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Digital Workplace

Transform your digital workplace and empower employees to drive your business forward. We deliver flexible, tailored, end-to-end solutions to keep your workforce engaged and productive. With an innovative approach centered around exceptional user experiences.

Manage your network from anywhere

All Meraki devices are managed in an intuitive browser-based interface or app with quick deployment, unlimited scalability, and remote troubleshooting.

Equip yourself with modern Wi-Fi

Our next-generation wireless solutions provide more capacity and higher performance for digital workplaces and demanding environments, delivering enhanced application experience.

BYOD without cost or complexity

Centrally provision, monitor, and secure all your managed endpoints, wherever they are. Allow the use of personal devices with our built-in BYOD support for digital workplaces.

Secure connection of sites

Easily build IPSec VPN tunnels between digital workplace sites. Meraki VPNs are configured with just a few clickd, set up securely, and brought up in seconds.

Maximize application usage

Ensure reliable, secure performance for latency-sensitive, mission-critical applications -- like VoIP, point-of-sale, and other SaaS applications. You'll no longer rely on expensive circuits between sites.

Smarter IT with analytics

Access powerful metrics such as heat maps, visitor capture rates, visit time, and repeat visits so you can optimize utilizaton of your physical spaces.

Network Security Solution

Our security solutions help protect your network and critical data from cybersecurity threats.

What is Network Security?

Network Security protects your network and data from breaches, intrusions and other threats. This is a vast and overarching term that describes hardware and software solutions as well as processes or rules and configurations relating to network use, accessibility, and overall threat protection.

Network Security involves access control, virus and antivirus software, application security, network analytics, types of network-related security (endpoint, web, wireless), firewalls, VPN encryption and more.

Benefits of a Network Security Solution

A Network Security Solution is vital in protecting client data and information, keeping shared data secure and ensuring reliable access and network performance as well as protection from cyber threats. A well designed network security solution reduces overhead expenses and safeguards organizations from costly losses that occur from a data breach or other security incident. Ensuring legitimate access to systems, applications and data enables business operations and delivery of services and products to customers.

Types of Network Security Solutions

Firewall

Firewalls control incoming and outgoing traffic on networks, with predetermined security rules. Firewalls keep out unfriendly traffic and is a necessary part of daily computing. Network Security relies heavily on Firewalls, and especially Next Generation Firewalls, which focus on blocking malware and application-layer attacks.

Network Segmentation

Network segmentation defines boundaries between network segments where assets within the group have a common function, risk or role within an organization. For instance, the perimeter gateway segments a company network from the Internet. Potential threats outside the network are prevented, ensuring that an organization’s sensitive data remains inside. Organizations can go further by defining additional internal boundaries within their network, which can provide improved security and access control.

Access Control

Access control defines the people or groups and the devices that have access to network applications and systems thereby denying unsanctioned access, and maybe threats. Integrations with Identity and Access Management (IAM) products can strongly identify the user and Role-based Access Control (RBAC) policies ensure the person and device are authorized access to the asset.

Remote Access VPN

Remote access VPN provides remote and secure access to a company network to individual hosts or clients, such as telecommuters, mobile users, and extranet consumers. Each host typically has VPN client software loaded or uses a web-based client. Privacy and integrity of sensitive information is ensured through multi-factor authentication, endpoint compliance scanning, and encryption of all transmitted data.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

The zero trust security model states that a user should only have the access and permissions that they require to fulfill their role. This is a very different approach from that provided by traditional security solutions, like VPNs, that grant a user full access to the target network. Zero trust network access (ZTNA) also known as software-defined perimeter (SDP) solutions permits granular access to an organization’s applications from users who require that access to perform their duties.

Email Security

Email security refers to any processes, products, and services designed to protect your email accounts and email content safe from external threats. Most email service providers have built-in email security features designed to keep you secure, but these may not be enough to stop cybercriminals from accessing your information.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Data loss prevention (DLP) is a cybersecurity methodology that combines technology and best practices to prevent the exposure of sensitive information outside of an organization, especially regulated data such as personally identifiable information (PII) and compliance related data: HIPAA, SOX, PCI DSS, etc.

Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)

IPS technologies can detect or prevent network security attacks such as brute force attacks, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks and exploits of known vulnerabilities. A vulnerability is a weakness for instance in a software system and an exploit is an attack that leverages that vulnerability to gain control of that system. When an exploit is announced, there is often a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit that vulnerability before the security patch is applied. An Intrusion Prevention System can be used in these cases to quickly block these attacks.

Sandboxing

Sandboxing is a cybersecurity practice where you run code or open files in a safe, isolated environment on a host machine that mimics end-user operating environments. Sandboxing observes the files or code as they are opened and looks for malicious behavior to prevent threats from getting on the network. For example malware in files such as PDF, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint can be safely detected and blocked before the files reach an unsuspecting end user.

Hyperscale Network Security

Hyperscale is the ability of an architecture to scale appropriately, as increased demand is added to the system. This solution includes rapid deployment and scaling up or down to meet changes in network security demands. By tightly integrating networking and compute resources in a software-defined system, it is possible to fully utilize all hardware resources available in a clustering solution.

Cloud Network Security

Applications and workloads are no longer exclusively hosted on-premises in a local data center. Protecting the modern data center requires greater flexibility and innovation to keep pace with the migration of application workloads to the cloud. Software-defined Networking (SDN) and Software-defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solutions enable network security solutions in private, public, hybrid and cloud-hosted Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) deployments.

Next Generation WiFi

Power new and improved user experiences with our managed wifi solutions, offering faster speeds for enhanced application experience and more capacity for high density indoor and outdoor environments.

Hybrid Workforce

We provide a seamless hybrid workforce solution that embraces change and operational scale. Give your employees and customers unrivaled experiences with a cloud platform that unifies best-in-class technologies.

• Free Network Evaluation & Demo: Thunder IT offers a FREE Network Evaluation and/or product Demo to help ensure you are well informed and confident when choosing the right Cisco Meraki solution for your needs. During our call we'll architect a custom built Cisco Meraki solution for your business or environment.
• Migration & Deployment: Thunder IT offers Migration and Deployment Services for your Cisco Meraki solution. Our experienced team of IT Professionals can configure, deploy and support your products to meet your needs. Our custom solutions ensure maximum efficiency and provide a clear path for your business going forward.
• Managed Security: Thunder IT offers the best and most cost-effective solution to lower your risk in a heightened threat environment. Our team of certified Cisco engineers are ready to ensure that your network is secure, and your firewall is optimally configured to defend your business.
• Mobile device management (MDM) Services: Our Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution unifies management of thousands of endpoint devices in a secure cloud platform, driving your organization's mobility initiatives, while maintaining an environment of agility and security.
• Support & Monitoring: Thunder IT offers network support and monitoring services that are designed to fit the needs of every customer.

