As a native and resident of Idaho, I am happy to accept your #1 Award on behalf of all 1.8 million Idahoans. Some very old school textbooks will say the word "Idaho" is from the Shoshone language meaning either "Gem of the Mountains" or "Wind over the Mountains." The Shoshone dispute this. We all know that the name is utterly meaningless, stuck on a territory left over once all other states were carved out. Seems appropriate for an often overlooked state. 😊👍
Y’all arnt gonna be overlooked for long. Idaho is such a fast growing state. Imo it’s starting to become a west coast state in terms of culture and money rather then a Midwest mountain state.
@@mcray0309 -- Ah, you are referring to the State of Ada (County) -- where Boise is. Growing fast. Plus 2 or 3 other counties. That is where all the growth is taking place: in just a few counties. But most of Idaho's other 40 counties remain rural and undiscovered -- and culturally VERY different from the State of Ada and the West Coast. Idaho simply has too many micro-regions to enumerate.
How NOT to name your state: 1) After another country; 2) after another place; 3) after a former ruler; 4) some boring abstract description of the land. How TO name your state: 1) "Great" something-or-other; 2)after a god-like figure; 3) when all else fails, make it up
My favorite part of this was the awesome scenery from each state! You did a great job choosing fantastic vistas, that are not generic, stereotypical views.
Central Massachusetts has a ton of huge hills and towards the west it’s mountainous. I think the name is fitting especially when putting it into perspective for settlers or indigenous people who move west from the ocean and see huge hills
According to the state website “Massachusetts takes its name from the Massachusett tribe of Native Americans, who lived in the Great Blue Hill region, south of Boston”. (Hello from a fellow Masshole 😁)
When I was in college at the University of Minnesota, I took a class on American Indian studies. The professor was Ojibwe. Lots of folks will say that Minnesota means "the land of sky blue water" - but the professor made it sound so much better when he said "the land where the water reflects the heavens."
Missouri still fits to this day. Missourians are known to “float” many clear Ozark rivers and streams in rafts, kayaks, and of course- canoes. It is a much loved recreational activity in the state and we have some of the most beautiful streams in the country.
New Mexico is not named after the country of Mexico but the Valley of Mexico. the region of Nuevo Mexico got its name in the 1560s while Mexico the country got its name officially in 1821
@TegridyFarmer thank you for explaining this. I was so annoyed at the fact that this dude running the channel didn’t take the time to do research on how New Mexico got its name. 😏😒
Eh, it might have bumped up the state a little, but it’d still be floating around the bottom with all of the other copy-pasted names with “New” in front of them.
I would argue that that's not the fault of the namers of the state, and thus it should get a pass on the name. Rhode Island was originally only part of the name and only referred to part of the state which IS an island (today know as Aquidneck Island). It's not the state namer's fault that we've colloquially (and now officially) cut back its name to one that doesn't make sense.
It's original long name was Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Calling it Rhode Island and Providence makes the name make more sense, given that Providence's Metro takes up the entire state.
The full name of the state is actually _Rhode Island and Providence Plantations_ but the Plantations part was subsequently removed because the name is too long and that word might be offensive to some people
No way, about 4 hours before you posted this my boyfriend and I were driving to a hike and “drafting” state names to make a team of 9 each - we did two names per region (based on time zone, which is hard cause Pacific and Mountain have so few but also the best names) and then AK and HI could be claimed anytime. We did a snake draft and had to justify our picks as well as order them strategically. We based it mostly on sound though and how fitting it was for the state. I ended up with Alaska, Montana, California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, and Texas. He had Idaho, Oregon, Hawaii, Colorado, Wyoming, Vermont, Maine, Minnesota, and Oklahoma!
Wikipedia: Nuevo México is often incorrectly believed to have taken its name from the nation of Mexico. However, it was named by Spanish explorers who believed the area contained wealthy Amerindian cultures similar to those of the Aztec Empire (centered in the Valley of Mexico), and called the land the "Santa Fe de Nuevo México".
I’ve heard that Maine was named by the people living locally who mostly lived on the islands off the coast, so when they needed a name of the mainland they called it Maine land
I've heard it's probably either that or it's named after the French province of Maine. I kind of like the mainland explanation though since I'm a Maine islander, and we still refer to the rest of the state just as the mainland.
Old Dad joke: If Miss Issippi and Miss Ouri were invited to a party and were going to wear their New Jersey, what would Delaware? Answer: Idaho. Alaska. 😊😜 I'll show myself out.......
