Alternate North American Names

[Future8]

I've been compiling plausible alternate names for states, provinces and territories in North America. This is what I've got so far. Of course, you may question a name or suggest one.

As for the long words with a lot of brackets, here's what they mean:
Al[a/i]ba[h]m(a/o) : Al is necessary; a/i are not necessary and one or the other can be used; ba again is necessary; h is not necessary; m is; a/o are necessary; one or the other may be used.
So Alibama, Alabahmo, and Alibahmo are all plausible names, depending on the language.

Aguacalientes

• South Zacatecas
• Montoro
• Triana
• Guadalupe
• Nueva Galicia

Alabama

• Al[a/i]ba[h]m(a/o)
• South Tennessee
• Coosa

Alaska

• Al(a/ye)(s/sh)ka
• [West/American] Yukon
• Aleut[ia]

Alberta

• New Argyll
• [West] Athabasca
• [West] Saskatchewan
• [West] Buffalo
• [West] Palliser

Arizona

• Ari[d/t]zona[c/s]
• Gila
• [South] Colorado
• [Alta] Sonora
• Yavapai

Arkansas

• A[r](c/k)ans[e]a[a/s/w]
• West Mississippi

British Columbia

• Vancouver
• New Hanover
• New Caledonia

California

• Sacramento
• Alta California

Campeche

• [A](c/k)(a/i)(m/n)pech[e]
• Alaminos
• San Lázaro

Chiapas

• [Tepe]chiapa(n/s)

Colorado

• Platte
• Jefferson
• San Luis
• Zebulon[ia]
• Arapaho

Connecticut

• (C/K/Q)(o/u)[i][n]n(a/e)[ti](c/k/q)[ti](e/eu)t
• Saybrook
• Pequot

Delaware

• Delawarr
• South Delawar(e/r)
• Lenape[hoking]
• [South] New Sweden
• Newcastle

Florida

• St. John
• San Juan
• Ok(ee/i)ch(o/u)b(ee-i)
• Mayaimi
• Tegesta
• Timucua
• Apalachee

Georgia

• Oconee
• Altahama
• Ocmulgee
• (S/Z)a(b/v)an[n]a[h]
• Caroline
• Mocama
• Guale

Hawaii

• Sandwich Islands

Idaho

• Shoshone
• Idaahe
• Boise

Illinois

• Illinoi[s]a
• (Oua/Wa)ba(c/s)h
• North Mississippi
• Assenispia
• Polypotamia

Indiana

• (Oua/Wa)ba(c/s)h
• West Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Metropotamia
• Saratoga
• Pelispia

Iowa

• Aiouez
• Oteo
• Keoshawqua
• North Mississippi
• Des Moines

Jalisco

• Xalisco
• Nueva Galicia
• Guadalajara

Kansas

• Cansez
• [West] Arkansas
• [West] Missouri

Kentucky

• Cumberland
• South Ohio

Labrador

• Lavrador
• Barcelos

Louisiana

• [New] Pontchartrain
• Phelypeaux
• [New] Acadiana

Maine

• Ma(i/y)n[e]
• [New] Broadmayne
• [North] Appalachia
• Gorges
• Popham
• New Sometsetshire
• Sagadoc
• New Castle
• Penobscot

Manitoba

• Manitobau
• Manitowapow
• Win[n]ipe(g/k)
• Assiniboia

Maryland

• Chesapeake

Massachusetts

• Massachusecs
• [North] Connecticut
• Plymouth
• New England
• Cape Colony

Michigan

• M(e/i)(c/s)iga(m/n)[i/e]
• Huron
• Chersonesus
• Metropotamia
• Sylvania
• Pontchartrain

Michoacán

• Valladolid

Minnesota

• M[i]n[n](e/i)sota
• North Mississippi
• Sylvania

Mississippi

• Mis[s]i(s/z)[s]i[i](b/p)[p]i

Missouri

• [Wi]mihsoori[ta]

Montana

• West Missouri
• Yellowstone
• Mitseadazi

Nayarit

• Tepic
• Nueva Galicia

Nebraska

• N(e/i)brask(a/e)
• [North] Kansas
• [North] Missouri
• Niobrara
• Platte
• Ponca
• Pawnee

Nevada

• Humboldt

New Brunswick

• New Brunswick-Luneberg
• Georgia
• [North] Appalachia
• Acadi[an]a

Newfoundland

• Terra Nova
• Markland
• Vinland
• Talamh an Eisc

New Hampshire

• [North] Connecticut
• [North] Appalachia
• Merr(e/i)mack
• Mason

New Jersey

• [North] Delaware
• [South] Hudson
• [North] New Sweden

New Mexico

• New Mexi[h]c(a/o)
• Pueblo
• Pecos
• Keresa
• Montezuma

New York

• [North] Hudson
• New Netherlands

North Carolina

• Chowan
• Roanoke
• Georgia

North Dakota

• North Dak[h]ota
• North Missouri
• Pembina

Northwest Territories

• Slave
• Mackenzie

Nova Scotia

• New Scotland
• Acadi[an]a

Nuevo León

• Monterrey

Nunavut

Ohio

• Ohi[y]o
• Scioto, Erie
• Metropotamia
• Washington

Oklahoma

• Indiana
• West Arkansas
• Cimarron

Ontario

• Erie
• Huron[ia]
• Superior
• [S](c/k)ana(d/t)ario
• Karen(a/o)ndi[a]