• Alberta
Alberta is the most populous Prairie province. The province, and the world-famous Lake Louise in the Rocky Mountains, were both named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Alberta has five national parks, including Banff National Park, established in 1885. The rugged Badlands house some of the world’s richest deposits of prehistoric fossils and dinosaur finds. Alberta is the largest producer of oil and gas, and the oil sands in the north are being developed as a major energy source. Alberta is also renowned for agriculture, especially for the vast cattle ranches that make Canada one of the world’s major beef producers.
• British Columbia
British Columbia (B.C.), on the Pacific coast, is Canada’s western most province, with a population of four million. The Port of Vancouver is our gateway to the Asia-Pacific. About one-half of all the goods produced in B.C. are forestry products, including lumber, newsprint, and pulp and paper products—the most valuable forestry industry in Canada. B.C. is also known for mining, fishing, and the fruit orchards and wine industry of the Okanagan Valley. B.C. has the most extensive park system in Canada, with approximately 600 provincial parks. The province’s large Asian communities have made Chinese and Punjabi the most spoken languages in the cities after English. The capital, Victoria, is a tourist centre and headquarters of the navy’s Pacific fleet.
• Manitoba
Manitoba’s economy is based on agriculture, mining and hydro-electric power generation. The province’s most populous city is Winnipeg, whose Exchange District includes the most famous street intersection in Canada, Portage and Main. Winnipeg’s French Quarter, St. Boniface, has Western Canada’s largest Francophone community at 45,000. Manitoba is also an important centre of Ukrainian culture, with 14% reporting Ukrainian origins, and the largest Aboriginal population of any province, at over 15%.
• New Brunswick
Situated in the Appalachian Range, the province was founded by the United Empire Loyalists and has the second largest river system on North America’s Atlantic coastline, the St. John River system. Forestry, agriculture, fisheries, mining, food processing and tourism are the principal industries. Saint John is the largest city, port and manufacturing centre; Moncton is the principal Francophone Acadian centre; and Fredericton, the historic capital. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province, and about one-third of the population lives and works in French. The province’s pioneer Loyalist and French cultural heritage and history come alive in street festivals and traditional music.
• Newfoundland & Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the most easterly point in North America and has its own time zone. In addition to its natural beauty, the province has a unique heritage linked to the sea. The oldest colony of the British Empire and a strategic prize in Canada’s early history, the province has long been known for its fisheries, coastal fishing villages and distinct culture. Today off-shore oil and gas extraction contributes a substantial part of the economy. Labrador also has immense hydro-electric resources.
• Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) were originally made up in 1870 from Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory. The capital, Yellowknife (population 20,000), is called the “diamond capital of North America.” More than half the population is Aboriginal (Dene, Inuit and Métis). The Mackenzie River, at 4,200 kilometres, is the second-longest river system in North America after the Mississippi and drains an area of 1.8 million square kilometres.
• Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is the most populous Atlantic Province, with a rich history as the gateway to Canada. Known for the world’s highest tides in the Bay of Fundy, the province’s identity is linked to shipbuilding, fisheries and shipping. As Canada’s largest east coast port, deep-water and ice-free, the capital, Halifax, has played an important role in Atlantic trade and defence and is home to Canada’s largest naval base. Nova Scotia has a long history of coal mining, forestry and agriculture. Today there is also off-shore oil and gas exploration. The province’s Celtic and Gaelic traditions sustain a vibrant culture. Nova Scotia is home to over 700 annual festivals, including the spectacular military tattoo in Halifax.

• Nunavut
Nunavut, meaning “our land” in Inuktitut, was established in 1999 from the eastern part of the Northwest Territories, including all of the former District of Keewatin. The capital is Iqaluit, formerly Frobisher Bay, named after the English explorer Martin Frobisher, who penetrated the uncharted Arctic for Queen Elizabeth I in 1576. The 19-member Legislative Assembly chooses a premier and ministers by consensus. The population is about 85% Inuit, and Inuktitut is an official language and the first language in schools.
• Ontario
At more than 12 million, the people of Ontario make up more than one-third of Canadians. The large and culturally diverse population, natural resources and strategic location contribute to a vital economy. Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the country’s main financial centre. Many people work in the service or manufacturing industries, which produce a large percentage of Canada’s exports. The Niagara region is known for its vineyards, wines and fruit crops. Ontario farmers raise dairy and beef cattle, poultry, and vegetable and grain crops. Founded by United Empire Loyalists, Ontario also has the largest Frenchspeaking population outside of Quebec, with a proud history of preserving their language and culture. There are five Great Lakes located between Ontario and the United States: Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan (in the U.S.A.) and Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.
• Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) is the smallest province, known for its beaches, red soil and agriculture, especially potatoes. P.E.I. is the birthplace of Confederation, connected to mainland Canada by one of the longest continuous multispan bridges in the world, the Confederation Bridge. Anne of Green Gables, set in P.E.I. by Lucy Maud Montgomery, is a much-loved story about the adventures of a little red-headed orphan girl.
• Quebec
Nearly eight million people live in Quebec, the vast majority along or near the St. Lawrence River. More than three-quarters speak French as their first language. The resources of the Canadian Shield have helped Quebec to develop important industries, including forestry, energy and mining. Quebec is Canada’s main producer of pulp and paper. The province’s huge supply of fresh water has made it Canada’s largest producer of hydro-electricity. Quebecers are leaders in cutting-edge industries such as pharmaceuticals and aeronautics. Quebec films, music, literary works and food have international stature, especially in La Francophonie, an association of French-speaking nations. Montreal, Canada’s second largest city and the second largest mainly French-speaking city in the world after Paris, is famous for its cultural diversity.
• Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan, once known as the “breadbasket of the world” and the “wheat province,” has 40% of the arable land in Canada and is the country’s largest producer of grains and oilseeds. It also boasts the world’s richest deposits of uranium and potash, used in fertilizer, and produces oil and natural gas. Regina, the capital, is home to the training academy of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Saskatoon, the largest city, is the headquarters of the mining industry and an important educational, research and technology centre.
• Yukon
Thousands of miners came to the Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s, as celebrated in the poetry of Robert W. Service. Mining remains a significant part of the economy. The White Pass and Yukon Railway opened from Skagway in neighbouring Alaska to the territorial capital, Whitehorse in 1900 and provides a spectacular tourist excursion across precipitous passes and bridges. Yukon holds the record for the coldest temperature ever recorded in Canada (-63°C).

