States That Have an 'X' in Their Name 2025

There are two US states with an “X” in their names: Texas and New Mexico. The names of the two US states with an “X” have unique origins. Texas derives from the Caddo word “táyshaʼ,” meaning “friends” or “allies,” reflecting the early relationship between Native Americans and European settlers. New Mexico’s name stems from Spanish explorers who named the region after Mexico, recognizing similarities in the landscape and indigenous population. Mexico, a separate country, gets its name from the Mexica people, who were the dominant ethnic group in the Aztec Empire.