add. Well, there might be another category it can be added to, but I don’t know which one. And maybe there’s too many links in the “See also” section? This is my first new wikipage, so I’d like to get it right. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/143 "2017-02-05T04:25:21Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > By the way, the extinct or nearly-extinct [Pretoria, GA](http://roadsidethoughts.com/ga/pretoria-xx-dougherty-wishlist.htm) appears to have been [named for the South African city.](http://www.travelstart.co.za/blog/10-south-african-towns-surprising-overseas-namesakes/) I wouldn’t trust that second link. It has Port Elizabeth NJ as a namesake of Port Elizabeth SA, but neither was named for the other. Namesake normally means it’s named _for_ the other place, not that they coincidently have the same name. Good addition of Karnak. I’m fairly sure that’s a relatively modern name, even though the wikipage implies it’s ancient. Don’t think I’ll add Aden unless is can be confirmed. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/144 "2017-02-05T04:48:57Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Don’t think I’ll add Aden unless is can be confirmed. On second thought, I will add it. So what if I have another “needs confirmation”. It adds another country. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/145 "2017-02-05T09:38:09Z")
Great wiki page! There are towns named Elsmere in NY and DE; could they be named for Ellesmere in England? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/146 "2017-02-05T10:11:04Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > Great wiki page! Thank you. Not quite an official one yet, though. > [@](#): > > There are towns named Elsmere in NY and DE; could they be named for Ellesmere in England? Wikipedia actually has [4 Elsmeres](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsmere). None of them seem to be named after that town, nor apparently after the Earl of Ellesmere that the island was named after. Two seem to be named after roads, one after a book title, and the last does not have an etymology. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/147 "2017-02-05T19:01:32Z")
How about the 2 Aleppo townships in PA? Are they named for the Syrian city? There’s also a Minoa, NY Could Oran, NY possibly be named for the Algerian town? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/148 "2017-02-05T20:24:16Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > How about the 2 Aleppo townships in PA? Are they named for the Syrian city? Quite likely, but they don’t have etymologies on their Wikipages. Looks like another “needs confirmation”. At least it’s another Syrian entry since it doesn’t seem to have been mentioned in the Bible. > [@](#): > > There’s also a Minoa, NY There doesn’t seem to be any single city in antiquity named Minoa. > [@](#): > > Could Oran, NY possibly be named for the Algerian town? Could be, but Oran Missouri definitely is. Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/149 "2017-02-05T20:33:27Z")
You probably have Paris, Texas and Dublin, Georgia, both of which are distinguished by being associated with a work of fiction–movie title for first, and constantly recurring motif, from the first page on, in _Finnegans Wake_. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/150 "2017-02-06T00:55:25Z")
Re-bookmarking [**dtilque** ’s sandbox page for the cities list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dtilque/sandbox). Have some [Port Mahon, DE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mahon,_Delaware), named for [the capital of Minorca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_Hook_National_Wildlife_Refuge#Port_Mahon_Lighthouse). Interestingly, while the [Smyrna, DE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smyrna,_Delaware) and [Leipsic, DE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leipsic,_Delaware) referenced in that article are both named directly for their Old-World counterparts, the nearby Bombay Hook is apparently **not** named for Bombay in India, but rather from a corruption of Dutch “Boompjes Hoek” or “little-tree point”. (Though presumably the familiarity of the name “Bombay” influenced its form.) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/151 "2017-02-06T01:29:36Z")
[Pleven, MT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plevna,_Montana) for Pleven in Bulgaria. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/152 "2017-02-06T01:42:37Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > There doesn’t seem to be any single city in antiquity named Minoa. > **[Minoa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoa)** > > Minoa (Greek: Μινώα, romanized: Minóa .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Greek pronunciation: \[miˈnoa\]) was the name of several Bronze-Age port cities on the coasts of the Aegean islands Crete, Paros, Siphnos, Amorgos and Corfu in Greece, as well as the Italian island of Sicily. There was also a Minoa in Gaza, whose name was a later Th... "Minoa is the name of several Bronze-Age cities on the Aegean coasts, on Corfu and in Sicily. . . .The name was given to some harbours in the north coast of Crete, and it is also an older indication in the islands Paros, Siphnos, Amorgos, Corfu (Korkyra) and Sicily.