• Alabama
The state of Alabama is named after the river which European explorers named after a local Native American tribe, according to the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Historians believe the tribe name is a portmanteau combining Alba (vegetation) and Amo (gatherer), which makes sense since Native Americans cleared a lot of the land in the state to grow vegetables. While the origin is debatable, here is a fun fact about Alabama: It’s the only state whose official drink is an alcoholic beverage.
• Alaska
The Russians sold Alaska to the United States in 1867. The name is sometimes loosely translated from the Aleut word “Alyeska” meaning “great land,” which is understandable because the state is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined. These days, Alaska’s willing to pay you $1,000 to move—and stay—there.
• Arizona
Historians disagree over how Arizona got its name: One theory is that the name is derived from Papago tribal words meaning “place of the young spring.” Another theory is that the name derives from a Spanish word meaning “good oak tree.” The office of the governor notes that the written history of Arizona began in Spanish (when exploration parties ventured northward from Mexico).
• Arkansas
The state of Arkansas was named after a Native American tribe the Akana. “Arkansas” means “south wind” (i.e., “downstream”)—the tribe lived downstream from the major Algonquin tribe in the area. It stuck, at least in theory, although the spelling and pronunciation varied until well into the 19th century when the state passed a law declaring the spelling to be “Arkansas” but the pronunciation to be AR-can-saw. Contrary to Internet folklore, there is no penalty or other legal liability for misspelling or mispronouncing the state’s name, but there are some weird things that are actually banned in the United States.
• California
The name comes from the Spanish legend of Queen Califa, ruler of an island called “California” (yes, the early explorers thought they were on an island). When Cortéz landed on Baja California, he believed he had found the island of Queen Califa, populated only by women who used gold to make tools and weapons. He wasn’t far wrong when, three centuries later, gold was discovered in California.
• Colorado
Colorado means “the color red,” and Spanish explorers named the muddy red river they found Rio Colorado. Congress chose the name for the territory in 1861.
• Connecticut
The founding fathers began drafting the U.S. Constitution in the state, but that has nothing to do with the name. By the 1600s, what is now the Connecticut River was already known by a derivation of the Native American word, quinnehtukqut, which means “long tidal river.” Did you know that one of Connecticut’s nicknames is the Nutmeg State?
• Delaware
Delaware got its name way back in 1610 when explorer Samuel Argall, sailing from Virginia, saw what is now Cape Henlopen and called it “Cape De La Warr” in tribute to the first governor of Virginia, Thomas West, who was also the 3rd Baron De La Warr.
• Florida
Juan Ponce de Leon was the first to call the state Florida when he landed in the northeastern part in April 1513. The name comes from the celebration, Pascua Florida (Feast of the Flowers). He never found that “fountain of youth” he was looking for, but some still believe it could be somewhere in Florida.
• Georgia
Georgia was named by the Royal Charter in 1732 after England’s King George II. King George II demanded that the thirteenth colony (which later became the state of Georgia) be named after him.
• Hawaii
When Captain James Cook discovered the islands that are now Hawaii in 1778, he wanted the islands to be called the Sandwich Islands, after the Earl of Sandwich. But Hawaiian King Kamehameha I wasn’t buying into the anglicized naming; he united the islands under his rule by 1819 as the Kingdom of Hawaii. Like many state names, the etymology of Hawaii is subject to debate. Some say believe it means “homeland.” Others say it means “small and raging.” Others say it comes from the traditional settler of the islands, Hawai’iloa.
• Idaho
While it may sound like a Native American-derived name, Idaho may be entirely made up. A mining lobbyist claimed it was an Indian word that meant “gem of the mountains,” and hoped to name the territory that included Colorado accordingly. When Congress caught onto the fact that Idaho wasn’t actually an Indian word at all, they went with Colorado. That left “Idaho” free for the taking—and now it had a reputation. And in 1863, Congress dubbed the state territory Idaho.
• Illinois
