Countries Named After People 2025

Country↑	Person Honored	Additional Details
Afghanistan	Tribal chief Prince Afghana	It is generally accepted that the prince inspired the country's name, although no formal documentation of such is known to exist.
Armenia	Hayk Nahapet, Aram	Armenia's alternate name is Hayastan, inspired by the country's revered (and arguably legendary) patriarch Hayk, also referred to as Hayk Nahapet, who is said to have been a descendant of the Biblical Moses. Moreover, Hayk's son Armenak/Aram is the inspiration for the name Armenia.
Azerbaijan	Atrophates	Atropates (initially Atropatene in Ancient Greek), evolved to Azerbaijan in Persian. Atrophates was a Persian governor who founded an empire upon the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE.
Bangladesh	Bang	One hypothesis traces the country name Bangladesh back to the Biblical character Bang, son of Hind, son of Ham, son of Noah.
Belarus	Rus	Rus was one of three legendary Slavic brothers (Lech, Czech, and Rus) who founded Slavic cultures. Rus founded the Ruthenians, whose descendents make up much of modern-day Belarus and Ukraine. See also the Czech Republic, Poland, and Russia.
Bermuda	Juan de Bermúdez	Bermúdez was a Spanish sailor/navigator who discovered the islands in 1505. Unlike many "discovered" island locations, Bermuda had no native human population at the time of its discovery.
Bolivia	Simón Bolívar	Bolívar was a Venezuelan military leader and politician, also know as El Libertador, who helped several South American countries attain independence from Spain in the 1800s-1830s. (See also Venezuela.)
British Virgin Islands	Saint Ursula and the 11,000 virgins	Ursula is a Christian saint whose story is both sparse and appears highly mythologized. According to popular legend, Ursula was a betrothed princess who lived around 383 AD and wished to undertake a spiritual pilgrimage before her marriage. She set out, accompanied by 11,000 virginal handmaidens (and later the pope), but the party was attacked by Huns near Cologne, France, and massacred. See also United States Virgin Islands.
Cambodia	Sage Kambu Swayambhuva	The English name Cambodia was, in its original language, the Sanskrit name Kambojadeśa, which meant "land of the descendants of Kambu". Kambu was a legendary Indian sage.
Colombia	Christopher Columbus	The name Colombia was originally given to the entirety of the "New World" continent, which was "discovered" by Italian Christopher Columbus in 1492. The now-dissolved Republic of Colombia (which encompassed much of South America) adopted the name in 1819, but later fragmented into several smaller countries. One of these fragments dubbed itself the Republic of Colombia in 1863.
Cook Islands	Captain James Cook	Cook was a British naval officer and cartographer who explored the Pacific region from eastern Australia and New Zealand to Hawaii, where he made contact with the local peoples. Cook himself only named a few of the islands (and none after himself). The name was applied, first to some islands and eventually to the entire chain, primarily after his death in 1779.
Czech Republic	Čech	Čech (also known as Czech) was one of three legendary Slavic brothers (Lech, Czech, and Rus) who founded Slavic cultures. Čech founded the Czech nation. See also Belarus, Poland, and Russia.
Denmark	Dan I of Denmark	Dan I is a legendary Danish ruler and ancestor of the Danish people. Whether the name Denmark/Danmark is a reference to him specifically, to the Dani tribe, or to the geography of the region is a matter of some debate.
Djibouti	Thoth	Djibouti means "Land of Tehuti" or "Land of Thoth", after Thoth, the Egyptian Moon God.
Dominican Republic	Saint Dominic	Saint Dominic was a Catholic priest who founded the Dominican Order, a Catholic group which later worked to educate the modern-day DR's native Taino people and protect them from slavery.
Egypt	Biblical Mizraim	The Classical Quranic Arabic and modern official name of Egypt is "Miṣr" ("مِصر" in Arabic), a shortening of the full official name "Jumhūrīyat Miṣr al-ʻArabīyah" in Standard Arabic. The name is derived from the Hebrew "מִצְרַיִם‎" ("Miṣráyim/Mitzráyim/Mizráim"), which is both the biblical/Hebrew name for Egypt and the name of one of Noah's grandsons (who populated Africa).
El Salvador	Jesus	El Salvador translates to "The Savior" and is a direct reference to Jesus Christ.
Eswatini	King Mswati II	King Mswati II ruled Eswatini from 1840 to 1868 and doubled the country's land area by incorporating additional tribes. He inspired the country's current name, Eswatini, as well as its previous name, Swaziland, and its alternate name, KaNgwane.
Falkland Islands	Anthony Cary, 5th Viscount Falkland	Cary was a British politician and one-time Treasurer of the Navy, who sponsored the voyages of explorer Captain John Strong. Strong named Falkland Sound, the strait between the two islands, and the Falklands name was applied to the islands as well some 75 years later.
Georgia	Saint George	Also known as George of Lydda, Saint George was a Greek-born Praetorian in the Roman army, who was sentenced to death for refusing to renounce his Christian faith. Whether he is the inspiration for the country of Georgia's name is a matter of some dispute, as many scholars prefer alternate theories, such as saying it is an evolution of "gurğ/gurğān", the Persian word for "wolf".
Gibraltar	Tariq ibn Ziyad	Gibraltar is derived from the Arabic term جبل طارق (romanized: Jabal Ṭāriq), which translates to "Mount of Tariq". The Tariq in question is Tariq ibn Ziyad, a Muslim military commander who mustered his troops at the Rock of Gibraltar at the start of the Muslim conquest of Visigoth-ruled Spain in the early 700s.
