# US places named for regions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2017, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385 "2017-02-09T11:13:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/41 "2017-02-09T23:05:34Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > : > China, TX > China, NY > China, MO > China, ME > China, LA > China, IN > China, FL > China, AL As I previously mentioned, all the “Chinas” I checked were actually named after the [chinaberry tree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melia_azedarach) (especially those in the west), plus one named after a hymn, not the country. I think you would need to verify the origin of those. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/42 "2017-02-09T23:09:58Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > West, TX > West, WV > West, MI > West, AL West, TX, was named after a person named West. There’s no information on the others, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were also named after people. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/43 "2017-02-09T23:24:57Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > As I previously mentioned, all the “Chinas” I checked were actually named after the [chinaberry tree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melia_azedarach) (especially those in the west), plus one named after a hymn, not the country. I think you would need to verify the origin of those. I know this because I looked for a China when compiling my list. But I only need one place per name and Chinatown fills that slot admirably. > [@Colibri](#): > > West, TX, was named after a person named West. There’s no information on the others, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were also named after people. Wouldn’t make much difference anyway. While every country on Earth has a west, I want something more specific to a place. “West Something”, for whatever Something you can find. Westphalia, for example. (Westphalia KS will do, so no one feel obliged to provide one.) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/44 "2017-02-09T23:29:48Z")
As a substitute for all the “fake Chinas”, allow me to suggest [Cathay, ND](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathay,_North_Dakota), from an earlier name for (part of) China. The folks at [DakotaPostalHistorySociety.org](http://DakotaPostalHistorySociety.org) assure us that [this was a genuine geographical namesake](http://www.dakotapostalhistorysociety.org/dak_collector_oct_2002.pdf): > [@](#): > > This Soo Line RR townsite was founded in 1892 in Cathay Township and platted that year by the Minnesota Loan & Trust Co. The name was suggested by Soo Line official Fred D Underwood and a Chinese cook working with the construction crew to recognize China. > [@dtilque](#): > > Finally, I want to give thanks to everyone who contributed to the other thread. You guys were a great help. Especially Kimstu. :o 🙂 Aw, thanks! I am not the most prolific source of suggestions, but I love the obscure-fact-checking and underrepresented-country-quest parts. So I think my theme for contributions to this thread is going to be “Fancy, Archaic and Literary Region Names”. For starters, I present [Riviera (now Riviera Beach), FL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riviera_Beach,_Florida), named for the French Riviera. Oo-la-la! 🙂 Also: [Palestine, IL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine,_Illinois) for the Biblical region of Palestine. [Palestine, TX was apparently named for the Illinois city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine,_Texas) instead. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/45 "2017-02-09T23:48:01Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > :o 🙂 Aw, thanks! I am not the most prolific source of suggestions, but I love the obscure-fact-checking and underrepresented-country-quest parts. Those are the best additions. The ones I woudn’t get otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/46 "2017-02-10T00:34:01Z")
Here’s a fancy/archaic one: [Gallipolis, OH](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipolis,_Ohio), a macaronic Latin-Greek amalgam of “Gallia” (Latin for “France”) and “-polis” (Greek for “city”), founded in 1790 by French immigrants/refugees fleeing the Revolution. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/47 "2017-02-10T02:12:01Z")
Poland, Alaska, Denmark, Wales, Belgium, Germantown all in eastern Wisconsin ---
**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:** [February 10, 2017, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/48 "2017-02-10T02:31:34Z")
Wyoming is named for the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/49 "2017-02-10T04:19:49Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Wyoming is named for the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. The OP asks for cities or counties, so the state of Wyoming doesn’t count. However, there are a bunch of towns named Wyoming elsewhere. [Wyoming, Ohio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming,_Ohio), at least, seems to be named after Wyoming County in PA. ---
**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 10, 2017, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/50 "2017-02-10T04:47:14Z")
Batavia, NY. “The name Batavia is Latin for the Betuwe region of the Netherlands, and honors early Dutch land developers.” > **[Batavia, New York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batavia,_New_York)** > > Batavia is a city in and the county seat of Genesee County, New York, United States. It is near the center of the county, surrounded by the Town of Batavia, which is a separate municipality. Batavia's population as of the 2020 census was 15,600. The name Batavia is Latin for the Betuwe region of the Netherlands, and honors early Dutch land developers. In 2006, a national magazine, Site Selection, ranked Batavia third among the nation's micropolitans based on economic development. The New The ci... ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/51 "2017-02-10T04:54:20Z")
