California
/ˌkæl.əˈfɔːr.njə/noun
A state in the western United States; originally the name of a legendary island in Spanish romance literature.
Did you know?The name was coined in a 1510 Spanish romance, *Las sergas de Esplandián*, for a mythical island ruled by warrior queens, long before it was attached to the real coastline.
Etymological Timeline
1510
Spanish
California
“A fictional island paradise in a chivalric romance, imagined as a land of gold and warrior women.”
16th Century
Spanish
California
“Applied by Spanish explorers to the Baja California peninsula, which they initially believed might be an island.”
16th–17th Century
Spanish
Las Californias
“Used for the broader region along the Pacific coast, including the peninsula and later the northern territories.”
18th–19th Century
English
California
“Entered English as the name of the region and later the U.S. state.”