America

[brucenicol]

I would like to know how America got its name, I guess it was named after a certain person, but no idea who.

[B00]

Here ya go....

http://www.enotes.com/history-fact-finder/expl oration-settlement/how-did-america-get-its-nam e

[Quizmonster]

The generally accepted theory is that America was named after the Italian explorer, Amerigo Vespucci...just as Boo's link above says.
That's one story...here's another. The British writer, Rodney Broome, recently published a book called Amerike, the Briton Who Gave America its Name. It is based on research he carried out in the archives of Westminster Abbey. The key finding he made there was that both Vespucci and Columbus had used maps created by John Cabot.
He had made voyages to the New World from Bristol, England, and made detailed maps. These trips were sponsored by King Henry VII and a Welsh aristocrat called Richard Amerike. (Merrick or Maereg is still a common Welsh Christian name.) He christened the new land �America' in honour of his patron in 1496...Amerike/America...before Vespucci had ever even seen it!
Because the fame of Vespucci and Columbus grew and grew while Cabot's faded, the mistaken belief arose that they had named the new land.
So, there are two theories. Take your pick.

[brucenicol]

Thanks Guys
Yes somebody at work told me about it maybe being named after a welshman, but thought that was a bit far fetched, but who knows it could be either of the two.

[heathfield]

There is no common precedent for geographic or settlement placenames to be formed from someone's forename, (kings and religious notables excepted). That makes the claim for Amerigo Vespucci very suspect. For that reason I've always preferred QM's answer, which names Richard Amerike.