Norway, NY Caledonia, NY, after the ancient name for Scotland. Hibernia, FL, after the ancient name for Ireland. There are lots of Hollands. At least the one in Michigan is named after the Netherlands. Bavaria, KS, is named after the German state. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/52 "2017-02-10T05:47:56Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The OP asks for cities or counties, so the state of Wyoming doesn’t count. However, there are a bunch of towns named Wyoming elsewhere. [Wyoming, Ohio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming,_Ohio), at least, seems to be named after Wyoming County in PA. The main issue with Wyoming is that I’m looking for regions **outside the US** , and all the Wyomings I know of are inside. If there’s a region outside the US that a state or valley is named for, I’ll take it. I know there are no states named that way and I’d be surprised if there’s any valleys, which is why I didn’t mention them, > [@gkster](#): > > Batavia, NY. “The name Batavia is Latin for the Betuwe region of the Netherlands, and honors early Dutch land developers.” > [Batavia, New York - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batavia,_New_York) Yes, that’s already on my list. So is the Angola that someone contributed above and I think several others. Here’s another [link](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Dtilque/sandbox&redirect=no) to it. > [@Colibri](#): > > Caledonia, NY, after the ancient name for Scotland. > > There are lots of Hollands. At least the one in Michigan is named after the Netherlands. > > Bavaria, KS, is named after the German state. ETA: All already on the list. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/53 "2017-02-10T07:10:22Z")
Eden, WI is named after a mythical location, but at least it was supposed to have been on Earth. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/54 "2017-02-10T18:53:47Z")
Germantown MD > **[Germantown, Maryland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germantown,_Maryland)** > > Germantown is an urbanized census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. With a population of 91,249 as of the 2020 census, it is the third most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore and Columbia. Germantown is located approximately 28 miles (45 km) outside the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C., and is an important part of the Washington metropolitan area. > Germantown was founded in the early 19th century by European immigrants, though much of the area's developmen... ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/55 "2017-02-14T00:24:31Z")
I’m calling :dubious: on Argentine, Michigan. Given that Silver Lake Road runs right through it and it seems to be derived from the eponymous Argentine Township dating back to the mid-19th century, and there’s also a Michigan town named Argenta in the Silver Creek area, I bet dollars to donuts that the “Argentine” name is simply derived from “silver”. I’m also very skeptical of the notion that [Greenland NH](https://books.google.com/books?id=QarkVaNCBvEC&pg=PA90) was named (in the mid-17th century, no less!) after the Arctic island, rather than being a straightforward designation of “land that is green”. Likewise, Newfoundland PA [seems to have been so designated](https://books.google.com/books?id=MT1EAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA804) simply because it was “land that is new-found”, namely, an unclaimed tract in early 19th-c. Pennsylvania; I can find no connection at all with Canadian Newfoundland. Patagonia AZ [appears to have been named after the nearby Patagonia Mountains](http://patagonia-az.gov/about/history/) rather than for the region in Chile. Of course, the Arizonan Patagonia Mountains themselves were presumably named for the Chilean ones, but I’m not sure if you’re accepting that kind of second-order namesakeing. After that wet-blanketing, I turn to the more cheerful task of confirmation. 🙂 Yes, Jamaica IA is named after the Caribbean Jamaica, according to [this Iowan Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/The29thState/posts/945048478860250): > [@](#): > > Everyone is always curious where the name comes from. In truth—it comes from the islands where you might suspect it originated. The initial platted village from February 1882 was named Vanness. This was a problem though because there wasn’t a consistent spelling—VanNest, VanNess, VanEss, Vanesse, and so forth were all considered acceptable giving the post office a hell of a headache. Sedalia was also considered as an early name but it too was ditched, although the reason is unclear. The original officers for the community selected the name from a world map by placing their finger on a random spot. It landed in the Caribbean—ergo the sunny disposition of the town. Probably a good thing that they did not inadvertently land in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales. We might have had a few more problems spelling that. I would not necessarily have taken that for more than a local urban legend, but photographic evidence of the town’s [tropical-themed “Welcome to Jamaica” sign](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Jamaica_Iowa_20080118_Sign.JPG) is strong corroboration. Similarly, the fact that [Siberia IN](http://local.townsquarepublications.com/indiana/perrycounty_old/perry1.html#history) seems to have been [settled by Russian and Polish immigrants](https://books.google.com/books?id=4xcVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA271) suggests that it was indeed named after the Eurasian region. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/56 "2017-02-14T03:00:52Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I’m calling :dubious: on Argentine, Michigan. Given that Silver Lake Road runs right through it and it seems to be derived from the eponymous Argentine Township dating back to the mid-19th century, and there’s also a Michigan town named Argenta in the Silver Creek area, I bet dollars to donuts that the “Argentine” name is simply derived from “silver”. Won’t take that bet. There’s a couple other Argentines around that were named for that. > [@](#): > > I’m also very skeptical of the notion that [Greenland NH](https://books.google.com/books?id=QarkVaNCBvEC&pg=PA90) was named (in the mid-17th century, no less!) after the Arctic island, rather than being a straightforward designation of “land that is green”. There’s also a couple others named Greenland that way. The only reason I put it on the list is that it was named by a Captain and I thought there was the possibility he was a sea captain who’d been to the island. > [@](#): > > Likewise, Newfoundland PA [seems to have been so designated](https://books.google.com/books?id=MT1EAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA804) simply because it was “land that is new-found”, namely, an unclaimed tract in early 19th-c. Pennsylvania; I can find no connection at all with Canadian Newfoundland. Likely. Unlike the other list, I was fairly generous in adding “needs confirmation” entries to this one. Admittedly, I was stretching it for this entry. > [@](#): > > Patagonia AZ [appears to have been named after the nearby Patagonia Mountains](http://patagonia-az.gov/about/history/) rather than for the region in Chile. Of course, the Arizonan Patagonia Mountains themselves were presumably named for the Chilean ones, but I’m not sure if you’re accepting that kind of second-order namesakeing. I do second-order names if there’s a good connection with the intervening object and the original town. This is not that good a connection. > [@](#): > > After that wet-blanketing, I turn to the more cheerful task of confirmation. 🙂 Just for the record, it does not bother me in the least if you find something doesn’t belong on the list. I appreciate that just as much as positive confirmations. So don’t be afraid to supply them. > [@](#): > > Yes, Jamaica IA is named after the Caribbean Jamaica, according to [this Iowan Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/The29thState/posts/945048478860250): > > I would not necessarily have taken that for more than a local urban legend, but photographic evidence of the town’s [tropical-themed “Welcome to Jamaica” sign](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Jamaica_Iowa_20080118_Sign.JPG) is strong corroboration. Facebook isn’t exactly the best reference around, but I guess I’ll take it. As far as local legends, I’ve found no less than three additional places that claim that a coin toss decided the name thereof. I live in the Portland area, and it’s common knowledge around here that a couple guys flipped a coin to decide its name. (The alternative was Boston.) The three that I found during this project are: [ul] [li] [St. Petersburg FL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Petersburg,_Florida) where the other option was Detroit. (home towns for both)[/li][li] [Atlantic IA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic,_Iowa) where they figured they were about halfway between oceans, so they flipped for which one to name it for.[/li][li] [Scotia CA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotia,_California), a lot of Canadians there, so named after Nova Scotia, where the alternative was (New) Brunswick[/li][/ul] All three made one of the lists, BTW. > [@](#): > > Similarly, the fact that [Siberia IN](http://local.townsquarepublications.com/indiana/perrycounty_old/perry1.html#history) seems to have been [settled by Russian and Polish immigrants](https://books.google.com/books?id=4xcVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA271) suggests that it was indeed named after the Eurasian region. Could they have been refugees from the Tsar’s gulag? Thanks for all the input. ---
**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 14, 2017, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/57 "2017-02-14T04:50:59Z")
Does Gallapolis, Ohio count? It was settled by French refugees from the French Revolution, and means “City of the French”. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/58 "2017-02-14T04:53:30Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Does Gallapolis, Ohio count? It was settled by French refugees from the French Revolution, and means “City of the French”. See post #46. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2017, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/59 "2017-02-14T05:21:59Z")
I have Gallia County, Ohio for Gallia (don’t need a second one). Gallipolis is the county seat of that county. For the region list, I’m not restricting the US place to cities only, but also including counties and perhaps other regions. In fact, I’ll probably change the entry for England to New England, since _that_ won’t be a “needs confirmation”. BTW, I was severely disappointed that Transylvania County, NC turned out not to be named for the region of Romania. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2017, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385/60 "2017-02-14T05:25:53Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Facebook isn’t exactly the best reference around, but I guess I’ll take it. It is more or less corroborated by a reference on p. 29 of [this book](https://books.google.com/books?id=BiEUAAAAYAAJ&q=%22story:+Originally+the+town+was%22&dq=%22story:+Originally+the+town+was%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwizoab0647SAhVBQiYKHVnVB-QQ6AEIGjAA) to a 1983 personal communication with the Jamaica postmaster, who said: > [@](#): > > Originally the town was called Van Ness but that was the name of another Iowa town and when no town could be agreed upon, the mayor was blindfolded and faced toward a map… The point where his finger landed was Jamaica in the West Indies… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-places-named-for-regions/779385.md?page=4)