And don't just say "Jefferson"
It is for a story in my head that I might write down or something.
It is for a story in my head that I might write down or something.
Alternate names for California?
- Thread starter TheNixonator
- Start date
Whatever saint's day is on when it is discovered might work, e.g. San Pedro -> Pederia or San Marco -> Marconia.
Obvious one, but the British called it "New Albion."
Going off of the first active settlement of The Californias (through the Portolà Expedition), they first landed on January 9th (La Paz, Baja California) - Saint Days include Adrian of Canterbury, Berhtwald of Canterbury, and Saint Philip II.
Deleted member 109224
Drake named the place New Albion.
I could see SF being referred to as the settlement of New Albion but California being referred to as Drakesland.
Nevada
Fremont
Sacramento
New Helvetia
Alexandria (named for Tsar Alexander, who commissioned the Russian American Company which established Fort Ross).
Slavyanka (the Russian name for the Russian River).
I could see SF being referred to as the settlement of New Albion but California being referred to as Drakesland.
Nevada
Fremont
Sacramento
New Helvetia
Alexandria (named for Tsar Alexander, who commissioned the Russian American Company which established Fort Ross).
Slavyanka (the Russian name for the Russian River).
It says a lot I got OCD enough looking for some OTL English name, of any sort, for San Francisco that eventually I sorta, kinda found one - I have a bunch of google book links and maps that essentially proclaim SF Bay as (Sir) (Francis) Drake's Bay/Port. Since the city got named after the bay, I tend to just compound Drake's Port into one word as Drakesport and keep the state's name as New Albion.
That said, Drakesland sounds nicer as the state name.
Either Hokanland or Hokania, particularly if the proto-Yumans migrated northward to the Central Valley.
I thought the evidence pointed to Drake landing in the Pacific northwest, not California?
Well, who owns California? The United States? The United Kingdom/Canada? Spain? Mexico? A Colonial Japan or China? Russia?
Here's my ideas:
United States - Name it after an important person like a commander, president, founding father (that isn't Jefferson) or even use a county or city name.
Mexico/Spain - Some of the names like El Dorado would perhaps work, especially if gold is discovered earlier.
Japan - I'm partial to an earlier-than-otl colonial Japan, trying to come up with my own time-line for it, but I have no idea what they'd call California. Sabatochi, maybe. I combined it from typing "Desert Land" into Google Translate. I'm not good at coming up with whole new names.
China - The name presented by Atterdag above works for China. I think so, anyway.
Russia - Perhaps name it after Fort Ross?
United Kingdom/Canada - "British Mexico", "Pacifica", "Victoria", "Edwardia", "New Georgia", "Kingsland", "New [Region of the UK]"
Here's my ideas:
United States - Name it after an important person like a commander, president, founding father (that isn't Jefferson) or even use a county or city name.
Mexico/Spain - Some of the names like El Dorado would perhaps work, especially if gold is discovered earlier.
Japan - I'm partial to an earlier-than-otl colonial Japan, trying to come up with my own time-line for it, but I have no idea what they'd call California. Sabatochi, maybe. I combined it from typing "Desert Land" into Google Translate. I'm not good at coming up with whole new names.
China - The name presented by Atterdag above works for China. I think so, anyway.
Russia - Perhaps name it after Fort Ross?
United Kingdom/Canada - "British Mexico", "Pacifica", "Victoria", "Edwardia", "New Georgia", "Kingsland", "New [Region of the UK]"