If you were to pronounce “Illinois” using French pronunciation rules, it would sound something like Ill-in-WAH. That’s the key to understanding why Illinois is spelled that way—despite being pronounced Ill-in-OY. When French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle discovered the land, he called it by the name of the Native American tribe in the area: the Illiniwok. He spelled it “Illinois,” as the French would. That’s the name Congress chose in 1818, but with a pronunciation that was decidedly not French. As for why Chicago is known as the “Windy City,” let’s just say the French weren’t clever enough to come up with that nickname.
• Indiana
No one would blame Indiana for having an identity crisis back in its early days. First, it was ruled by the French. When the English took over from the French, the territory became a county of Virginia before being separated into the Northwest Territory. By the early 19th century, Indiana had its own geographical boundaries and a name (named after the “Indians” from whom the land was acquired)—which it shared with Michigan until 1805 and Illinois until 1809.
• Iowa
Iowa takes its name from the tribe of Native Americans who lived in the area (the Ayuxwa, or the English spelling: Ioways). The name is believed to mean, “one who puts to sleep.” Iowa‘s first recorded use was by Lieutenant Albert M. Lea, who had ventured across it on a mission in 1835 (when it was still part of the Wisconsin Territory) and later wrote about it in a book he published in 1836.
• Kansas
Kansas takes its name from the Kansa tribe that lived in the area; the name loosely translates to “people of the South Wind.” The first recorded use of the name was by French explorers, who first explored the land in 1812. One explorer wrote the name Kansas on a map and after that, it just stuck.
• Kentucky
Some experts believe the name comes from the Wyandot tribal name for “plain,” in reference to the central plains of the state. Other historians say it comes from the Iroquoian word meaning, “prairie.” Some say the name means “dark and bloody ground.” See if you can guess which American president was born in Kentucky.
• Louisiana
Dubbed in 1862 by the same French explorer who later named Illinois, Louisiana honors King Louis XIV of France. The land was claimed by France until 1803 when Thomas Jefferson purchased as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Believe it or not, the purchase was supposed to be memorialized on Mt. Rushmore, but here’s what went wrong along with many other iconic American landmarks that used to have completely different looks.
• Maine
The first record of Maine being called “Maine” was dated August 10, 1622, and comes from English Royal Navy veterans Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Captain John Mason. Historians believe they called the territory Maine to distinguish it from all the islands off the coast. Of course, the area was first discovered by the French. To settle the matter, the Maine legislature adopted a resolution in 2001 stating that “Maine” was named after the French province by the same name.
• Maryland
Maryland is named for a French-born queen of England: King Charles’ wife, Queen Henrietta Maria (a.k.a., Queen Mary). When King Charles gave Lord Baltimore a charter in 1632 to establish the new colony, he included the stipulation that it be named in his wife’s honor.
• Massachusetts
This New England state was named after the Massachusetts Indians who lived in the region, the name loosely translates to “at the great hill.” The name was first recorded in by Captain John Smith, who visited the area in 1614, in his book, A Description of New England. Smith also gave New England its name. When you’re in Massachusetts, don’t forget to check out the New England Trail, one of America’s most stunning hiking trails.
• Michigan
The name comes from the Chippewa word “michigama” which means “great or large lake.”European explorers named Lake Michigan after the tribe’s word in 1670. Later, the entire state took that name as well.
• Minnesota
Minnesota’s name comes from the Dakota tribe’s words for “water”—mni—and “clouds”—sota. But whether the water was cloudy, or whether the water was so clear it reflected the clouds in the sky is a mystery we may never solve.
• Mississippi
The name comes from the river, which got its name from the Native American communities that used it for transportation and food. They called it misi sipi, which translates to “big water.”
• Missouri
The Sioux tribe is the source for the name of Missouri, according to Missouri’s Secretary of State. The word has often been interpreted to mean “muddy water,” but according to the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology, the name means “town of the large canoes.”