He gives the Ojibwe etymology for the Mississippi, but one of the many Chahta (Choctaw) names for the river (which was the Western border of our pre-removal homelands) is Misha Sipokoni, which I usually see translated as “beyond age” or “ageless mother.” Almost every native group who lived along the River has a name for it that sounds similar, but with slightly different meanings, making it my favorite state name also.
I've always heard "Minnesota" or "Mnisota" was a Souix word meaning "sky-tinted water". But it is often cloudy here, so I could see "cloudy water" being a close translation as well.
I clicked on this video knowing that my home state of New Mexico would be either near the top or the bottom. I wasn't disappointed. But credit where due for consistency because you ranked most of the "New" states near the bottom.
Massachusetts is actually pretty hilly. You have the Blue Hills, Taconic and Berkshire Mountains. I think once you come to Massachusetts you’ll see that our mountains/hills are a well kept secret
Technical correction: New Mexico is *not* named after the country of Mexico. It got it's name when that region was called New Spain, long before Mexico was an independent country. It is named after the city of Mexico -- reflected glory of the great Aztec empire. But point taken -- except that imnvho all of the "New" state names suck.
I have lived in New , "Improved " Mexico for. 52 years, and I believe that we should return to our original name : New Spain. It just sounds better since Mexico has a bad connotation to many people.
@@rickballentine3052 No way, dude. "New Spain" was *not* the original name of New Mexico; New Spain was an enormous viceroyalty that included all of Mexico (and more).
WOW you used a picture of the shawnee national forest, garden of the gods for Illinois! great to see! many just think of Chicago when thinking of IL but we have much more!
Thanks! I'm glad you like the videos. I'll most likely do something that incorporates stuff from my New England trip but I'm not sure exactly what just yet.
@@GeographyKing Interesting that you've not been to New England. I saw another video where you noted you've not been to Boston, and indeed, New England is my lacuna as well. I've been to 43 states, and am missing only the New England six and Hawaii.
I learned that Maine got its name from the fact that the people used to primarily live on the islands off the coast of modern day Maine, so when they started living on the *Main*land they called it Maine
I still don't understand why it is called an island. I know the name was shortened, and there are several islands that are part of the state, but they aren't really significant. Why isn't it called Rhode Islands?
Another excellent video, Kyle. Thanks. A couple of small point. (1) You rightly say that New York was named for the Duke of York - the future James II of England, James VII of Scotland. But did you know that the state capital was also named for him? As is traditional with the monarch's second sons, he was the Duke of York in England but the Duke of Albany in Scotland. (2) You said that New Jersey was named for the island of Jersey in the United Kingdom. In fact, Jersey was not and never has been part of the United Kingdom. It is something called a "crown dependency" (which I don't claim to be able to explain). A trivial point perhaps, but I thought I would mention it.
Interesting video. For what it's worth, I remember my elementary school lessons from growing up in Michigan claiming the state name meant, "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you."
lol. New Mexico simply kept the regional name it had under the Spanish Empire. Heading north Spaniards expected to find a "New" Mexico, with another civilization like the Aztecs. The region just kept the naming convention after the Mexican American war and it changed occupiers. Historically I prefer that name to having named it after some eastern politician or general.
I thought of the exact same thing. And Kyle ranked NM flag as the best state flag too (not surprising since it's generally considered one of the best state flags). NM really goes to extremes either way lol.
@@kingtowmater1038 that's not nice to call someone a troll because you didn't agree with what they had to say. Nevertheless what I said is true that the state of New Mexico was not named after the COUNTRY of Mexico. New Mexico was named before the country of Mexico even existed
The meaning of the states names - based on the description of the state, in my opinion would be Michigan (great water) and Alaska (great land). Those would be followed by Florida and Colorado.
Washington State was named what it was because it originally going to be called Columbia after the Columbia River. Someone in congress thought that it would be too confusing to name the state the same name as another state's capital so congress decided to name it after the federal capital instead for some reason.
I really enjoyed this segment and learned a lot. Maybe you’ve already done this, but how about a segment based on the nicknames/demonyms for different states’ residents, ie: Ohio- Buckeyes, Indiana - Hoosiers, Kansas - Jayhawkers, etc?
not sure if you saw my comment on one of your previous videos, but this was a great video idea to improve your average amount of views! only critique your videos bc i like your channel and want to see you succeed edit: love the idea of ranking them too, i think that's a popular thing on this website
Thank you. While I was on my road trip I wasn't able to post normal videos but I wanted to post something while I was traveling. But since I don't have a good setup for recording outside, the videos weren't as popular as they could have been.
