(I wonder about the Idaho explanation. I think a lady showed up in that territory and the men said, "who are you" and she replied, "I da ho !!")
What is the origin of the name for each of the 50 states?
-Alabama, Means "tribal town" in the Creek Indian language.
-Alaska, after the Aleut word "alaxsxaq" meaning "the mainland".
-Arizona, based on Pima Indian word "arizonac" for "little spring place."
-Arkansas, a French interpretation of the word "acansa," in Sioux meaning "downstream place."
-California, comes from "Califia" a mythical paradise in old spanish romance word.
-Colorado, means "Reddish" or "Color Red".
-Connecticut, Based on Mohican and Algonquin Indian words for a "place beside a long river".
-Delaware, for the early Virginia governor, Lord De La Warr.
-Florida was a Spanish territory, and the name is in Spanish too. Florida means "Flowered".
-Georgia, Named for King George II of England
-Hawaii, which of course is in native Hawaian could be based on their word for homeland, "Owhyhee".
-Idaho, is just an invented word.
-Illinois, word in Algonquin Indian for "warriors".
-Indiana, from "Land of the Indians".
-Iowa, indian word for "a beautiful land".
-Kansas, From the Sioux Indian for "south wind people".
-Kentucky, Based on the Iroquois Indian word "Ken-tah-ten," meaning "land of tomorrow"
-Lousiana, Named in honor of France's King Louis XIV, this territory had Frech influence.
-Maine, Assumed to be a reference to the state region being a mainland, different from its many surrounding islands
-Maryland, named to honor Henrietta Maria, wife of England's King Charles I.
-Massachusets, Named after local Indian tribe whose name means "a large hill place".
-Michigan, for the Chippewa Indian word "meicigama" meaning "great water" (for the big lakes).
-Minnesota, based on the Dakota Sioux Indian word for "sky-tinted water", referring to the Minnesota River or the state's many lakes.
-Mississippi, probably based on the Indian "mici zibi," loosely meaning great river.
-Missouri, named after the Missouri Indian tribe.
-Montana, based on the Spanish word "Montaña" that means Mountain.
-Nebraska, Name based on an Oto Indian word that means "flat water," referring to the Platte River.
-Nevada, comes from a spanish word that means "snowy" or "snow- clad".
-New Hampshire, named after the area of Hampshire in England.
-New Jersey, named after the area of Jersey in England.
-New Mexico, from the country of Mexico.
-New York, named after the city of York in England.
-North Carolina, named in honor of England's King Charles I.
-North Dakota, for the Sioux or Dacotah Indians.
-Ohio, comes from the Iroquois Indian word for "good river".
-Oklahoma, a Choctaw Indian word for "red man".
-Oregon, may have been derived from that of the Wisconsin River shown on a 1715 French map as "Ouaricon-sint."
-Pennsylvania, for the Admiral William Penn, father of the state's founder, William Penn.
-Rhode Island, after "Roode Eylandt" by Adriaen Block, Dutch explorer, because of its red clay.
-South Carolina (see North Carolina).
-South Dakota (see North Dakota).
-Tenessee, Named after Cherokee Indian villages called "Tanasi"
-Texas, comes from the Spanish "Tejas" when it belonged top Mexico (they exchanged the J for X as an English contribution).
-Utah, from the Ute Indians (people of the mountains).
-Vermont, from the French "verts monts," meaning green mountains.
-Virginia, named for England's "Virgin Queen," Elizabeth I.
-West Virginia (see Virginia).
-Washington, after the first President of the US.
-Wisconsin, from the word "Ouisconsin" believed to mean "grassy place" in the Cheppewa tongue.
-Wyoming, Indian word meaning "large prairie place".