justlookingforajob1 t1_j6g089o wrote on January 30, 2023 at 1:43 AM

Reply to comment by TheVicSageQuestion in ELI5: How do they come up with names for countries in foreign languages? by bentobam

From the Latin Germania which is what the Romans called the Germanic tribes who lived beyond the borders of the empire in that direction. I don't know where that term came from.

But an example is Bahamas is from the Spanish words "Baja mar" for "shallow sea"

TheVicSageQuestion t1_j6g3325 wrote on January 30, 2023 at 2:03 AM

See, I thought the Bahamas were named after Baja Blast.

herrbdog t1_j6gliwt wrote on January 30, 2023 at 4:13 AM

it's from the name of a local tribe near the rhine with whom the romans had contact: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Germany#:~:text=Etymology,in%20the%201st%20century%20B.C.E.