I am happy to learn so many of the States are named with words from the tongues of the indigenous people who lived on the lands where we now live. I think indigenous people need to be remembered and honored in more ways than this, but it is a good start. The names have indigenous beauty in them and are reminiscent of the pollen path. We need more of that.
Should names have some connection to a local origin? While the Mississippi River forms the western boundary of the state of Mississippi, the state is far removed from the Ojibwa people. The Ojibwa lived at the northern end (the source) of that big river. The state Mississippi is at the southern end, nearly a thousand miles away. That is so very much not a local term for the state.
What the Algonquins were referring to in Massachusetts are the Blue Hills, which now is part of Braintree, Milton, and Quincy, and the highest point is called Big Blue, that houses the weather observatory. Its a neat area that has the Trailside Nature Museum and a small, local ski run. As an extra bonus, it even has a resident ghost, and although I never got to see her, I have a close family member who has. As far as actual mountains go, the Berkshires in the western part of the Commonwealth, are part of the Apalachien Trail System, and Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony.
Love your reasoning for Missouri! Never realized what the name meant. Honestly, would have worked well to name Minnesota that too:) Also, great picture of the bwca for MN:)
In defence of New Mexico, it was actually named that by the Spanish before the Nation of Mexico was named that, both name after the Mexico Valley, which is where the modern day and Aztec capitals are
My opinion has long been that Rhode Island is the dumbest name of all the states. It's not an island for crying out loud. This was a very informative video. Thanks, GK.
Since Maine's first European settlers were French (and it still has a substantial French-speaking population) I always assumed that it was named after the old French province of Maine, the principle town of which is Le Mans. Today, that region is called Mayenne. Another nearby region is presently the Department of Maine-et-Loire. The River Mayenne joins with the Sarthe, and after that is known as the River Maine, before it empties into the River Loire. Both versions of the name, Maine and Mayenne, were used in medieval times, and the Lords of Mayenne built a castle at Laval in the 10th Century. However, the two names seem to have a different origin. "Mayenne" seems to be a Frankish distortion of the late Roman Ducatus Cenomannicus, named after the Gaulish tribe of the Cenomani. The element "ceno" probably means "descended from". The element "man" which also appears in Le Mans, simply means "good". This area was known to the Carolingians as the Duchy of Cénomannie. "Maine", however, seems to be derived from an ancient name "Meodena". If the last is of Celtic origin, it may refer to the river being "swift". Many of Canada's early settlers came from both regions. The first written reference to the area in America being called Maine occurs in the patent establishing the Province of Maine granted on August 10, 1622 to Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason by the Plymouth Council for New England. It appears that the area was already commonly known by that name in both English and French. In the 1640s, everything west of the Kennebec River was known as Maine, everything east of the Penobscot River was considered part of Acadia, and thus part of New France, and the contested area between the Kennebec and Penobscot was called Sagadahoc. Sagadahoc was an earlier name for the Kennebec River, and survives as Sagadahoc County. During the short-lived Popham Colony, started by refugees from the Plymouth Colony's religious extremism, the colony was actually referred to by its inhabitants as the Sagadahoc Colony. In 1607, these settlers built the first ocean-worthy ship known to have been built in the New World, a pinnace named "Virginia of Sagadahoc". In 1629, a royal charter referred to this region as Laconia, and the patent-holder Fernando Gorges later proposed that it be named New Somerset, but in 1639, King Charles, who detested that name, issued a charter stating that the entire region “shall forever hereafter be called and named the Province or County of Mayne and not by any other name or names whatsoever.” By the middle of the 17th century, the spelling Maine was generally accepted.
3:30 what i found after a google search that illinois comes from a french derivative of the native self deisgnated name, which meant something like "people who speak properly" as in part of our tribe, part of our group. It wasn't the french that said "hey these savages speak properly". The word comes from the natives themselves just "frenchiefied"
As a native and resident of Idaho, I am happy to accept your #1 Award on behalf of all 1.8 million Idahoans. Some very old school textbooks will say the word "Idaho" is from the Shoshone language meaning either "Gem of the Mountains" or "Wind over the Mountains." The Shoshone dispute this. We all know that the name is utterly meaningless, stuck on a territory left over once all other states were carved out. Seems appropriate for an often overlooked state. 😊👍
Idaho gang
yes finally a #1 for idaho!! fellow idahoan here
@@SuedeCrushlol -- I'll join you in the celebration, but I'm keeping the trophy. 😁👍🏆
Y’all arnt gonna be overlooked for long. Idaho is such a fast growing state. Imo it’s starting to become a west coast state in terms of culture and money rather then a Midwest mountain state.