Hungary	Hunor (or Magyarország — Magor)	Hunor and Magor are mythical brothers and ancestors to the Huns and the Magyar people. Scholars are undecided regarding whether the name Hungary is a direct reference to the brothers, to the Huns as a whole, or to something else entirely.
India	Bharata (two possible)	India's constitutionally designaed alternate name, Bhārat, is a shortened modernization of Bhāratavarṣa. Ancient Hindu Puranas (literature) claim this is a reference to the legendary emperor Bharata, the son of Dushyanta who became the Chakravarti (universal ruler) Other sources believe it points back to Bharata the son of Rishabhanatha, who attained first omniscience and then moksha, or blissful freedom from the cycle of birth and death.
Ireland	Ériu	Éire, the Irish word for Ireland, is derived from the Old Irish word Ériu, the name of a goddess alternately depicted as the matron of Ireland or the personification of the land itself.
Isle of Man	Manannán mac Lir	In Irish and Manx mythology, Manannán mac Lir ("son of the sea") was a legendary warrior and the king of Tír na nÓg, the "Otherworld", a beautiful supernatural paradise.
Israel	Biblical Jacob, also called Israel	The name Israel appears frequently in Jewish and Christian scripture. It is used as a name for the Jewish people as a whole, for the kingdom of Israel, and also as an alternate name for Jacob, the patriarch whose twelve sons fathered the twelve tribes of Israel.
Italy	Italus	Italus/Italos was a legendary king of the ancient Oenotrians, who once lived in what is now southern Italy. An alternate theory postulates that the country name was derived from the word for "calf".
Jordan	Hashim ibn Abd Manaf	While the name Jordan is inspired by the Jordan river, the country's formal name is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with the word Hashemite referring to Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, the great-grandfather of the Muslim prophet Muhammad.
Kiribati	Thomas Gilbert	British sea captain Thomas Gilbert's name figures heavily in the middle Pacific. The island chain to which Kiribati belongs is known as the Gilbert Islands, and the name Kiribati is a translation of "Gilberts" into the local native language—which is known as Gilbertese.
Laos	Lava (possibly)	While the name Laos is a clear reference to the Lao/Laotian people, the etymology of the word Lao is unclear. One theory connects Lao to the mythic Hindu hero Lava, or Loh.
Marshall Islands	John Marshall	Marshall was a British explorer who came upon what are now named the Marshall Islands while serving as part of the "First Fleet", which ferried convicts from England to New South Wales.
Mauritius	Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange	Maurice was the stadtholder of most of the Dutch Republic from 1585-ish to 1625. The island was given its name by a Dutch naval squadron in 1598. Mauritius later became a French colony, renamed Isle de France, but reverted back to its Dutch-given name upon becoming a British colony (and later an independent country) in 1810.
Montserrat	Our Lady of Montserrat (Virgin Mary)	Named by Christopher Columbus in 1493, in a roundabout tribute to the Virgin Mary—the Virgin of Montserrat/Our Lady of Montserrat was a famous statue of Mary and the newborn Jesus located in the Monstery of Montserrat near Barcelona, Spain.
Mozambique	Mussa Bin Bique	Mussa Bin Bique was a wealthy merchant who ruled the Island of Mozambique prior to its takeover by Portugal in 1544.
Nicaragua	Nicarao	Nicaro (real name Macuilmiquiztli) was an indigenous chieftan who ruled over a portion of what is now Nicaragua during the 1500s.
Northern Mariana Islands	Mariana of Austria	Mariana was Queen of Spain from 1649 to 1665, and remained an influential figure in the Spanish government until her death in 1696.
Norway	Nór (possibly)	While the dominant theories hold that Norway's name is derived from ancient terms for "northern way" or "the way leading north", one alternate theory is that the name is a reference to Nór, the mythical founder of Norway.
Peru	Birú	A local ruler, Birú lived near the Bay of San Miguel, Panama City, in the early 16th century. Another theory posits that the Birú in question was a commoner who interacted with early European explorers.
Philippines	King Philip II of Spain	Named by Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos (or possibly his his captain Bernardo de la Torre) in 1542. The Philippines have had several names at different times, as different cultures gained control of the islands.
Poland	Lech	Poland's alternate name, Lechia, is named after Lech, one of three legendary Slavic brothers (Lech, Czech, and Rus) who founded Slavic cultures. Lech founded the Polish people, also known as the Poles or the Lechites. See also Belarus, the Czech Republic, and Russia.
Romania	Romulus	Romania's name is a documented reference to Rome, the capital city of Italy. However, Rome's name is most likely inspired by Romulus, the city's mythical founder.
Russia	Rus	Rus was one of three legendary Slavic brothers (Lech, Czech, and Rus) who founded Slavic cultures. Rus founded the Ruthenians, whose descendents make up much of modern-day Belarus and Ukraine. See also Belarus, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Saint Christopher	The name San Cristóbal was given to one of the islands in the region (precisely which one is disputed) by Colombus in 1493. Whichever island started with the name, it was established at what is now St Kitts by the 17th century. It was eventually shortened to Saint Kitts, (Kitts being a common nickname for Christopher) and officially adopted into the Constitution when the country gained its independence.