[2] In Gaza the name was introduced later by the Philistines in 1200 BC.[3] These settlements appear not only in the islands but also in harbours that were specially selected as support-points for thalassocracy. " ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/153 "2017-02-06T02:08:18Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Re-bookmarking [**dtilque** ’s sandbox page for the cities list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dtilque/sandbox). Sorry for bump but it’s so helpful to have the list link at or near the top of the current page. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/154 "2017-02-06T03:30:52Z")
Good finds, Kimstu. > [@gkster](#): > > [Minoa - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoa) > > "Minoa is the name of several Bronze-Age cities on the Aegean coasts, on Corfu and in Sicily. . . So which one was it named after? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/155 "2017-02-06T06:15:21Z")
I think I’m going to attempt to add the page to Wikipedia soon, perhaps tomorrow. This is mostly because it tells me that the sandbox is about 90% full. This doesn’t mean we have to stop finding more. The page can always be edited after it goes prime time. But it will mean I can start working on the region version. I also want to note that I’ve been finding additions without always posting about them here. Examples of recent finds: Verdunville WV – named after the WWI battle Carlsborg WA/ Karlsborg Sweden Rosetta MS/Egypt (needs confirmation) Lynden WA/ Hohenlinden, Germany (could have gone with Linden AL on this one) Worms NE/Germany Marathon NY/ancient world (had this one when I started the thread, but it got missed when I converted to wiki-format by hand) I think there’s some others but I can’t remember what they are off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/156 "2017-02-06T06:22:53Z")
Does Canton really count? It was named for a Maryland plantation, which itself was named for the city in China. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/157 "2017-02-06T08:13:21Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Does Canton really count? It was named for a Maryland plantation, which itself was named for the city in China. That’s a point. I’ll admit when I put it on the list, I only read the first sentence of this part of the wikipage: > [@](#): > > Bezaleel Wells, the surveyor who divided the land of the town, named it after Canton (a traditional name for Guangzhou), China. The name was a memorial to a trader named John O’Donnell, whom Wells admired. O’Donnell had named his Maryland plantation after the Chinese city, as he had been the first person to transport goods from there to Baltimore. But there’s quite a few other Cantons in the US. Some are named after the Chinese city (NY, MI, GA, among others), so I’ll change it to one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/158 "2017-02-06T09:57:20Z")
Do you have the list of cities named after Spanish provincial capitals? A few random tries with smaller towns show me more street names than townships (there are several streets or roads named Villafranca, but apparently no township), but there are several of those as well. In some instances the spelling has changed: Alburquerque (Badajoz) produced Albuquerque (New Mexico). ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/159 "2017-02-06T10:52:49Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > In some instances the spelling has changed: Alburquerque (Badajoz) produced Albuquerque (New Mexico). [I said A! L! B! U! KIRKY!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE37e1eK2mY) Sorry, I couldn’t resist. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/160 "2017-02-06T11:47:41Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Do you have the list of cities named after Spanish provincial capitals? A few random tries with smaller towns show me more street names than townships (there are several streets or roads named Villafranca, but apparently no township), but there are several of those as well. > > In some instances the spelling has changed: Alburquerque (Badajoz) produced Albuquerque (New Mexico). I have a number of them. [Here’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dtilque/sandbox#Spain) a link to the Spanish section of my list. Although that link may not be valid after I submit the page for approval. As far as that particular one, I don’t have it because it’s directly named for a person and only indirectly named for the town. Same with Salmanca NY. I thought Leon, NY was on the list; not sure what happened to it. It may have gotten lost when I manually converted the list to wiki-format (there’ve been a few of those that I’ve found already). ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376/161 "2017-02-06T13:28:19Z")
The Spanish city is Cartagena, not Cartegena. Itself named after Carthage. Almeria -\> Nebraska and Alabama [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-place-name-origins/777376.md?page=9)