@@mcray0309 -- Ah, you are referring to the State of Ada (County) -- where Boise is. Growing fast. Plus 2 or 3 other counties. That is where all the growth is taking place: in just a few counties. But most of Idaho's other 40 counties remain rural and undiscovered -- and culturally VERY different from the State of Ada and the West Coast. Idaho simply has too many micro-regions to enumerate.
How NOT to name your state: 1) After another country; 2) after another place; 3) after a former ruler; 4) some boring abstract description of the land. How TO name your state: 1) "Great" something-or-other; 2)after a god-like figure; 3) when all else fails, make it up
There's a small town in central Kansas named Great Bend. It was named after the large bend in the Arkansas River.
@@DerekWitt that’s like really cool and all, but who asked?
Your state naming advice sucks. Only good state names are for something remarkable about the state's geography.
@@z1209I2EE i asked
@@DerekWitt is there a small town in central Kansas that is named after the large bend in the Arkansas river?
My favorite part of this was the awesome scenery from each state! You did a great job choosing fantastic vistas, that are not generic, stereotypical views.
except maybe Oregon. but the other 49 were totally unique.
Already know this is gonna be a BANGER
ok
This is why the King is the King. Would love to see a video of great city name origins
Central Massachusetts has a ton of huge hills and towards the west it’s mountainous. I think the name is fitting especially when putting it into perspective for settlers or indigenous people who move west from the ocean and see huge hills
Hello from a Worcester hill in Leicester, Massachusetts!
According to the state website “Massachusetts takes its name from the Massachusett tribe of Native Americans, who lived in the Great Blue Hill region, south of Boston”. (Hello from a fellow Masshole 😁)
@@meeneeThat's what I thought! From a former Masshole.
Idaho: Statey McStateface
Too funny.
Spudland.
Wasn't it named after a hooker: "I da ho"?
Mr. Potato state
When I was in college at the University of Minnesota, I took a class on American Indian studies. The professor was Ojibwe. Lots of folks will say that Minnesota means "the land of sky blue water" - but the professor made it sound so much better when he said "the land where the water reflects the heavens."
Yeah, I've heard it as "the land where the water reflects the sky/clouds"
I am from Minnesota and in school I learned "Land of Sky Tinted Waters"
But "From the land of sky blue waters" sounds so much better in a Hamm's cammercial.
@@mpetersen6 Hamm's commercial vs a Native American from that region... Yeah, who cares what the beer commercial says.
@@ih1440
Crappy beer anyway. Remembering it really dates me.
Missouri still fits to this day. Missourians are known to “float” many clear Ozark rivers and streams in rafts, kayaks, and of course- canoes. It is a much loved recreational activity in the state and we have some of the most beautiful streams in the country.
Literally what my friends and I do every summer
hard to beat floating
Absolutely
Love that your channel is nerdy!
New Mexico is not named after the country of Mexico but the Valley of Mexico. the region of Nuevo Mexico got its name in the 1560s while Mexico the country got its name officially in 1821
I did not know that
@TegridyFarmer thank you for explaining this. I was so annoyed at the fact that this dude running the channel didn’t take the time to do research on how New Mexico got its name. 😏😒
@@shaemarie9376 As a New Mexican it really made me mad. He loves this state and figured he would do the research.
Eh, it might have bumped up the state a little, but it’d still be floating around the bottom with all of the other copy-pasted names with “New” in front of them.
Ok, move it up 10 spots on the list.
i love you
GK feelin the RUclips love
I ship it
No homo
I hate you
@@dechezhaast decay
Kentucky - Only the Eastern 5th of the state is mountainous, the rest is pretty meadow-like!!
And Nevada isn’t all that snowy. Catchy names tho.
Yep, agree that he got this one wrong!
Pretty much just central KY is meadow-like. Northern and western KY are pretty hilly.
@@jasonmcdaniel345 I don't know that much about northern KY, but western KY isn't that hilly.
@@jasonmcdaniel345 -- Have you driven through the Jackson Purchase?
It really isn't much hilly.
