What Does the Word ‘Maine’ Actually Mean?

Many moons ago, it was decided that the name of our state would be 'Maine'. But why? We have 50 states in the nation, and each state has a name that comes from somewhere, right? This is a topic I know many are curious about, so let's dive right in.

There are two different versions of the story on how Maine came to be called Maine.

One of the theories say that early explorers named it after Henrietta Maria's private estate in Maine, which is a French province. Many people thought the name honored Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I, who was thought to own the province of Maine in France. However, it was later found that she had no connections to "Maine" in the 1620s or at any other time, as per U.S. Department of The Interior.

Another version is crediting fishermen from islands on the coast, who called it the "main" or mainland (sometimes spelled 'Maynland') in early documents, according to U.S. Department of The Interior.

So either the name hails from the French province, or from nautical reasons.

According to Maine.gov,  the name 'Maine' showed up in writing for the first time in 1622. It was written in a charter from the Council of New England, then again in 1665, when the English King's Commissioners made it truly official in records of the settlers. It was declared that the term 'Province of Maine' should be used in official documents.

It's not a super exciting origin story, but it's where our name comes from!

Let's take a look at more exciting states like Minnesota! Minnesota is a Sioux word meaning "cloudy water" or “sky-tinted water," according to the site. That's beautiful.

Or let's look at Florida. Back in 1513, Ponce de Leon arrived in Florida on Easter Sunday. It was known in Spanish as Pascua de Flores, meaning "Feast of Flowers," which is where the state gets its name from, according to U.S. Department of Interiors. 

Maine might not have gotten its name from flowers or our scenery, but we've got it, and we cherish it all the same!