Why is the USA named after Amerigo Vespucci?

Today I found out how the Americas got their name. Like most, I've known that the Americas were named after Amerigo Vespucci since my early education. However, the story behind why this is the case is somewhat more interesting and quite a bit less well known. read more

The United States is located on the continent of North America, as are the nations of Canada and Mexico -- hence the United States of America. The continent was named for Vespucci (1454-1512), an Italian navigator and explorer, who developed a method for determining longitude. read more

Also, unlike Christopher Columbus, invariably referred to by his last name, Vespucci was one of those people known in his own lifetime mostly by his first. The most interesting question of all is why America was named after a guy who was otherwise so obscure. read more

I don't think America was named after Amerigo Vespucci, because places are usually named after a person's surname. I think America was named after Richard Amerike a wealthy English merchant who lived in the 15th Century. read more