Ocala
/oʊˈkɑːlə/noun
A city in central Florida, United States, whose name comes from a Native American place-name recorded by Spanish explorers.
Did you know?The original meaning of Ocali or Ocale is uncertain because the Timucua language disappeared before scholars could securely document the name’s roots.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Timucua
Ocali / Ocale
“A Native American place-name associated with a settlement or province in the region of present-day north-central Florida; its precise meaning is unknown.”
16th Century
Spanish
Ocali / Ocale
“Spanish explorers recorded the Indigenous place-name in varying forms.”
18th Century
English
Ocala
“The name continued in regional geographic usage through English colonial and later American maps.”
1845
English
Ocala
“The name was used for the newly established county seat of Marion County, Florida.”
1883
English
Ocala
“Ocala was incorporated as a municipality in Florida.”
Modern English
English
Ocala
“A city in central Florida, known historically for its surrounding springs, farms, and horse country.”