Many towns, rivers, mountain ranges, historic roads and trails and other geographical features in the United States, especially in the Southwest, have Spanish names. This page offers the translations into English of a few of these. Where a Spanish word has multiple meanings in English I have only included that which seems most likely to apply to a place name. This list is only a small selection and is naturally very far from being complete. A complete list would of course be enormous. However, I would greatly welcome any suggestions for additional entries (you can EMail me using the link at the bottom of this page). Many other place names in the USA and Canada come from Native American cultures or from other nationalities of immigrants such as British, French, Dutch, German and Russian. G. Martinez of Montrose, California emailed me to point out that "New World" (North, Central, and South American) Spanish is different from European Spanish, especially the official Castilian of Spain, in terms of speech, spelling and grammar, in the same way as American English differs considerably from its British counterpart. Spanish English Comments Alameda Poplar grove   Alamo Poplar (the tree)   Alamogordo Fat cottonwood Alamogordo, New Mexico was named for the cottonwood trees in the area. Alcatraz From alcatraces (pelican) Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay was originally named Isla de los Alcatraces (Isle of the Pelicans) after the large pelican population there. Alta, Alto High, tall   Amarillo Yellow Amarillo, Texas was named after the colour of the clay banks of a nearby stream. Amistad Friendship   Angeles Angels   Animas Soul or spirit   Antonio Anthony   Baja Drop or fall   Blanco White   Boca Raton Rat's mouth Boca Raton, Florida was named after the nearby jagged rocks on the ocean shore, though to resemble a rat's mouth. Bonita Pretty   Brea Tar   Buena Good   Buena Vista Good view   Cabo Cape   Cajon Box, chest or drawer Possibly referring to a box canyon. Not to be confused with Cajun. Caliente Hot   California  - The name California was first given to the Baja California peninsula by the Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes in the early sixteenth century and was later applied to more northern areas. The word was derived from the name of an imaginary island in a popular Spanish romance of the time. Cañada Dell, a small isolated valley My thanks to G. Martinez of Montrose, California for this translation. With a tilde (~) over the n, Cañada is a Spanish word. The name of the country of Canada, without a tilde, is not Spanish - it comes from the Iroquioan Indian word "kanata" meaning "village" or "community". Canaveral Reeds, or a sugar-cane plantation Spanish spelling is cañaveral. Carlos Charles   Camino Road   Casa House   Cerrito Little hill   Chico Little stream   Chino Chinese   Christo Christ   Ciudad City, town   Colorado Red coloured   Costa Mesa Coastal plateau   Cruces Crosses The name of Las Cruces, New Mexico refers to the graves of a group of travellers who were massacred by Apache Indians in the area in 1830. Cruz Cross   Ciudad City or town   D', De, Del Of   Duro Hard From the common root of "durable", presumably Durango Water town From the Basque word "urango". (I realise that the Basque language is totally separate from Spanish, but this entry seemed worth including here.) El The   El Camino Alto The High Road As in the High Road To Taos, New Mexico. There may be other examples. El Camino Del Rio The River Road As in the road alongside the Rio Grande between Lajitas and Presidio, Texas - west of Big Bend National Park. There may be other examples. El Camino Real The Royal Road or The King's Highway See separate article. Escondido Hidden Probably referring to a hidden valley. Estados Unidos United States   Este East   Fe Faith   Florida Flowery The state of Florida was named by the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon from the Spanish word for "flowery", possibly due to the vegetation or because he visited Florida in Easter week which in Spanish is called "Pascua florida". Fresno Ash tree Fresno, California was named after the white ash trees in the area. Gatos Cats Los Gatos, California was named after the wildcats that were once populous in the area. Gordo Fat   Grande Large, tall, great, grand   Habra Opening La Habra, California is named after a nearby mountain pass (an opening). Hermosa Beautiful   Isabel Elizabeth   Juan John   Junta Meeting   La The   Las The   Las Vegas The Meadows The name of Las Vegas, Nevada refers to grassland seen along spring-fed desert streams by early Spanish explorers of the area. Llano Plain   Llano Estacado Staked