Why is california named california?

California was named by the Spanish following its discovery by Hernan Cortes, but there are two possible origins for its name. One theory says that the name comes from a few descriptive words in Catalan, and the other says that they came from the name of the mythical land of Queen Califa. read more

But even though the name "California" is known throughout the world, most people, including its own residents, are unaware of the origin of its name. And this origin story demonstrates that the California dream is not a new phenomenon, but rather has existed in the imagination of men and women for hundreds of years. read more