U.S. States by Namesake or Name Meaning

" The name is based on the Chippewa Indian word Ouisconsin, believed to mean 'grassy place.' "

" California's name comes from a mythical Spanish island ruled by a queen called Califia that was featured in a Spanish romance "

" Mining lobbyist George M. Willing presented the name 'Idaho' to congress for a new territory around Pike's Peak, claiming it was a Shoshone Indian word meaning 'Gem of the Mountains.' By the time the deception was discovered, the name 'Idaho' was already in common use. "

" Kentucky's name comes from the Wyandot Indian name for 'plain' in reference to the central plains of the state. "

" Maine's name was first used to distinguish the mainland from the offshore islands. It has been considered a compliment to Henrietta Maria, queen of Charles I of England. She was said to have owned the province of Mayne in France. "

" Oregon was most likely named after one of two rivers. The Columbia River, which forms a coastline along the northern border, was at one time called the Oregon or Ouragan, which is French for hurricane. Others believe the name was derived from a mapmaker's error in the 1700s. The Wisconsin River was named the Ouisconsink and was picked up by travelers referring to the country west of the Great Lakes as Ourigan. "

" The first mention of Rhode Island in writing ("isola di Rhode") was made by explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524 (he refers to an island near the mouth of Narragansett Bay which he compares to the Island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean). Some attribute the name to Dutch explorer Adriaen Block ("Roode Eylandt"), again because its red clay is similar to the Greek island of Rhodes. "

I have a feeling all of these in quotes come from dubious sources like Wikipedia, the internet king of totally contradictory follow-up information.

I'm realizing a year later that I never followed up on this comment, so I'd like to add a few notes. I say that the theory is ridiculous in part because it is not a fair or accurate description of the geography—Arizona is no more arid than Southern California or New Mexico—but mostly because I see it as highly implausible that the Spanish phrase "zona árida" would get flipped around to Arizona when the grammar would not place the adjective first in this context. I also speak Spanish (non-natively) and have never heard "zona" used in a placename; a better translation would be "Tierra Seca". So while there are many Spanish placenames in Arizona (e.g. the cities of Mesa, Tucson, Casa Grande, & Sierra Vista; Santa Catalina mountains) I don't think the name Arizona is one of them. I'm sorry for letting my pet peeve get in the way of writing a better comment; re-reading it, it strikes me as abrasive. I dislike having people say that my home state is arid and I let it get to me sometimes.

My theory is that the "it's Spanish for 'dry land'" theory comes from English-speaking people who didn't like the climate and noticed that in English, "Arizona" sounds an awful lot like "Arid Zone". Basically a folk etymology. But that comes from my own subjective opinion.