You picked up such beautiful scenery for the states they are in. I was pleasantly surprised to see them!
I agree, beautiful stunning scenes !!
Poor Connecticut :(
Rhode Island would be at the bottom for me because it's not an island
I would argue that that's not the fault of the namers of the state, and thus it should get a pass on the name. Rhode Island was originally only part of the name and only referred to part of the state which IS an island (today know as Aquidneck Island). It's not the state namer's fault that we've colloquially (and now officially) cut back its name to one that doesn't make sense.
It's original long name was Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Calling it Rhode Island and Providence makes the name make more sense, given that Providence's Metro takes up the entire state.
The full name of the state is actually _Rhode Island and Providence Plantations_ but the Plantations part was subsequently removed because the name is too long and that word might be offensive to some people
Well NOW the name doesn’t make sense. It used to be Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, but the people voted to remove the word plantation.
@@madmech153 Yeah some people are just too sensitive these days lol like the word "plantation" in this context basically means a colony
Does anyone else just watch and wait for their state to show up and get happy every time a number passes... ok just me
@Jack Wallis: Well, if you're from New Mexico, it's kind of hard to relate . . .
I was shocked to see that Clipping album in the background. You were the last person I would think to be a fan of their music.
Splendor and Misery
😂😂IKR GOAT💯
No way, about 4 hours before you posted this my boyfriend and I were driving to a hike and “drafting” state names to make a team of 9 each - we did two names per region (based on time zone, which is hard cause Pacific and Mountain have so few but also the best names) and then AK and HI could be claimed anytime. We did a snake draft and had to justify our picks as well as order them strategically. We based it mostly on sound though and how fitting it was for the state. I ended up with Alaska, Montana, California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, and Texas. He had Idaho, Oregon, Hawaii, Colorado, Wyoming, Vermont, Maine, Minnesota, and Oklahoma!
how many kids do you think you will make?
I think this is the highest I’ve seen Michigan ranked on a Geography King list 👏
Also, A+ job on the photos. Makes every single state look amazing!
I am a long haul otr trucker. I really appreciate your videos and watch them all the time..
Thanks!!
Love the photos accompanying the states!
me too, but was that really nebraska ? simply beautiful !
Wikipedia: Nuevo México is often incorrectly believed to have taken its name from the nation of Mexico. However, it was named by Spanish explorers who believed the area contained wealthy Amerindian cultures similar to those of the Aztec Empire (centered in the Valley of Mexico), and called the land the "Santa Fe de Nuevo México".
Preach 👏👏👏
great video on names. Mississippi is my favourite. those photos btw are breathtaking!!!
I’ve heard that Maine was named by the people living locally who mostly lived on the islands off the coast, so when they needed a name of the mainland they called it Maine land
I've heard the "mainland" explanation too.
I've heard it's probably either that or it's named after the French province of Maine. I kind of like the mainland explanation though since I'm a Maine islander, and we still refer to the rest of the state just as the mainland.
Old Dad joke:
If Miss Issippi and Miss Ouri were invited to a party and were going to wear their New Jersey, what would Delaware?
Answer: Idaho. Alaska. 😊😜
I'll show myself out.......
this is the most funny and unfunny thing ever imagined
That's perfect.
You must from Boston if you said “Alaska!” 😂😂😂
Godzilla had a stroke reading this and fricking died
Yes, officer, this comment right here.
I'd go Mississippi #1. Aside from it's meaning, I just like how the word runs on so long- just like the river.
You should listen to the song Mississippi by pussycat
He gives the Ojibwe etymology for the Mississippi, but one of the many Chahta (Choctaw) names for the river (which was the Western border of our pre-removal homelands) is Misha Sipokoni, which I usually see translated as “beyond age” or “ageless mother.” Almost every native group who lived along the River has a name for it that sounds similar, but with slightly different meanings, making it my favorite state name also.
Problem i have with Mississippi is its not located in the Chippewa's territory.
Whoa! The world just ended. Kyle ranking his favorite state DEAD LAST!?!?!?
Odd right? It’s a cool name imo and it definitely isn’t named after Mexico the country.. it came before their independence haha
and the fact he didn't do any research on the Name really hurts lol
Prediction: my state (Washington) will be quite low.
Really? Just before you started liking them?
I was surprised to see it up that high lol
It is annoying to almost have the same name as the nation’s capital.
@@christophergrindstaff8367 the mighty river!
