Have you ever thought about how a country got its name? Several nations, such as Germany, and France were simply named for the people who lived on their land. Others, like the US, were given their moniker for obvious reasons. But what about other places too.

This blog uncovers the fascinating stories behind the names of beloved countries across the world.

Brazil

As Brazil’s majority of the area is covered in rainforests, it is no surprise Brazil’s name is associated with a tree. The coastal forest of Brazil is filled with Pau-brasil tree. Brazil is named after Pau-brasil. A red dye is extracted from them and is very valuable.

America

America is named after the famous Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

France

France is named for the Franks, the Germanic tribes that invaded the territories once the Roman Empire collapsed. France also has Latin origins, with Francia meaning “land of the Franks,” and German origins having Franca meaning fierce or brave.

Japan

The country is named because of its positioning to the east of China. Means, “Land of the Rising Sun”. It comes from the Chinese character rì means sun and bĕn mean origin.

Russia

The name of Russia is derived from Rus’, a medieval state populated mainly by the East Slavs. However, the proper name became more prominent in the later part of history, and the country generally was called by its inhabitants “Rus land”.

Spain

The word Spain (España in Spanish) is obtained from the Roman name for the region, Hispania.

These are some of the countries only, there are several interesting facts about other countries that explain how they got their name.