Utah
/ˈjuː.tɑː/noun
A state in the western United States, or the name of its associated Indigenous people and culture.
Did you know?The name likely passed through Spanish as Yuta before becoming Utah in English, but scholars disagree about whether its ultimate source means “people of the mountains” or comes from another neighboring Indigenous language.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European period
Ute
Nuu-ciu
“A Ute self-designation commonly interpreted as “the people”; the exact historical form and translation are debated.”
16th–17th Century
Spanish
Yuta
“A Spanish rendering used for the Ute people and the region associated with them.”
18th Century
Spanish
Utah
“A written form referring to the Ute people or their territory.”
19th Century
English
Utah
“The name adopted in English for the territory and later the U.S. state.”
1896
English
Utah
“The official name of the 45th state admitted to the United States.”
Explore more surprising origins