The history and significance of place names (called toponyms) is a fun subject. Enjoy this list, compiled from many sources, of some of the most interesting meanings behind the names of countries.
Albania
Based on the Latin root "albus," for white, Albania means white land.
Argentina
"Argentum" is the Latin word for silver thus Argentina means silvery.
Congo
In Bantu the word "kong" means mountains.
Estonia
The ancestors of modern Estonians were called "Esthes."
Gambia
Gambia comes from the local word for river "ba-dimma."
Jamaica
In Arawak, Jamaica means "island of water springs."
Maldives
This oceanic nation of 1200 atolls gets its name from the words in the Sanskrit language, "mal" for thousand and "diva" for island.
Myanmar
From the words "mien" for strong and "ma" for honorable.
Russia
The Swedish word "rus" means inhabitants or tribe and was applied to the ancestral Russians.
Singapore
Singapore is the "city of lions" from Sanskrit - "singha" for lion and "pore" city.
Ukraine
The name Ukraine is Slavic for border or frontier.
Vatican City
The Pope lives in the Vatican Palace in this enclave, named for the Latin word "vaticinatio" for prophesy.
Yemen
This country, located at the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula, has a name that means "to the south" or "to the right" in Arabic.
Zimbabwe
The word Zimbabwe has two meanings in indigenous languages - "dwelling place of a chief" and "a great stone building."
Want more meanings behind place names? Check out this list of additional place name meanings.
