After discarding dozens of suggestions, Canada took its name from the Native American word kanata.
The most popular of the names considered by the United States was Columbia, which is why the nation’s capital is located in the District of Columbia.
But because they couldn’t make a final decision, the people of the United States have accepted the unofficial name given to them by the British during the war of independence.
They are, simply, Americans.
Only citizens of the United States are called “Americans”.
America was named after Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci.