I've always heard "Minnesota" or "Mnisota" was a Souix word meaning "sky-tinted water". But it is often cloudy here, so I could see "cloudy water" being a close translation as well.
I can't help but notice that splendor and misery album art in the background, you have great music taste :)
Great video Kyle thanks keep it up
Way to go, Kyle. I love these 50 state countdowns!
Thank you for this content. Please record all videos as podcasts so I can listen while working. Thanks again.
I clicked on this video knowing that my home state of New Mexico would be either near the top or the bottom. I wasn't disappointed. But credit where due for consistency because you ranked most of the "New" states near the bottom.
New Mexico is the hidden gem of the USA… I love it there. Been everywhere out west and always have most fun in NM
Massachusetts is actually pretty hilly. You have the Blue Hills, Taconic and Berkshire Mountains. I think once you come to Massachusetts you’ll see that our mountains/hills are a well kept secret
Mt. Greylock and Mt. Tom, also.
👍🏼 Kyle, on your trip to see Boston, head over to The Beautiful Berkshires 💚 (4:20?) at the West end of Massachusetts! ✌🏼😎
Technical correction: New Mexico is *not* named after the country of Mexico. It got it's name when that region was called New Spain, long before Mexico was an independent country. It is named after the city of Mexico -- reflected glory of the great Aztec empire. But point taken -- except that imnvho all of the "New" state names suck.
I was going to post this. New Mexico sounds more generic than its actual history bears out.
@@promontorium Well put
I have lived in New , "Improved " Mexico for. 52 years, and I believe that we should return to our original name : New Spain. It just sounds better since Mexico has a bad connotation to many people.
@@rickballentine3052 oh fuck off if you only have negative thoughts when thinking of México, you're just a racist
@@rickballentine3052 No way, dude. "New Spain" was *not* the original name of New Mexico; New Spain was an enormous viceroyalty that included all of Mexico (and more).
Nice to see us at #11, thought you'd have us much further down the list.
This was a fun video! Appreciate the work you put in to them 😁
Stunning photos of every state!
From Idaho here. I knew Idaho would be either 50 or 1!
WOW you used a picture of the shawnee national forest, garden of the gods for Illinois! great to see! many just think of Chicago when thinking of IL but we have much more!
Love the unashamed canoe bias on this channel 😂
Video idea: ranking all of the different state designs on the back of quarters
Love the content super interesting
Couldn't help but notice the Splendor and Misery in the background. I had no idea you even knew who clipping. were, let alone were a fan!
I like their unique take on hip hop. Good for chillin out.
Once you have visited New England, will you make a top 10 states video?
BTW I love that your videos are from personal experience
Thanks! I'm glad you like the videos. I'll most likely do something that incorporates stuff from my New England trip but I'm not sure exactly what just yet.
Thanks!
@@GeographyKing Interesting that you've not been to New England. I saw another video where you noted you've not been to Boston, and indeed, New England is my lacuna as well. I've been to 43 states, and am missing only the New England six and Hawaii.
I just *knew* you would pick Idaho for #1. I loved watching as you more strongly confirmed my hunch with each state you rattled off.
The 🐐 back with another banger
Hi Kyle, I like the map at the end. Especially Spanish Maine. That's some funny stuff.
I learned that Maine got its name from the fact that the people used to primarily live on the islands off the coast of modern day Maine, so when they started living on the *Main*land they called it Maine
Ok, sure, why not....? 🤷🏻♂️
Ironic that the smallest state, Rhode Island, once had the longest name: _State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations_ .
Kind of like Mexico's largest state is ... Chihuahua!
They changed the name to just "State of Rhode Island" in 2020
I still don't understand why it is called an island. I know the name was shortened, and there are several islands that are part of the state, but they aren't really significant. Why isn't it called Rhode Islands?
@@imkluu The state was made up of four settlemens. Two settlements took the name Rhode Island, and the other two took the name Providence Plantations.
I love how this guy always ranks my state so high! Number 5? Hell yeah alaska is underrated!
Another excellent video, Kyle. Thanks. A couple of small point. (1) You rightly say that New York was named for the Duke of York - the future James II of England, James VII of Scotland. But did you know that the state capital was also named for him? As is traditional with the monarch's second sons, he was the Duke of York in England but the Duke of Albany in Scotland. (2) You said that New Jersey was named for the island of Jersey in the United Kingdom. In fact, Jersey was not and never has been part of the United Kingdom. It is something called a "crown dependency" (which I don't claim to be able to explain). A trivial point perhaps, but I thought I would mention it.