Plain   Lobo Wolf   Los The   Los Angeles The Angels   Madre Mother   Manteca See comment "Rebecca" sent me this comment: I'm a Mantecan (Manteca, California). The "snootier" Manteca residents will tell you our town was named from mantequilla (butter) as a result of the Portugese dairy trade that was prevalent in this area. Long-time Mantecans, however, will tell you the truth: "manteca" means "lard". This was a pig farming town in addition to a dairy town, and yes, it was named LARD! So attractive of a name, yes? Marcos Mark   Maria Mary   Merced Mercy   Mesa Table, table-land, flat-topped hill   Miguel Michael   Milpitas Little cornfields   Mirada View La Mirada, California is named for the panoramic view from the hills where it is situated. Miramar Look at the sea   Modesto Modest The name of Modesto, California is a tribute to William C. Ralston, a prominent California financier who declined an offer to have the town named after him. Montana Mountain   Monticello Hill or small mountain Monticello is the name of the house built by Thomas Jefferson in Virginia. It is also the name of various towns in the USA. The word is Italian, not Spanish. Negro Black   Nevada Snow, snowfall, snow-covered   Nogales Walnut trees   Norte North   Nuevo New   Obispo Bishop As in San Luis Obispo, California Oro Gold   Pais Country   Palo Stick, pole, tree Palo Alto, California (high tree) is named after an ancient redwood tree at its northern entrance. Palo Duro Canyon, Texas (hard tree) is named for the cedar trees in the area. Palomar Dovecot   Paso Mountain pass   Placer Sandbank (?) The prefix Placer in town names such as Placerville comes from the word meaning a superficial deposit from which gold or some other mineral can be washed - an indication that such activity took place in the area. My English dictionary says that placer is the Spanish word for sandbank and also suggests a possible connection with the Spanish word plaza, meaning place. However, my Spanish - English dictionary quotes the meaning of placer as pleasure, and plaza as square, market, job or position. Plano Flat My thanks to Karen Strand for this translation. Plata Silver   Presidio Fort or Fortress Many presidios were built by the Spanish when they ruled the southwest of the USA and Mexico. Some of these have been preserved, for example the Presidios of Monterey, Santa Barbara and San Francisco. Pueblo Town, village   Puente Bridge   Puerto Port   Punta Point   Quinta Country house   Rancho Ranch or farm In traditional Spanish the word rancho means dining-room, according to my Spanish-English dictionary. In Latin American Spanish it means a ranch or farm. Real Royal Pronounced "ray-al" Redondo Round Redondo Beach, California derived its name from the way its streets were originally laid out, in a semi-circle. Rio River   Rosa Rose   Salida Exit   Salinas Salt marshes Salinas, California derives its name from the numerous salt marshes along the Salinas River. San Saint Many places were named by Spanish explorers after saints because the explorers discovered them or founded a mission or town there on the relevant saint's day. San Antonio Saint Anthony   San Carlos Saint Charles   San Diego Saint Didacus   San Francisco Saint Francis Is it just a coincidence that Sir Francis Drake explored this area? San Jose Saint Joseph   San Juan Saint John   San Leandro Saint Leander   San Marcos Saint Mark   San Mateo Saint Matthew? (I'm guessing here)   Sangre Blood   Sangre de Christo Blood of Christ As in the Sangre de Christo Mountains in Colorado. Santa Saint   Sausalito  - Derived from the Spanish for "little willow". Sierra Mountain Range   Socorro Help, aid, assistance   Sur South   Tejon Badger Not to be confused with Teton. Tiburon Shark   Tierrasanta Saintly land, or holy ground A neighbourhood of San Diego, California. Tonto Stupid   Vaca Cow, beef   Valle Valley   Vallecito Small valley   Vegas Meadows There is a shopping mall in Las Vegas, Nevada, called The Meadows Ventura Happiness, luck   Verde Green   Vista View   San Diego San Clemente Santa Ana San Bernardino Los Angeles Ventura Santa Barbara Santa Catalina San Luis Obispo Santa Maria Paso Robles Monterrey Palo Alto Santa Cruz Merced Modesto Sacramento Salinas San Jose Santa Clara San Rafael Santa Rosa Sacramento Madera San Francisco Las Vegas Nevada Colorado La Puente El Monte Los Gatos Los Banos Dos Palos San Andreas El Paso La Canada Palos Verdes Encinitas El Centro San Joaquin San Antonio Las Cruces Los Alamos Amarillo El Camino Real San Bruno El Cerrito San Pablo Corte Madera Mission Viejo La Jolla El Monte Santa Monica San Fernando San Juan Capistrano San Onofre La Quinta San Ramon Rio Linda Santa Fe Rio Grande