Saint Lucia	Saint Lucy	Named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse by either early Spanish explorers or French sailors who were shipwrecked there on the saint's feast day.
Saint Martin	Martin of Tours	Martin of Tours, also called Martin the Merciful, was a bishop in the French Catholic Church in the mid-to-late 300s. Christopher Columbus named the island on November 11 (the day Catholics celebrate the feast of Saint Martin) of1493. Although Columbus had intended to give the name to the island now known as Nevis, it was mistakenly applied to what is now Saint Martin/Sint Maarten instead. See also Sint Maarten.
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	Saint Peter and Saint Michael	Saint Peter is arguably the most well-known of Jesus Christ's twelve apostles and is the patron saint of fishermen. Saint Michael is an alternate name for the archangel Michael, considered by Christians to be the highest-ranking angel in God's kingdom and the leader of the Lord's armies.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Saint Vincent of Saragossa	Saint Vincent's name comes courtesy of explorer Christopher Columbus, who landed on the island on January 22, 1498, the same day on the year upon which Catholics observe the feast of Saint Vincent. The Kalinago natives who inhabited the island called it Youloumain, in honour of Youlouca, the spirit of the rainbows, whom they believed lived there.
San Marino	Saint Marinus	Named after founder Saint Marinus, who established a monastic community in AD 301 on Monte Titano (where the current capital city is located), thereby establishing the future country.
Sao Tome and Principe	Saint Thomas, \| The Prince of Portugal	Saint Thomas (São Tomé) was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, Príncipe is a reference to the prince of Portugal, to whom the island's sugarcane growers paid duties.
Saudi Arabia	Saud Bin Muhammad, \| Abdulaziz bin Saud	Saudi Arabia's name translates to "The Saudi Arab Kingdom", a reference to the country's founder, Abdulaziz bin Saud, and by extension to the ancestral founder of the house of Saud, the , Saud bin Nuhammad Al Muqrin.
Seychelles	Jean Moreau de Séchelles	Séchelles was a French politician who served as France's Minister of Finance in the mid-1700s, the same during which the islands were ceded to the French East India Company. It would be surrendered to the British in 1794, but the name would remain.
Sint Maarten	Martin of Tours	Martin of Tours, also called Martin the Merciful, was a bishop in the French Catholic Church in the mid-to-late 300s. Christopher Columbus named the island on November 11 (the day Catholics celebrate the feast of Saint Martin) of1493. Although Columbus had intended to give the name to the island now known as Nevis, it was mistakenly applied to what is now Saint Martin/Sint Maarten instead. See also Saint Martin.
Solomon Islands	King Solomon of Israel and Judah	The Solomon Islands were unofficially labeled as such shortly after Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña first returned with tales of their splendor, prompting many Europeans to conclude the islands were the source of the biblical King Solomon's treasure. The name (and reference) became official in the 1970s, when the islands attained their independence.
Somalia	Samaale (possibly)	An undocumented but nevertheless popular theory holds that Somalia is named after Samaale, a historic figure known for uniting several clans and considered a forefather by most of the region's populace.
United States	Amerigo Vespucci	The country's formal name, the United States of America, is a direct reference to Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci—though a few sources dipute this, pointing instead to the Amerrisque Mountains in present-day Nicaragua or to Richard Amerike, a customs officer who helped ensure explorer John Cabot received his pension payments.
United States Virgin Islands		Ursula is a Christian saint whose story is both sparse and appears highly mythologized. According to popular legend, Ursula was a betrothed princess who lived around 383 AD and wished to undertake a spiritual pilgrimage before her marriage. She set out, accompanied by 11,000 virginal handmaidens (and later the pope), but the party was attacked by Huns near Cologne, France, and massacred. See also British Virgin Islands.
Uzbekistan	Öz Beg Khan, \| Oghuz Khagan	The etymology of Uzbekistan's name is disputed. Some sources claim the name pays tribute to either Oghuz Khagan, the legendary khan and ancestor of the Oghuz Turks, or to Ozbeg (Öz Beg Khan), who led the Golden Horde from 1313-1341. Other sources speculate the name is an amalgamation that means either "own master/leader" or "tribe leader".
Venezuela	Simón Bolívar	Venezuela's formal name, The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a reference to Simón Bolívar. Bolivar was a Venezuelan military leader and politician, also know as El Libertador, who helped several South American countries attain independence from Spain in the 1800s-1830s. (See also Bolivia)
Wallis and Futuna	Samuel Wallis	Samuel Wallis was a British explorer who sailed past the islands in 1767, shortly after becoming the first recorded European to visit Tahiti.

