Names: and Their Meaning

Why is it called Lloyd's? Why the Green Man? Leopold Wagner traced the origins of everything the Victorians had a name for — countries, tavern signs, flowers, wines, London streets, nicknames and battles — and found a story behind nearly all of them.

The Countries of the World

10 pages in this part of Names and Their Meaning.

The Countries of the World

T HE oldest of the four great divisions of the world received its modern designation Asia from the Sanskrit Ushas, signifying "land of the…

The Countries of the World: Romans

Some five hundred years afterwards the Island was alluded to by the Romans under the name of Britannia, which subsequently became shortened…

The Countries of the World: Franks

France was known to the Greeks as Gallatia, and to the Romans as Gallia, afterwards modified into Gaul, because it was the territory of the…

The Countries of the World: Arabic

Algiers is a modified spelling of the Arabic Al Jezair, meaning "the peninsula." Tunis was anciently known as Tunentum, the land of the…

The Countries of the World: Spanish

The most southern point of South America was called Cape Hoorn (or, according to the English, Cape Horn) by Schonten, who first rounded it…

The Countries of the World: Ocean

The Arctic Ocean received its name pursuant to The Countries of the World. the Greek arktos, a bear, on account of the northern…

The Countries of the World: Barrow

I., in whose reign it was completely explored. Quite a number of straits, gulfs, and bays bear the names of their respective navigators…

The Countries of the World: Dutch

By the term Australia is meant "the South," and by Australasia "Southern Asia," agreeably to the Latin australis, southern. Previous to its…

The Countries of the World: Islands

The naming of the Sandwich Islands by Cook conveyed a graceful compliment to Lord Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty. The Philippine…

The Countries of the World: Island

Japan is a European modification, brought about through the Portuguese Gepuen, of the native Niphon, confounded of ni, sun, fire, and pon…

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