Oregon

• O[u]r(a/e)gon
• Wauregan
• Williamette
• Clackamas

Pennsylvania

• Penns(i/y)lvania
• Susquehanna
• Appalachia

Prince Edward Island

• New Kent
• New Strathearn
• Acadi[an]a
• Saint John's Island

Quebec

• Kepec
• New France
• Lower Canada
• Laurentia
• (C/K)a[h]nawa(c/k)[y]e

Rhode Island

• Red Island
• Aquidne(ck-t)
• Narragansett
• [New] Rhodes

Saskatchewan

• [East] Athabasca
• [East] Buffalo
• [East] Palliser
• Assiniboia

South Carolina

• Pee Dee
• Santee

South Dakota

• South Dak[h]ota
• North Missouri

Tamaulipas

• Tepic

Tennessee

• Tanasi
• Cumberland

Texas

• T(a/e)[y](j/s/sh/x)a[s]
• New Philippines

Utah

• Ute
• Yu(d/t)a[h]
• Wasatch

Vermont

• Vertmont
• Abenaki
• [North] Connecticut

Virginia

• [South] Chesapeake

Washington

• [South/American] Columbia
• Tacoma
• Salish[an]
• [North] Oregon

West Virginia

• South Ohio
• Appalachia
• Kanawha
• Allegheny

Wisconsin

• (Ou/W)i(s/sh)(c/k)onsin[g]
• Mes(c/k)ousin[g]
• Michigania
• Sylvania

Wyoming

• North Platte
• Montana

Yukon

• Kutchin
• Gwitchin
• Klondike

[Pasha Antipov]

For New Hampshire, Mason, and Merrimack
For Maine, Gorges, Popham, Sagahdoc, New Castle, and New Somersetshire

[Future8]

Originally Posted by Pasha Antipov

For New Hampshire, Mason, and Merrimack
For Maine, Gorges, Popham, Sagahdoc, New Castle, and New Somersetshire

Could I ask why New Castle and New Somersetshire?

[Marc Pasquin]

for Quebec: New France (technicaly it encompassed a wider area but like louisianna, it was the original that would keep the name), Lower Canada (if like in the US you have north/south name of states) or Laurentia (based on the st-lawrence seaway that runs through it).

[Dom Jao II]

For New York; Iroquois, Adirondack, Any of the individual Iroquois Tribes, New Netherlands.

[Dom Jao II]

And Connecticut; Saybrook, Pequot.

[Yankee Leviathan]

For Washington: Tacoma (suggested by David Field in 1885)

[Future8]

Originally Posted by Dom Jao II

For New York; Iroquois, Adirondack, Any of the individual Iroquois Tribes, New Netherlands.

Hmm, the Iroquois originally did not live on the coast, so they would not really be the first people to meet the Europeans, I think. Adirondack actually became the name for the mountains in 1838, after independence and way after colonialism.

Thanks for the Connecticut names though. Those seem plausible.

Originally Posted by Marc Pasquin

for Quebec: New France (technicaly it encompassed a wider area but like louisianna, it was the original that would keep the name), Lower Canada (if like in the US you have north/south name of states) or Laurentia (based on the st-lawrence seaway that runs through it).

Originally Posted by Yankee Leviathan

For Washington: Tacoma (suggested by David Field in 1885)

Thank you.

[Dom Jao II]

Yeah, I wasn't sure if it was only for the Entire States or if you were accepting regional names.

[Yankee Leviathan]

I've got some more. Some names could work for more than one state so I put them in both. Most of these names were suggested by Thomas Jefferson when he was on a committee discussing the fate of the Northwest Territory, with the exceptions of Sonora, Manhattan, and Oneida which come from David Field's 1885 speech.

Illinois: Assenispia, Illinoia, Polypotamia
Indiana: Metropotamia, Saratoga, Pelispia
Michigan: Chersonesus, Metropotamia, Sylvania
Minnesota: Sylvania
New Mexico: Sonora
New York: Oneida, Manhattan
Ohio: Metropotamia, Washington
Wisconsin: Michigania, Sylvania

[Iori]

For Washington state: Salish(an)

[Dom Jao II]

Your New York ones are like mine, only work for regions.

[Yankee Leviathan]

Originally Posted by Dom Jao II

Your New York ones are like mine, only work for regions.

Manhattan was suggested as a statewide name, and Oneida ex post facto.

[Dom Jao II]

Plus Oneida was already tried and rejected, Manhattan is the Island.

[Future8]

Originally Posted by Iori

For Washington state: Salish(an)

Originally Posted by Yankee Leviathan

I've got some more. Some names could work for more than one state so I put them in both. Most of these names were suggested by Thomas Jefferson when he was on a committee discussing the fate of the Northwest Territory, with the exceptions of Sonora, Manhattan, and Oneida which come from David Field's 1885 speech.

