How did all the different countries get their names?

Question

It's interesting if you think about it, how was it decided what to call each different country in the world, and who decided in the first place? It's puzzled me for ages... Anyone know?

Answer 1

Probably the first people who inhabited the country gave it their name.

- France means land of the Franks after the Germanic tribe that became rulers there.

- Australia is Southern in Latin.

- Romania is named after the Romans who conquered that region. I guess the people do look kind of Italian and a Romanian friend of mine told me he can understand Italian.

- Russia is named after the Viking tribe, the 'Rus', who founded a settlement there.

- Poland has a lot of poles. Just kidding. I don't know why.

In English we call Japan Japan because that's what the Chinese called it. It means Land of the Rising Sun.

Interesting question.

Answer 2

Well I don't know but in different languages, the countries have different names.

Answer 3

well first, i was Hungary so i ate some Turkey and got Greece on my shirt.

Answer 4

Definitive answer:

Countries got their names because we needed a common frame of reference, in order to talk about them.  If countries didn't have names, we couldn't talk about them, except to say, 'that place over there.'

(This is based on the Nominalist theory of knowledge.)

Answer 5

Four ways places are named:

After rulers, prominant people, explorers, navigators and map-makers - Kingstown, Queensland, King George's Sound, Washington, America, Rhodesia, Tasmania, Jacksonville, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

Or for their economic resources - Argentina, Gold Coast, Ivory Coast, Salt Lake City, Buffalo, Cobalt, Coalville.

Or after the colonists or inhabitants - England, Scotland, Finland, France, Afganistan, Turkistan, Uzbekistan, Thailand.

Or for other places where the colonists cames from - New York, New Jersey, New Zealand, New South Wales, New Orleans.

Answer 6

America- named after the map maker of the Americas Amerigo Vespucci

India-named after the Indus River

England- named after the Anglo-Saxons who lived in the area

France- the country was conquered by a group of Germanic tribes called the Franks and they lived there for several years and that is where France comes from

Italy- comes from italia which the Roman Empire called the central Italy

Australia- comes from terra australis incognita meaning 'unknown south land'

Mexico- named after Aztec tribe Mexica

Canada- In 1535, two Indian Youths told Jacques Cartier about the route to "kanata." They were referring to the village of Stadacona; "kanata" was simply the Huron-Iroquois word for "village" or "settlement." But for want of another name, Cartier used "Canada" to refer not only to Stadacona (the site of present day Quebec City), but also to the entire area subject to its chief, Donnacona. The name was soon applied to a much larger area: maps in 1547 designated everything north of the St. Lawrence River as "Canada."

Pakistan- The name had been developed by a group of students at Cambridge University who issued a pamphlet in 1933 called Now or Never. They came up with the term "Pakistan" as "composed of letters taken from the names of our homelands: that is, Punjab, Afghania [North-West Frontier Province], Kashmir, Iran, Sindh, Tukharistan, Afghanistan, and Balochistan. It means the land of the Paks, the spiritually pure and clean."

Answer 7

Many are based somewhat on Latin versions of words that has something to do with their culture when they were named, however many are also have to do with events that have happened in their history (Britain for example). Another way to get a name is after a person, for example, the Americas were named after their founder Amerigo Vespucci

Answer 8

Don't know but also want to find out.  Scotland used to be called Caledonia -something to do with forests maybe?  Guess UK is just as the name says the uniting of all kingdoms.

edit.  read that over and thought I should add my bit...NO UNION!!!

Answer 9

china was named after the chin empire pre dates the egyptian empire.  he was responsible for building the terrocota army.