No, Atlantis is not on this list

What does Brazil mean? Discover the origin of 10 countries’ names

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Some things are never questioned simply because they’ve always been that way. But even countries have origins—and so do their names. Some names are quite straightforward from the beginning: The United States of America is exactly that—a union of states in America. But others, like Brazil or India, are not quite as simple. Scroll on to learn about the origin of ten countries’ names. You might just pick up a cool little fact to share with your friends.

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It might seem curious that a country so vast is named after a small settlement—but it is. The name Canada likely comes from the Huron-Iroquois word kanata, meaning "village" or "settlement." The first official use of Canada as a name came in 1791, when the Province of Quebec was divided into the colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. In 1841, the two colonies were united under a single name: the Province of Canada.

Then, on July 1, 1867, the provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick joined to form "one Dominion under the name of Canada."

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This South American country’s name first appeared on a Venetian map in 1536. Argentina means "(made) of silver" or "silver-colored" in Italian, derived from the Latin argentum, meaning silver. The name was originally associated with the legend of the "Silver Mountains," which was widespread among the first European explorers of the La Plata Basin.

In 1860, a presidential decree officially established the country’s name as the Argentine Republic, and that year’s constitutional amendment recognized all names used since 1810 as legally valid.

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A close connection with rabbits is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word Spain. But that connection plays a role in the origin of the country’s name. The earliest version, Hispania, is believed to have come from the Phoenician word i-spn-ya, which the Romans interpreted as "land of rabbits" or "region rich in rabbits."

Other theories suggest that Hispania may derive from a Punic word meaning "land of metals" or from an Iberian or Basque root referring to the region's geography, but rabbits is the widely popular theory.

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Norway’s name origin makes sense—it comes from the Old English word Norþweg, first mentioned around 880, meaning "northern way" or "way leading to the north." This is how the Anglo-Saxons referred to the Atlantic coast of what is now Norway. The same idea aligns with the leading theory about the origin of the country’s name in the Norwegian language.

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The name India is derived from a corruption of the word Sindhu, the ancient name of the Indus River. Neighboring peoples, particularly the Persians, pronounced the "s" as "h" and referred to the land as Hindu. The Greeks later adapted this to Indos, which led to the Latin India.

The name India was known in Old English, but under French influence, it was sometimes replaced by Ynde or Inde. The form Indie appears in the first edition of the King James Bible and the works of William Shakespeare, both from the late phase of Early Modern English.

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Quite fittingly, the name Australia is derived from the Latin australis, meaning "southern," and specifically from the hypothetical _Terra Australis_—a "southern land" postulated in pre-modern geography.

The name was popularized by the explorer Matthew Flinders in 1804, and it has been in official use since 1817, replacing New Holland, an English translation of the Dutch name first given in 1643 to the continent.

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The name of this Central African republic comes from the name given by the Portuguese to the Wouri River, which they called Rio dos Camarões, meaning "river of shrimps" or "shrimp river," in reference to the once-abundant Cameroon ghost shrimp. Today, the country’s name in Portuguese remains Camarões.

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This beautiful country takes its name from the pau-brasil tree, which was once plentiful in its coastal forests. Pau is a colloquial Portuguese word for "wood" or "tree," and brasil comes from brasa, meaning "ember"—a reference to the tree’s reddish sap, once used for dyeing cloth. Today, the wood of the pau-brasil is prized for making cello and violin bows.

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Someone who has never seen a picture of Greenland could be forgiven for thinking the country is covered in green, lush pastures—after all, the name implies just that. So how did this ice-covered island come to be called Greenland? It got its name from the Norwegian adventurer Erik Thorvaldsson, better known as Erik the Red, in 985 A.D.

The popular explanation is that the name was a kind of public relations strategy to encourage settlement. However, ice core and mollusk shell data indicate that between 800 and 1300 A.D., the island’s temperatures were considerably warmer than they are today—so perhaps Erik was simply reacting to a greener landscape that has long since vanished.

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Moldavia was a historic principality along the Danube River, ruled successively by the Ottomans, the Russians, and the Romanians before becoming the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic after World War II. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, it adopted the name Moldova, after the Moldova River.

Local lore attributes the name to a Transylvanian prince whose favorite hunting dog, Molda, drowned in the river. While this makes for a charming origin story, the name more likely derives from a Proto-Indo-European root, melh, meaning "dark," or from the Gothic word mulda, meaning "dust."

Lost in time

Ever felt "crapulous"? Check out 10 beautiful words we no longer use

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Life is always evolving, and because language is a reflection of life, it changes too, sometimes in ways we hardly notice. English is full of beautiful terms that we use every day, but it also holds many other gorgeous words that, unfortunately, we have stopped using over time. Cultural, social, and technological changes shape our vocabulary, causing many words -despite their charm- to fall into disuse. If you want to remember 10 beautiful English words that we don't use much anymore -but definitely should- this article is for you!

