Dan Snow asked which countries were named after real people – these 17 replies rewrite history
When Dan Snow – @thehistoryguy – asked a question about the origin of country names, he got quite a few answers he can’t have expected. This was his question.
Apart from Bolivia, what country is named after a real individual?
— Dan Snow (@thehistoryguy) July 23, 2018
It started off with a straightforward answer.
Colombia, named after Christopher Columbus
— Peter (@Capt_Darling) July 23, 2018
Then, a little more creativity slipped in.
And America. Named after the famous cartoon character Captain America.
— Peter (@Capt_Darling) July 23, 2018
These are our 17 favourite suggestions.
1.
Greenland pic.twitter.com/U90Lex2flY
— Gez Maguire (@Gezmag) July 23, 2018
2.
Greece pic.twitter.com/TnUUFec3ly
— Gez Maguire (@Gezmag) July 23, 2018
3.
Bulgaria pic.twitter.com/gbzteTzmU6
— Gez Maguire (@Gezmag) July 23, 2018
4.
Scotland. Names after Sir Walter Scott
— Greg Jenner (@greg_jenner) July 23, 2018
5.
Paraguay is named after the pair of guys that first settled there.
— This_Is_Cush (@This_Is_Cush) July 23, 2018
5.
Po – land pic.twitter.com/3qhc1MIVZY
— Ted Striker (@KGibson74) July 23, 2018
6.
Iceland pic.twitter.com/1Y3e5DbLwe
— Justin Deegan (@JustinDeeganEsq) July 23, 2018
7.
Not a country but isn’t Twatt in Scotland named after Nigel Farage?
— Michael Smith (@bengal_mike) July 23, 2018
8.
India. Named after Katie Hopkins’ daughter.
— Eric Leonard Twisty (@eltwisty) July 23, 2018