Illinois: Assenispia, Illinoia, Polypotamia
Indiana: Metropotamia, Saratoga, Pelispia
Michigan: Chersonesus, Metropotamia, Sylvania
Minnesota: Sylvania
New Mexico: Sonora
New York: Oneida, Manhattan
Ohio: Metropotamia, Washington
Wisconsin: Michigania, Sylvania

Thank ye both. Yankee, I don't really think your New York name suggestions would work for the whole state.

[Yankee Leviathan]

Originally Posted by Future8

Thank ye both. Yankee, I don't really think your New York name suggestions would work for the whole state.

That's fine, I just wanted to throw them out there.

[CaliBoy1990]

Originally Posted by Future8

I've been compiling plausible alternate names for states, provinces and territories in North America. This is what I've got so far. Of course, you may question a name or suggest one.

As for the long words with a lot of brackets, here's what they mean:
Al[a/i]ba[h]m(a/o) : Al is necessary; a/i are not necessary and one or the other can be used; ba again is necessary; h is not necessary; m is; a/o are necessary; one or the other may be used.
So Alibama, Alabahmo, and Alibahmo are all plausible names, depending on the language.

Well, I took a list of names, and if you don't mind my commentary:

Alabama-

1. Al[a/i]ba[h]m(a/o)- Although Alibama is indeed a good alternative, the others are highly improbable.
2. South Tennessee- Highly improbable, for the reasons that a.) the Tenn River only runs thru a very small portion of the state. and b.)Some Alabamans might not want to be confused with their northern neighbor.
3. Coosa- This is actually pretty plausible given that the Creeks did have a notable presence here.

Alberta-
1. New Argyll- Technically plausible, though very unlikely.
2. West Sasketchewan/Athabasca: See above.

Arizona-

1. The only truly plausible version of the original OTL name I can think of would be Aritzonac. Maybe.
2. Gila- Plausible, though unlikely.
3. South Colorado-Not plausible, but only because it doesn't have a border with Colorado.

California-

1. Sacramento-Plausible, though it would be better off in an ATL where Calif. had been broken up.

Delaware-
1.)Delawarr-Somewhat plausible but very unlikely.
2.)South Delaware- Wouldn't be plausible unless there was another Delaware to the north of it.

Florida-
1.)San Juan-Could be plausible, though I don't know where you came up with this.
2.)Okeechobee-Plausibility is questionable and highly unlikely.

Georgia.

1. Oconee-Seems plausible but unlikely, IMO.
2. Altahama-Don't know.
3. Savannah-Plausible, but a little far-fetched. Also, no other spelling is plausible under British and/or American rule.

Indiana

1. Wabash-Definitely plausible, though only in this particular spelling unless under French rule.
2. Oklahoma-An ironically cool name, though sadly not plausible unless the Choctaw are somehow forced to move northwards and/or its statehood is delayed somewhat.

Iowa-
No plausible names here I'm afraid.

Maine-
1. the original name can be spelled 'Mayne', though nothing else is plausible.
2. New Broadmayne-Probably implausible.
3. North Appalachia-Definitely implausible as the Appalachians don't go that far north.
4. Gorges-Where did this come from?
5. Popham-Don't know.

Montana-
1.West Missouri-Nice name, though sadly wouldn't make sense unless one or both Dakotas was also named Missouri.
2. Yellowstone-Though the volcano isn't here, the river is. So, although unlikely, IMO, it's plausible.

New Brunswick-

1.)Georgia-Actually plausible, though strange IMO.
2.)Appalachia-Even more implausible than the entry for Maine.

New Hampshire-

1.)Appalachia-Not quite as implausible as for Maine and N.B., but still so.

New Mexico-

1.)Where did you get Keresa from?

New York.

1. Hudson-Very doable. Was the name for the eastern part of Upstate N.Y. in DoD, btw.
2. New Netherlands-Not at all hard to do, especially if people of Dutch ancestry become the majority.

Ontario-
All of the names for Ontario are plausible but I don't think any of them could logically be applied to the whole province, at least not OTL's Ontario anyway.

Rhode Island-

1. New Rhodes-This is a rather unique twist on the state's name. I like it.

Tennessee-

1. Tanasi-Definitely plausible but somewhat unlikely, IMO, unless relations with the Natives don't get as bad as they did IOTL.

Yukon-

Both names are doable, though the first spelling sounds much better, IMO.

---

I'm thinking about contributing my own list of names to this thread. Watch this thread closely.

[Yankee Leviathan]

A couple more names.

Florida: Tegesta (Early common name for Florida), Timucua (Spanish mission province in North Florida), Apalachee (Spanish province in the panhandle)
Georgia: Caroline, Mocama (Name of the Spanish province in what later became Georgia), Guale (Another Spanish province)
Wisconsin: Meskousing (Original Miami name for the area), Ouisconsin (French corruption of original name), Mescousin (Earliest English corruption of the name)

[The Kiat]

I must have misread, because it almost looked like you wanted to rename my state TACOMA!!!

[Yankee Leviathan]

Originally Posted by The Kiat

I must have misread, because it almost looked like you wanted to rename my state TACOMA!!!

Oh I cringed when I read the historical speech suggesting it.