• Montana
Montana is the fourth largest state by area (behind Alaska, Texas, and California) but it is also one of the country’s least densely populated states. Its name is derived from the Spanish word montana meaning “mountain,” even though Montana’s average elevation of 3,400 feet makes it the lowest of all the Rocky Mountain States.
• Nebraska
The state name of Nebraska is derived from the Native American name for the Platte River, which runs through it (“Nebrathka” meaning “flat water”). The name was first used in writing in 1842 by John Charles Frémont, and it stuck.
• Nevada
Nevada was named for the nearby mountain range—mostly in California—called the Sierra Nevadas. The name comes from the Spanish settlers who marveled at the snowy peaks (nevada translates to “snow-covered”). In 1859, Congress shortened the name of the territory (that became the state) to Nevada. Note: Nevadans prefer to pronounce the state’s name with the flat “a” like the one in “trap” even though the name’s derived from the Spanish, which means the “a” would sound like the one in “palm.”
• New Hampshire
Named by Captain John Mason after Hampshire county in England, the state was the ninth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution and the first state to have its own constitution. Its spirit of independence is epitomized in the state motto—”Live Free or Die.” It plays an important role in national elections, as it is the first state to hold national primaries, and its primary results are thought to influence those in the rest of the nation, giving rise to the saying “As New Hampshire goes, so goes the nation.”
• New Jersey
The name comes from the English Channel island of Jersey in honor of Sir George Carteret (one of the two men to whom the land of New Jersey was originally given). And Sir Carteret? He’s the namesake of the township called Carteret—in New Jersey. Although the state is known for its industry, its “Garden State” nickname is well-deserved: New Jersey is a leading producer of cranberries, blueberries, and tomatoes.
• New Mexico
New Mexico was the name the Spanish used for lands north of the Rio Grande. Mexico refers to an Aztec god, Mexitli. The name New Mexico was given to the land ceded to the United States by Mexico after the Mexican-American War.
• New York
In 1624, the Dutch arrived in the land that’s now New York and called it New Amsterdam (after Holland’s biggest city). By 1664, New Amsterdam fell into the hands of the British, who renamed it New York in honor of the Duke of York. In 1673, the Dutch regained control of New York and rechristened it New Orange, its official name for about a year—at which point it was permanently ceded to the British under the Treaty of Westminster, and it went back to being New York.
• North Carolina
North and South Carolina were part of one colony until 1729 when the Province of Carolina was split. In 1629, King Charles I granted the territory to Sir Robert Heath; he named it Carolina. This word is derived from the name Carolus, translated as “Charles.” King Charles II, who granted another charter that expanded the Province, also was honored by the name.
• North Dakota
The land that is now North Dakota was acquired from the French as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The “Dakota Territory” was formed in 1861 and included what is now North and South Dakota, as well as Montana and Wyoming. Dakota comes from a Sioux tribe from the region, and translates to “friend.” In 1889, the Dakotas were admitted into the Union as states (Montana also became a state in 1889; Wyoming followed in 1890).
• Ohio
According to History.com, Ohio got its name from the Iroquois word, “O-Y-O,” which means “great river.” The nickname, the “Buckeye State,” refers to the local buckeye tree, whose fruit was believed by early native Americans to bear a striking resemblance to the eye of male deer.
• Oklahoma
“Okla humma” was a phrase in the Choctaw language that described the skin-color of Native Americans as a whole. Okla means “people” and humma means “red.” In 1890, two years after the area was opened to white settlers, the anglicized version of the name was approved for the territory.
• Oregon
The first use of Oregon seems to date back to 1778 and refers to the local river—now called the Columbia. There are numerous theories as to the origins of the state’s name—not to mention how it’s pronounced: Ore-gun? Or the locals’ preferred three-syllable OR-a-gun?
• Pennsylvania
In 1681, England’s King Charles II (the same one who chartered Maryland in 1832), gave William Penn, a Quaker, the right to settle there. The King didn’t specify that the settlement should have any particular name, so Penn named it “Pennsylvania,” after his father, Admiral Sir William Penn. Or himself, depending on how you look at it.
• Rhode Island