I’m glad Missouri made it to your top 5 (:
Very enjoyable, keep up the great work!
the big hill in Massachusetts refers to the Blue Hills outside Boston, and is also the name of the Native Americans that lived in what is now Boston
Interesting video. For what it's worth, I remember my elementary school lessons from growing up in Michigan claiming the state name meant, "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you."
And DID you?? What was your conclusion--with lakes on all sides?
@@marktwain368 It made sense, but I have not seen that definition repeated since. Just an FYI
Also, the "Seek a Pleasant Peninsula.." answer holds a bit more romance, charm.
That is the English version of the state motto (in Latin for whatever reason): Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice.
New Mexico:
Not really new
Not really Mexico
Speaking as a tourist, it IS the Land of Enchantment. Lots of unusual phenomena and stunning geographic vistas!
I did not expect to laugh out loud at the end :)
You’re right about #1. So crazy that this belief turned into a state name officially
lol. New Mexico simply kept the regional name it had under the Spanish Empire. Heading north Spaniards expected to find a "New" Mexico, with another civilization like the Aztecs. The region just kept the naming convention after the Mexican American war and it changed occupiers. Historically I prefer that name to having named it after some eastern politician or general.
I like the fact that you love New Mexico the state, but strongly dislike its name. 😁
NM is one of my favorites as well
New Mexico is actually slept on. It’s such a beautiful state and no one visits it
I thought of the exact same thing. And Kyle ranked NM flag as the best state flag too (not surprising since it's generally considered one of the best state flags). NM really goes to extremes either way lol.
New Mexico was not named after the country Mexico
@@kingtowmater1038 that's not nice to call someone a troll because you didn't agree with what they had to say. Nevertheless what I said is true that the state of New Mexico was not named after the COUNTRY of Mexico. New Mexico was named before the country of Mexico even existed
@@kingtowmater1038 you are mistaken
My first thoughts were Arizona, Florida, and Alaska.
Very cool video, as always!
Great VIdeo, King!
Great video idea! Is it just me or is Kyle talking a lot faster in this video? Also the name New Mexico is older than the country of Mexico's name
The meaning of the states names - based on the description of the state, in my opinion would be Michigan (great water) and Alaska (great land). Those would be followed by Florida and Colorado.
Instant thumbs up for that xkcd map!
I'm not from there, so I don't know how residents feel about it, but i think you're severely underrating Wyoming. Great word, descriptive, great name.
Grammatically, the -ing is a progressive verb from...as in run-ning, drink-ing, smoking, eat-ing...so what does 'wyom' mean if they are Wyoming?
Washington State was named what it was because it originally going to be called Columbia after the Columbia River. Someone in congress thought that it would be too confusing to name the state the same name as another state's capital so congress decided to name it after the federal capital instead for some reason.
I really enjoyed this segment and learned a lot.
Maybe you’ve already done this, but how about a segment based on the nicknames/demonyms for different states’ residents, ie: Ohio- Buckeyes, Indiana - Hoosiers, Kansas - Jayhawkers, etc?
Hey, how about us Canadians? We've got Nova Scotia (New Scotland), Newfoundland (OMG), New Brunswick (The old one is in Germany), etc.etc.
Much agreed, Mark!
Very interesting Kyle. Thanks!
Arizona = “silver bearing spring” = A perfect name for a state founded on Silver Mining.
Great video. Thanks!
The pictures go well with the narration.
Lol. As an Idahoan who already new the name was bogus, I was sure we would be ranked at the other end. Enjoyable video as always.
WOAH YOURE A CLIPPING. FAN? AWESOME!!!
clipping album in the back. based Geography King
I’m late to the party, but amazing video Kyle!
I had no clue Kyle liked clipping! That’s so cool
not sure if you saw my comment on one of your previous videos, but this was a great video idea to improve your average amount of views! only critique your videos bc i like your channel and want to see you succeed
edit: love the idea of ranking them too, i think that's a popular thing on this website
Thank you. While I was on my road trip I wasn't able to post normal videos but I wanted to post something while I was traveling. But since I don't have a good setup for recording outside, the videos weren't as popular as they could have been.
@@GeographyKing oh i understand makes perfect sense, thank you for the reply!
I am happy to learn so many of the States are named with words from the tongues of the indigenous people who lived on the lands where we now live. I think indigenous people need to be remembered and honored in more ways than this, but it is a good start. The names have indigenous beauty in them and are reminiscent of the pollen path. We need more of that.
