Painting of Queen Elizabeth I (public domain image on Wikipedia).
What does "Virginia" mean?
The state of Virginia was named after England's Queen Elizabeth I. In the early 1600's, all of North America that was not Spanish or French was then called "Virginia" in honor of "The Virgin Queen," and the earliest English colonial expeditions were sent by the Virginia Company of London. Virginia became the 10th state on June 25, 1788.
State names originate from historical figures, natural formations, European and Native American languages, and one state name was just "made up." Do you know the origin of your state's name? All State Name Origins
