20 of the Coolest State and City Name Origins Jeopardy! Questions (and 20 Questions of Our Own)

Ever wonder how the fifty-nifty United States came to be named? Us too. That’s why we compiled this list of state-name-origin-related trivia!

The United States’ state name origins have been occasionally used on the show throughout its 39-season history. While by no means a frequently used category, U.S. state name origins have been brought up plenty of times—enough to warrant a list of their own on Trivia Bliss!

To round out our list, we’ve also included some questions about the origins of U.S. city names. These, too, have been intermittently featured on Jeopardy!, often as Final Jeopardy questions.

Plus, to cover the states not mentioned by Jeopardy!, we’ve added some of our own state-name origin trivia questions, as well.

This epic list will allow you to learn more about how American states and cities came to have their names.

Ready to start quizzing yourself? Our Question-and-Answer feature will allow you to reveal the answers with a click, so you can scroll without encountering spoilers. Let’s go!

U.S. State Name Origin Jeopardy Questions

I Pledge Allegiance to the Flags of These Independent Republics

Contestants Dan Pawson and Heather Doyle correctly answered this Final Jeopardy question. Pawson and Doyle became co-champions of this episode after they wagered their identical scores on the question.

Episode: Friday, December 28, 2007

Question: 2 of the 4 states whose names were those of independent republics before they entered the Union.

A State Name Fit for a King

This question stumped all three contestants during the Final Jeopardy round of this 2021 episode. Can you get it right?

Episode: Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Question: The names of these two states honor a king and his father, who was executed in 1649.

A Great Watery State

This Jeopardy! episode from 2011 featured an entire “State Name Origins” category in the show’s opening round. The question below, answered correctly by contestant John Shoe, was a $200 level question.

Episode: Monday, May 2, 2011

Question: This state’s name is from Chippewa words meaning “great water”, after the lake of the same name.

The Land There Sure Is Green!

This question was the $400 level question from the same episode. It was answered correctly by contestant Dan Crosby.

Episode: Monday, May 2, 2011

Question: Its name is from the French for “green mountain”.

Another Royal State Name

Continuing down the Jeopardy! board from the same episode, this question was worth $600. It was answered correctly by contestant John Shoe.

Episode: Monday, May 2, 2011

Question: It was named for a king of France.

A Combination Namesake

This question, worth $800, was answered correctly by Dan Crosby in the same episode as above.

Episode: Monday, May 2, 2011

Question: The first part of its name honors the father of the colony’s founder; the rest means “woodland.”

Welcome To My English Island

The question below was the final question from the State Name Origins category in this episode, worth $1000. It was the round’s Daily Double question. However, it was answered incorrectly by Dan Crosby, meaning that he (nor any of the other players) got to profit from the special round. See if you can answer this clue correctly!

Episode: Monday, May 2, 2011

Question: This state was named for an island in the English Channel.

And Even More Royalty-Inspired State Names

This question comes from the Final Jeopardy round of an April 2000 episode. The category was “State Name Origins.”

Only two contestants, Alan Taber and David Smith, remained in the game by the time Final Jeopardy rolled around. Both Taber and Smith answered this question incompletely, missing out on points and causing their wagers to be subtracted from their full score tallies. Better luck next time, guys!

Episode: Thursday, April 27, 2000

Question: 3 of the 4 states whose names come from the first names of European kings.

Which State is Home to the Great Lakes?

This Final Jeopardy question from a February 2007 episode stumped contestants Caroline Bartman and Hank Robinson. Only Ben Schenkel answered the question correctly. However, he wagered $0 on the question! Despite this, he ended with the greatest score, handing him a win.

Episode: Monday, February 12, 2007

Question: The name of this state is derived from an Indian word meaning “great lake”.

Yet Another Royal State Namesake

This Final Jeopardy clue from an April 1998 episode was only answered correctly by contestant Ron Karr, making him the 2-day Jeopardy! champion. Each contestant answered with a very different state name. Can you identify the correct state that this question pertains to?

Episode: Wednesday, April 13, 1998

Question: This U.S. state was named for a king, the grandson of Henry of Navarre.

A Unique State Name

This question, from the Final Jeopardy category “The 50 States,” was answered correctly by all three contestants from the June 2010 Episode: Anne Triolo, Joanh Busch, and Marty Scott. See if you can guess this very individualistic 2-word state name.

Episode: Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Question: It’s the only 2-word state name in which neither word appears in the name of any other state.

A State Nickname That Stuck

This December 2001 Final Jeopardy question discusses the origin of a popular U.S. state nickname. None of the contestants from this episode were able to correctly identify which state this question concerns. Can you identify it?

Episode: Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Question: One popular story is that men of this state fought so stalwartly it seemed their feet were stuck to the ground.

To (Almost) Be An Island

This Final Jeopardy question from a June 2018 episode was only answered correctly by a single contestant, Kelly Griffin, who went on to win the game and became a new champion!

Episode: Monday, June 25, 2018

Question: Though it doesn’t have “island” in its name, it’s named after a European island.