The first mention of the name can be found in a letter from 1524 from the explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano: He refers to an island near the mouth of Narragansett Bay that looks like the Isle of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea. “Rhode Island” stuck as the informal name until it was adopted as the official colony name in 1663.
• South Carolina
South Carolina has the same origin story as North Carolina, but its own unique topography and history. It’s home to more than 350 golf courses and had a relationship to the game of golf since as early as 1743 when the city of Charleston welcomed a shipment of golf balls and clubs from Scotland.
• South Dakota
The origins of South Dakota’s name are the same as that of North Dakota. But just a year after the Louisiana Purchase, Fort Pierre was established by the Lewis and Clark expedition as South Dakota’s first permanent American settlement. Fun fact: South Dakota was admitted to the Union just moments before North Dakota, but that decision was entirely random. President Benjamin Harrison just shuffled the bills for both of the Dakotas and signed one at random.
• Tennessee
Parts of Tennessee were almost included in a 14th colony that would have been known as “Transylvania.” Otherwise, details for the origin of “Tennessee” have been lost over time, but Spanish explorer Captain Juan Pardo was the first to record the name in 1567. As the story goes, he and his soldiers had encountered a native American village called “Tanasqui.” Many, many spellings were tried out, but the first record of one that stuck is in an official correspondence from the Governor of South Carolina in the 1750’s. Tennessee became a state in 1796.
• Texas
Texas comes from the word teysha meaning “hello friend” in the language of the Caddo tribe. Spanish explorers and settlers used this word in the 16th century to refer to the friendly tribes throughout Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. The first recorded use predates 1689 when the area was referred to as “the great kingdom of Texas” by a Spanish explorer. Although the reference, itself, created a debate (about whether anyone should be calling the land a kingdom or calling it a word that’s merely a greeting), but it stuck.
• Utah
Mountains, high plateaus, and deserts distinguish Utah’s topography. When Spanish settlers arrived in the area in the late 16th century, they noticed that some of the native tribes lived in the mountains, while some lived in the valleys. The Apache word, yuttahih refers to either “high places” or “people who live in high places.” It stuck with the settlers, who referred to the natives who lived in the mountains as the Ute people (the Utes are a native American tribe living primarily in Utah to this day) and the land as Utah.
• Vermont
“Vermont” is a portmanteau of sorts from the French words for “green” and “mountain”—verd and mont. (Vermont is the Green Mountain State, after all.) The French explorer, Samuel de Champlain first recorded the name on a map in 1647. Thinking of where you want to retire?
• Virginia
Virginia was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England, also known as the Virgin Queen. It’s thought that Sir Walter Raleigh suggested the name to the Queen in 1584 when she gave Raleigh permission to colonize the land.
• Washington
Yep: Both Washington State (and Washington D.C.) are named for the first president of the United States. Granted statehood in 1889, Washington is the only state named after a president.
• West Virginia
When West Virginia withdrew from Virginia in 1861 because it didn’t agree with Virginia’s seceding from the Union, it considered the names, “Kanawha,” “Vandalia,” “Augusta,” “Allegheny,” “New Virginia,” and “Western Virginia.” But despite their political disagreement with Virginia, residents in the western half of the state still retained a fondness for the name.
• Wisconsin
Wisconsin was originally “Meskonsing,” which is the Native American name for the river (now called Wisconsin as well) that runs 430 miles through the state. The English eventually changed the spelling to “Wisconsin,” because that’s what the Indian word sounded like to them. “Recent scholarship has concluded that the word actually means, ‘this stream meanders through something red,'” according to WisconsinHistory.org and that the “something red” is Wisconsin’s sandstone bluffs (the Wisconsin Dells).
• Wyoming
Depending on who you talk to, the word Wyoming means either “large plains,” “mountains and valleys alternating,” “at the big river flat,” or “a large prairie place.” What is known for certain is that the name was proposed by Ohio Congressman James M. Ashley in 1865, although he later questioned his decision to support creating a congressional district out of the incredibly arid land. Wyoming became a territory in 1868 and a state in 1890.