What’s in a name? The naming of a country is usually an act of honor. Countries’ names often follow a regional description, a land feature, a tribal or cultural name, or an important figure, cleric, or conquerer.

There are roughly two dozen countries named after individuals.

Azerbaijan was named after the Persian nobleman Atropates, who served Alexander the Great. The name evolved into its current form. Slightly north, Georgia, a land-locked, Euro-Asian country in the Caucuses, honored Saint George. And Uzbekistan derives from, Öz Beg Khan, a Golden Horde ruler of the later 13th century.

Bolivia, formally the Bolivarian Republic, took the name of the region’s famed military leader, Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad. His family name is Bolívar. Simon achieved independence from Spain for much of the region, including Venezuela, later named after the Italian city of Venice. Surrounded by Italy, the independent state of San Marino identifies with Saint Marinus.

Columbia, a South American country, was named after the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. The 16th-century Mayan ruler, Birú, gave his name to Peru. In Central America, El Salvador honored Jesus, The Christian Savior. And, the eastern coastal country Nicaragua was named after Nicarao, a 16th-century indigenous chief.

The African King Mswati II was the source of the relatively new country of Estwatini’s name. And Shaykh Mussa Bin Bique provided inspiration for the small Island of Mozambique. The Central African islands of São Tomé and Príncipe recognized Saint Thomas as their namesake.

In the Middle East, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a compound name after the Jordan River and Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, the great-grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. A House of Saud descendant, Saud Bin Muhammad, is the source of the name of Saudi Arabia.

There are many Pacific islands that take their names from dynamic figures. Mauritius derived its name from the royal Prince of Orange, Maurice of Nassau. While the Philippines honored King Philip II of Spain by taking his name. The South Pacific islands of Kiribati are a Gilbertese version of Thomas Gilbert’s last name.

Another politician, John Marshall, gave his name to the Marshall Islands. The beautiful island country of the Seychelles took the sir name of Jean Moreau de Séchelles, a French politician in the mid-18th century.

In the Caribbean Sea, a handful of islands known to sailors as “the Saints” are all named after Christian Saints. These include Saint Kitts and Nevis for Saint Christopher, the Dominican Republic for Saint Dominic, and Saint Lucia honored Saint Lucy.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, part of the lower Leeward Islands, identified with Saint Vincent of Saragossa.

The name for the United States of America mirrors Amerigo Vespucci, an early 16th-century Italian explorer and the states of the 13 colonies.