You should rank the state capital cities by the meaning of their names!
I love the videos of you ranking states
I'm consistently happy that Montana always seems to run in the middle of the pack for you in these rankings
Very informative as usual, thanks!
i love your videos! never stop!
i'd say these are very good rankings!
Should names have some connection to a local origin?
While the Mississippi River forms the western boundary of the state of Mississippi,
the state is far removed from the Ojibwa people.
The Ojibwa lived at the northern end (the source) of that big river.
The state Mississippi is at the southern end,
nearly a thousand miles away.
That is so very much not a local term for the state.
What the Algonquins were referring to in Massachusetts are the Blue Hills, which now is part of Braintree, Milton, and Quincy, and the highest point is called Big Blue, that houses the weather observatory. Its a neat area that has the Trailside Nature Museum and a small, local ski run. As an extra bonus, it even has a resident ghost, and although I never got to see her, I have a close family member who has.
As far as actual mountains go, the Berkshires in the western part of the Commonwealth, are part of the Apalachien Trail System, and Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony.
Love your reasoning for Missouri! Never realized what the name meant. Honestly, would have worked well to name Minnesota that too:) Also, great picture of the bwca for MN:)
Great pics to show off our country
In defence of New Mexico, it was actually named that by the Spanish before the Nation of Mexico was named that, both name after the Mexico Valley, which is where the modern day and Aztec capitals are
I'm fine with the name. Never been there but I heard it's nice.
Now you should do this with state capitals
Love your content!
My opinion has long been that Rhode Island is the dumbest name of all the states. It's not an island for crying out loud. This was a very informative video. Thanks, GK.
(2 Years later)
I Completely agree. But I think New Mexico's name is uglier because its never a good idea to put a country's name in your state's name
I watch your channel just to hear what you think about Idaho. Idaho #1
I was just hoping for a video like this to surgace
Hi. I just moved to Chattanooga. Enjoying it so far.
Since Maine's first European settlers were French (and it still has a substantial French-speaking population) I always assumed that it was named after the old French province of Maine, the principle town of which is Le Mans. Today, that region is called Mayenne. Another nearby region is presently the Department of Maine-et-Loire. The River Mayenne joins with the Sarthe, and after that is known as the River Maine, before it empties into the River Loire. Both versions of the name, Maine and Mayenne, were used in medieval times, and the Lords of Mayenne built a castle at Laval in the 10th Century. However, the two names seem to have a different origin. "Mayenne" seems to be a Frankish distortion of the late Roman Ducatus Cenomannicus, named after the Gaulish tribe of the Cenomani. The element "ceno" probably means "descended from". The element "man" which also appears in Le Mans, simply means "good". This area was known to the Carolingians as the Duchy of Cénomannie. "Maine", however, seems to be derived from an ancient name "Meodena". If the last is of Celtic origin, it may refer to the river being "swift". Many of Canada's early settlers came from both regions.
The first written reference to the area in America being called Maine occurs in the patent establishing the Province of Maine granted on August 10, 1622 to Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason by the Plymouth Council for New England. It appears that the area was already commonly known by that name in both English and French. In the 1640s, everything west of the Kennebec River was known as Maine, everything east of the Penobscot River was considered part of Acadia, and thus part of New France, and the contested area between the Kennebec and Penobscot was called Sagadahoc. Sagadahoc was an earlier name for the Kennebec River, and survives as Sagadahoc County. During the short-lived Popham Colony, started by refugees from the Plymouth Colony's religious extremism, the colony was actually referred to by its inhabitants as the Sagadahoc Colony. In 1607, these settlers built the first ocean-worthy ship known to have been built in the New World, a pinnace named "Virginia of Sagadahoc". In 1629, a royal charter referred to this region as Laconia, and the patent-holder Fernando Gorges later proposed that it be named New Somerset, but in 1639, King Charles, who detested that name, issued a charter stating that the entire region “shall forever hereafter be called and named the Province or County of Mayne and not by any other name or names whatsoever.” By the middle of the 17th century, the spelling Maine was generally accepted.
3:30 what i found after a google search that illinois comes from a french derivative of the native self deisgnated name, which meant something like "people who speak properly" as in part of our tribe, part of our group. It wasn't the french that said "hey these savages speak properly". The word comes from the natives themselves just "frenchiefied"
You should do “Ranking state route/highway shields”