This map shows the literal meaning of every state name

Flattened Water. Place of the Small Spring. Milky Water.

At first glance, these phrases might look like just a jumble of words, but they’re actually something way cooler: the literal translation of three state names in the United States. Can you guess which ones?

Expedia Canada put together this colorful map that shows the literal meaning of all 50 state names. And you might be surprised to know a particular state’s meaning.

As Expedia puts it, state etymologies “offer a unique insight into the forgotten history of the continent and may teach something new about your home.”

Want to dig into the state meanings a little more? Expedia Canada includes links to its sources. So you can decide for yourself if, for example, you’d prefer knowing Alabama as “tribal town,” the translation from the American Creek language, or the more popular translation of “vegetation gatherers” or “thicket-clearers,” derived from the Choctaw language.

A lot of the state meaning variation comes down to which Native American language source you go with. Others have an obvious connection to the English language (Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North/South Carolina, Virginia) or famous figures (Washington and Pennsylvania).

It’s fun knowing the backgrounds of the state names you’ve been saying since you learned to spell M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I (that’s “Great River” to you).

Here are Expedia’s top choices for each state’s literal meaning and the language each was derived from.

Note: There are conflicting origin stories for many state names. If you’ve done any digging into this yourself, you’ll find this to be true! This map and the etymology for each state name are based on Expedia’s research, which you can read more about here.

Alabama

Meaning: Thicket-Clearers

Language: Choctaw

Alaska

Meaning: That Which the Sea Breaks Against

Language: Aleut

Arizona

Meaning: Place of the Small Spring

Language: Spanish interpretation of O’odham

Arkansas

Meaning: Land of Downriver People

Language: Quapaw

MORE: Soda, pop or Coke? Here’s what people call soft drinks in each state

California

Meaning: Mythical Island Califia

Language: Spanish

Colorado

Meaning: Sandstone Soil

Language: Spanish

Connecticut

Meaning: The Long Tidal River

Language: Mohican

Delaware

Meaning: Of The War

Language: Old French

Florida

Meaning: Flowery Easter

Language: Spanish

Georgia

Meaning: Land of King George II

Language: Greek

Hawaii

Meaning: Place of the Gods

Language: Proto-Polynesian

(Note: Other research shows that, in the Hawaiian language, Hawaii has no meaning. Unfortunately etymology, particularly in the case of state names, presents conflicting research. This is the case with Hawaii along with others on this list. The meaning listed here is in accordance with Expedia’s map and their research, which you can read more about here.)

Idaho

Meaning: Gem of the Mountains

Language: Adaptation of Native American word from northwest origin

Illinois

Meaning: Best People

Language: Derived from the Native American word, “Illiniwek”

Indiana

Meaning: Land of the Indians

Language: Native American origin

Iowa

Meaning: This is the Place

Language: Native American origin

Kansas

Meaning: People of the South Wind

Language: Native American origin

Kentucky

Meaning: The Meadow

Language: Iroquois or Shawnee origin

Louisiana

Meaning: King Louis XIV

Language: French

Maine

Meaning: Mainland

Language: French

Maryland

Meaning: Land of Queen Henrietta Maria

Language: English

Massachusetts

Meaning: Near the Great-Little-Mountain

Language: Native American origin

Michigan

Meaning: Great Lake

Language: Native American origin

Minnesota

Meaning: Milky Water

Language: Siouan

Mississippi

Meaning: Great River

Language: French

Missouri

Meaning: Dugout Canoe

Language: Siouan

Montana

Meaning: Mountainous

Language: Spanish

Nebraska

Meaning: Flattened Water

Language:  Based on Oto Indian word “Nebrathka”

Nevada

Meaning: Snow-Covered

Language: Spanish

New Hampshire

Meaning: The New Hants

Language: English

New Jersey

Meaning: Channel Island of Jersey

Language: English

New Mexico

Meaning: New Place of Mexitli (Aztec God)

Language: Aztec

New York

Meaning: New Home of the Duke of York

Language: English

North Carolina

Meaning: In Honor of King Charles I

Language: From the Latin word for “Charles”

North Dakota

Meaning: North Ally

Language: From the Sioux Native American word for “friend”

Ohio

Meaning: Good River

Language: Iroquois Native American

Oklahoma

Meaning: Red People

Language: Choctaw Native American

Oregon

Meaning: Indian River Ouragon

Language: French

Pennsylvania

Meaning: Penns Woods

Language: English

Rhode Island

Meaning: Red Island

Language: Italian

South Carolina

Meaning: In Honor of King Charles I

Language: From the Latin word for “Charles”

South Dakota

Meaning: South Ally

Language: Sioux Native American

Tennessee

Meaning: The Bends of a River

Language: Native American origin

Texas

Meaning: Friend

Language: Spanish

Utah

Meaning: People of the Mountains

Language: Spanish based on Ute

Vermont

Meaning: Green Mountain

Language: French

Virginia

Meaning: Country of the Virgin

Language: English

Washington

Meaning: Home of the First President

Language: English

West Virginia

Meaning: West of the Country of the Virgin

Language: English

Wisconsin

Meaning: River Running Through a Red Place

Language: English/French/Native American

Wyoming

Meaning: At the Big River Flat

Language: Native American origin