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Let's start with a word that might test some people's patience. Well, not the word itself, but what it means.

"Murmuration" is a beautiful word in our language that refers to a soft, continuous sound, like the muttering of a crowd: ever-present but with no distinct voice standing out. A bit unsettling, isn't it? But despite its meaning, this word has a lovely, almost poetic sound. Just give it a try and say it out loud!

This noun comes from the Latin verb murmurare ("to murmur"). In English, the term has been used since the 14th century, and while it has fallen into disuse in recent decades, it can still be found in literary or formal contexts.

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If you want to sound elegant and sophisticated, this is the perfect word for your next conversation. However, be aware that most people might not be familiar with it, as it hasn't been a part of everyday language for a long time.

"Obambulate" means to walk around or wander without a specific direction or destination. For instance, you might say, "My grandfather enjoyed obambulating through the city streets during the evening hours." Quite fancy, right?

This verb in English comes from the Latin obambulare, which has the same meaning. The Latin word combines the prefix ob- ("around") with ambulare ("to walk").

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"Crapulous" comes from the Latin crapula, which means "intoxication," and crapulentus, which means "drunk." The word in English has a similar meaning. A very clear example would be: "After the big party last night, the man woke up on the couch feeling crapulous and vowed never to drink again."

The word entered the English language in the 17th and 18th centuries to describe someone suffering from the effects of excessive drinking or eating. Although its use began to decline in the 19th century, this word remains a refined alternative for describing a hangover day. After a fabulous night, a crapulous day probably awaits.

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If a friend is asking you for advice about a situation or decision, it's wise to suggest they take some time to "recogitate" their conclusions before making a move. But what does this verb actually mean?

"Recogitate" means to think again or reconsider something very carefully. It comes from the Latin recogitare, formed from the prefix re- (again) and cogitare (to think). Its most frequent use in English was seen in formal written contexts beginning in the 18th century, but as early as the 19th century, its use began to decline, and the word was replaced by others, such as "reconsider."

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This word is related to one of the other terms we have already mentioned in this list. If "obambulate" is the verb that describes the action of wandering without an apparent destination, "solivagant" is the adjective that represents the person who does it.

"Solivagant" thus describes a solitary wanderer. This beautiful word that carries an air of mystery and introspection comes from the Latin solus ("alone") and vagari ("to wander").

A passage in a book might read, for example, "The author rejoiced in his days as a solivagant, wandering the quiet streets of that remote neighborhood." While this word has largely fallen out of everyday use, it's a good reminder of our language's beauty.

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While this word continues to appear in formal and informal contexts, its usage has been declining in recent years.

We are talking about the term "ostentatious," an adjective used to describe someone or something that exhibits extravagance with the intention of impressing. Though often used with a touch of criticism, we can't deny the elegance of this word's form.

The term comes from the Latin ostentare, which means "to show off" or "to display." It entered English around the 17th century and was long used in our language, although recently, it has been replaced by other terms such as "showy."

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This is one of our favorites! The word "cacography" has an interesting meaning and also a great sound.

This beautiful word entered the English language in the 16th century and was used to describe bad handwriting or misspellings. It doesn't come from Latin but from the combination of the Greek words kakos, meaning "bad," and graphein, meaning "to write." As you probably suspected, it can be thought of as the opposite of "calligraphy," which is beautiful or artistic writing.

If you want to use it in a sentence, you might say, "When I was a kid, the teachers often criticized my cacography in school."

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This is one of those words that sounds beautiful but has a not-so-beautiful meaning.

Here, we have another adjective, "contumelious," used to describe someone who is insolent, rude, disdainful, or arrogant. "Contumelious" (we just can't stop pronouncing it) comes from the Latin word contumelia, meaning "insult" or "abuse." The term entered Middle English around the 14th century, and its usage began to decline in the 19th century.

If you want to sound refined, you can say something like, "I won't tolerate their contumelious attitude, as it is a clear sign of disrespect."

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Those who struggle to meet their responsibilities, don't respond as well, or have difficulty accepting and following rules might be described with this word.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "peccable" is an adjective used to describe "someone liable or prone to sin: susceptible to temptation or error." This word in English is derived from the Latin word peccare ("to sin" or "to commit a fault") and the Latin adjective peccabilis ("liable to sin").

Due to the general beliefs of the time, this word was more commonly used during the 17th and 18th centuries, but its usage began to decline in the 19th century.

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No, this word doesn't refer to the big vehicle that carries passengers. It's something a bit different.

Although it's a bit simpler and less melodious than the other words on this list, "buss" still has its own charm. Want to know what it means? "Buss" can be both a noun meaning "a kiss" and a verb meaning "to kiss." Have you ever heard this word or used it in your conversations or letters?

It comes from the Old French word baiser, which also means "to kiss." The Old French term itself comes from the Latin basiāre, which had the same meaning, too.