U.S. City Name Origin Jeopardy Questions

In addition to U.S. state name origin Jeopardy! questions, we’ve also compiled some U.S. city name origin questions from the show. Try your hand at these to see if you know how the name of your favorite city was formed!

“Village of the Dark Spring at the Foot of the Mountains” Had Less of a Ring to It

This September 2013 episode featured a “U.S. City Name Origins” category in the Double Jeopardy round of the game. This question was worth $400 and was answered correctly by contestant (and eventual winner!) Fidelito Cortes.

Episode: Monday, September 30, 2013

Question: This Arizona city got its name from chuk-son, an Indian word meaning “village of the dark spring at the foot of the mountains”.

Get the Heck Out of This City!

This Daily Double question from the same episode as listed above was answered incorrectly by contestant Sarah Zucker.

Episode: Monday, September 30, 2013

Question: Once called Buffalo City, this Wild West Kansas town was named for the commander of the nearby fort.

A City Born from a Campus

This question, worth $1600, was answered correctly by Sarah Zucker in the same September 2013 episode.

Episode: Monday, September 30, 2013

Question: This city that developed around Northwestern University was named for one of the school’s benefactors.

Forks, WA Is Known for Twilight, Three Forks, WA Is Known For…

Also from the aforementioned episode, this question was worth $1200. It was answered correctly by contestant Fidelito Cortes.

Episode: Monday, September 30, 2013

Question: Three Forks, Wash. changed its name to honor this sleeping car inventor who had given it an endowment.

The Triangle of North Carolinian Cities

This question from the same category as the clues above was worth $800. Sarah Zucker and Fidelito Cortes each answered it incorrectly before Meredith Robinson swooped in to give the right answer.

Episode: Monday, September 30, 2013

Question: Raleigh & Durham were named for people; this third leg of “the Triangle” got its name from a small church.

Now That’s Quite The Mental Image…

This Final Jeopardy question from a December 1996 episode was answered correctly by contestants Gay Mollette and Harry Barker. Despite casting a smaller Final Jeopardy bet, Mollette went on to win the game shortly after giving his answer.

Episode: Tuesday, December 3, 1996

Question: Jagged rocks at this Florida city’s narrow inlet suggested its name, from Spanish for “rat’s mouth.”

A Noble Maryland City

This April 1996 Final Jeopardy question stumped all but one of the contestants, David Sampugnaro. Sampgnaro, who was already in the lead, won the game after scoring on this question.

Episode: Tuesday, April 2, 1996

Question: Frederick, Maryland was named for the 6th Baron this.

Even More State Name Origin Trivia

These questions weren’t featured on Jeopardy!, but that doesn’t make them any less informative!

Question: Which state’s name comes from an Iroquoian word that means “land of tomorrow”?

Question: This state is named after a native tribe whose name translates to “town of the large canoes.”

Question: Ohio was derived from a Seneca word. What does this word mean?

Question: West Virginia and Virginia are both named after the same royal historical figure. Which figure is this?

Question: Which state’s name comes from a Dakota word meaning “sky-tinted water”?

Question: Which state is named after the Spanish Feast of Flowers?

Question: Which state’s name comes from the book Las Sergas de Esplandián by Garcia Ordóñez?

Question: This state’s name alludes to the color of the river that runs through it. (Bonus: which language is this name derived from?).

Question: Delaware was named after the Delaware River and Bay. Which historical figure were these two bodies of water named after?

Question: Which was named first, Alabama or the Alabama River? (Bonus: what does “Alabama” loosely translate to in the Choctaw language?)

Question: Which state name translates to “people of the south wind”?

Question: Masachusetts is named after the Massachusett people. What does their name translate to?

Question: What state’s name comes from an Oto word that means “flat water”?

Question: Texas’s name comes from a Caddo word. What does this word mean?

Question: Which state’s name translates to “people of the mountains”?

Question: Who first dubbed Oregon, and when did they first use this name?

Question: Which state’s name is derived from the Spanish word for “snow-capped” and why?

Question: Which of the following states was not named after an indigenous tribe: Illinois, Arkansas, or Mississippi?

Question: Which state’s name comes from a Algonquian word meaning “beside the long tidal river”?

Question: Which state’s name is derived from a native word for “mainland”?

Final Words

Thanks for reading through our list of the coolest state and city name origin trivia questions, Jeopardy! and otherwise. We hope these 40 questions piqued your interest regarding how U.S. cities and states were named way back when they were being established.

Want even more Jeopardy! question goodness? We’ve got plenty of compilation lists for you! Check out our primer on the Potpourri Jeopardy! category with 84 questions for you to try out. If you’re a younger trivia enthusiast, try out these questions from the show that are more geared towards teens or members of Gen Z. Are you a Broadway fan? So are the writers of these Final Jeopardy questions all about the Great White Way. And if you’re not up for a challenge today, that’s ok—take a gander at these super easy Final Jeopardy clues and answers.

Did you learn something new about the origin of your state’s name? Or do you have a new favorite U.S. city or state origin story? Let us know down in the comments.