In the previous video we covered the states east of the Mississippi River, and now we'll finish the story with the eastern U.S.

Maine.

This state is most likely named after the former province of Maine in France by early explorers.

One other theory says that the name is a nautical reference to the mainland.

New Hampshire.

New Hampshire got its name after the English county of Hampshire, since many colonists in the area came from that part of England.

The English county's name comes from an old English name Hampton, roughly meaning, village town.

Massachusetts.

This name comes from the name of the indigenous Massachusett tribe that inhabited the area.

The tribe's name is derived from a Wopinok word, Muswachusett.

It means, near the Great Hill, or, by the Blue Hills, referring to the Great Blue Hill between Milton and Canton.

Rhode Island.

This state was named after the Aquidneck Island that was called Rhode Island in colonial times.

One origin theory says that explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano likened the island to the Greek island of Rhodes.

The other says that the name comes from Dutch word for reddish, which is how the island seemed to explorer Adrien Bloch.

Connecticut.

The state is named for the Connecticut River that flows through it.

The river's name is derived from a Mohegan Pequot word, Kwanonoket, that means, long tidal river.

Vermont.

When French colonist Samuel de Champlain claimed the area around what is now Lake Champlain, he gave the name, Vert Mone, to the region, which is French for, Green Mountain.

Later the name came into use among English settlers and became the name of the state.

New York.

The state of New York owes its name to New York City, the largest U.S. city since 1790.

The city's original name was New Amsterdam, but when English King Charles II took control in 1664 he gave the land to his brother, the Duke of York, and renamed the city accordingly.

New Jersey.

During the same time that New York got its new name, the neighboring region was renamed after the island of Jersey in the English Channel.

The origin of the island's name is not clear, but it's presumed that it came from Old Norse.

Pennsylvania.

In 1681, King Charles II gave an entire province to William Penn to repay a debt owed to William's father, Admiral William Penn.

The king named it Pennsylvania, which means, Penn's Woods, Silva, meaning, forest, in Latin.

Delaware.

The state was named after the Delaware River, which got its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron de Loire, who was the governor of the colony of Virginia at the time the river was explored by Europeans.

The name de Loire is of Anglo-French origin.

Maryland.

Maryland was named after the English Queen Henrietta Maria of France, who was the wife of Charles I of England.

She was known in England as Queen Mary.

Virginia and West Virginia.

The large territory that encompassed the entire coastal region from South Carolina to Maine was named in the 16th century after Queen Elizabeth I of England, who was known as the «Virgin Queen».

One other theory says that the name comes from explorers who viewed the new land as untouched.

North and South Carolina.

In 1663, King Charles II of England granted a charter to start a new colony.

He named it Carolina in honor of his father, Charles I in 1710.

The Carolina colony was split into North Carolina and South Carolina.

Georgia.

The British colony of Georgia was founded in 1733 under a charter issued by King George

II.

It was named after him and later became the state of Georgia.

Florida.

The land that later became the state of Florida was named by the Spanish conquistador Juan

Ponce de León.

He named it La Florida because it was rich in vegetation and because it was the Easter season, which the Spaniards called «Pasqua Florida» or Festival of Flowers.

Ohio.

This state's name comes from the Ohio River's name, which in turn originated from indigenous

Seneca people's word meaning «Good River» or «Large Creek».

Kentucky.

The state was named after the Kentucky River.

The river's name is probably based on Iroquoian name meaning «On the Meadow» or «On the

Prairie».

Another theory suggests the Algonquin term, Kentaaki, which roughly translates as «Land of our Fathers».

Tennessee.

This is another state that got its name from a river.

The Tennessee River's name is likely tied to the Cherokee settlement of Tennessee.

The origin of Tennessee's name is unknown.

Alabama.

The state of Alabama and the Alabama River were named after the indigenous people of

Alabama.

Some scholars suggest that the word comes from the Choctaw words for «plants» and «to cut», so the name would refer to agricultural activities of the Alabama people.

Michigan.

The name of the state of Michigan, which lies in the Great Lakes region, comes from the

French variant of the original indigenous Ojibwe word that means «Large Water» or «Large Lake».

Indiana.

Indiana's name means «Land of the Indians» or simply «Indian Land».

In 1768, a trading company claimed land in present-day West Virginia and named it «Indiana» after its previous owners, the Iroquois.

Mississippi.

The state's name is derived from the Mississippi River which defines its western boundary.

The river was named by European settlers after the Ojibwe word meaning «Great River».

Wisconsin.

The name of this state comes from indigenous Algonquian language name for the Wisconsin

River.

It was written down for the first time by French explorer Jacques Marquette as «Mescausing», but later changed with time.

The original meaning is lost, but most theories implicate the red sandstone banks of the river.

Illinois.

The name Illinois is the modern spelling of the early French Catholic missionary's name for the Illinois Native Americans.

The meaning is unclear, some saying it means «men», while others claim it means «he who speaks the regular way».

As you can see, some eastern US states got their names from indigenous languages, and some from the English-speaking early colonists.

Have you heard a different theory regarding your state's name from the ones described here?

Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe for more facts.