9 Letter States

Louisiana

Louisiana is one of six 9 letter states. The origin of Louisiana's name is fairly well-known, perhaps more so than the origins of many other states. The Louisiana Territory, which was much larger than present-day Louisiana, was claimed for France by a French explorer in the 17th century. The King of France at the time was Louis XIV, and the explorer named the territory after him.

New Jersey

New Jersey is one of several states that are names after British territories. Parts of New Jersey were originally named New Netherland and New Sweden because they were settled by Dutch and Swedish people. The land that would become New Jersey became an English province in the 17th century. It was at this time that New Jersey received its current name. Like all of the original 13 colonies, New Jersey's name did not change when it was transferred from English control to American control as a result of the American victory in the Revolutionary War.

Minnesota

Minnesota is one of many American states that gets its name from a Native American word. It comes from one of two words in the Dakota language. It may come from "mni sorta," which means "clear water," or "Mnissota," which means "cloudy water." The Dakota people used this name for the Minnesota River, but white settlers started using it for the entire region.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin's name also comes from a Native American word. The Wisconsin River, which runs through the middle of the state, was given its name by the Algonquin peoples who lived in the area. Though the original meaning of the word is disputed to this day, it may refer to the red sandstone banks of the river. The French explorers (the first Europeans in the state) translated the word as Ouisconsin. Wisconsin received its current name when it was an American territory in the 19th century.

Tennessee

Tennessee is the last state on our list that has a name derived from a Native American word. There was a Cherokee village called "Tanasi" in what is now the eastern part of the state. The meaning of this word is now lost. The spelling "Tennessee" was widely used by white writers in the 18th century, and this was made official when Tennessee became a state in 1796.

New Mexico

Contrary to popular belief, New Mexico's name does not come from the country of Mexico. Instead, it comes from the Aztec word for their heartland, the Valley of Mexico. Spanish settlers named the area "Nuevo Mexico" because they hoped the territory would be as rich in resources as the Valley of Mexico. Nuevo Mexico was translated to New Mexico when the region became part of the United States.#