List of geographic acronyms and initialisms

This is a list of geographic acronyms and initialisms. That is, it's a list of the names of cities, towns, lakes, and other geographic places that are derived from acronyms. Acronyms are abbreviations formed by the initial letter or letters of the words that make up a multi-word term.

For the most part, the geographic names in this list were derived from three or more other names or words. Those derived from only two names are usually considered portmanteaus and can be found in the List of geographic portmanteaus. However, there are exceptions to this two/three rule in both lists, so it is more of a guideline than a hard-and-fast rule.

Regions

Countries

  • PakistanPunjab, Afghania, Kashmir, Sindh, (I for pronunciation) and BaluchisTAN, the northern provinces of British India. The name also means Land of the Pure in Urdu and Persian.

Provinces

Other regions

  • Banzare Coast, Wilkes Land, Antarctica — British–Australian–New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition[1]
  • BeneluxBElgium NEtherlands LUXembourg
  • Calabarzon — the Southern Tagalog Mainland region of the Philippines, comprising five provinces: CAvite, LAguna, BAtangas, Rizal, and QueZON
  • Luzviminda — three island groups in the Philippines: LUZon, VIsayas, and MINDAnao
  • Mimaropa, Philippines — provinces comprising the Southwestern Tagalog Region: MIndoro (East and West), MArinduque, ROmblon and PAlawan
  • NOVANOrthern VirginiA
  • Shoshanguve, South Aftrica — SOtho, SHAngaan, NGUni and VEnda, the languages of the peoples relocated to this township[2]
  • Soccsksargen, Philippines — administrative region: SOuth Cotabato, Cotabato City, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, SARangani and GENeral Santos City
  • SOWEGASOuth WEst GeorgiA
  • TAG CornerTennessee Alabama Georgia

Populated places

Places named after companies

Many of these places are former company towns.

Places named after people

Other places

Neighborhoods

Many of these names were the result of neighborhood rebranding, first in New York, and then in other cities. The names were mostly coined in imitation of Soho in Manhattan.

New York

Los Angeles

Denver, Colorado

  • LoDoLOwer DOwntown
  • LoHi — LOwer HIghland
  • RiNo — RIver NOrth Art District
  • SoBro — SOuth BROadway

Metropolitan and suburban areas

  • Camanava — the Northern Manila District of Metro Manila, Philippines; cities: CAloocan, MAlabon, NAvotas, VAlenzuela
  • Gerbangkertosusila — official acronym for the Surabaya Extended Metropolitan Area in East Java, Indonesia: GREsik BANGkalan MojoKERTO SUrabaya SIdoarjo LAmongan
  • Jabodetabek — the capital of Indonesia and suburbs: JAkarta, BOgor, DEpok, TAngerang and BEKasi
  • Muntapat, Metro Manila, Philippines — three cities: MUNtinlupa, TAguig, PATeros
  • Muntiparlas, Metro Manila, Philippines — three cities: MUNTInlupa, PARañaque, LAS Piñas
  • Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa — SOuth WEstern TOwnships

In other cities

  • CARAG, Minneapolis, Minnesota — Calhoun Area Residents' Action Group
  • NoBo, Traverse City, MichiganNOrth BOardman Lake District[76]
  • NoDa, Charlotte, NC — NOrth DAvidson Street
  • NoMa, Washington, DC — NOrth of MAssachusetts Avenue
  • NoPa, San Francisco, California — NOrth of the PAnhandle
  • Lamasco, Evansville, Indiana — town founders: John and William LAw, James B. MAcCall, Lucius H. SCOtt[16]
  • SoBe, Miami Beach, Florida — SOuth BEach
  • SoBo, Mumbai — SOuth BOmbay
  • Sobro, Nashville, Tennessee — SOuth of BROadway
  • SoDo, Seattle, Washington — originally SOuth of the DOme; now SOuth of DOwntown
  • SoHo, Hong KongSOuth of HOllywood Road
  • SoHo, London, Ontario — SOuth of HOrton Street[77]
  • SoHo (Tampa), Florida — SOuth of HOward Avenue
  • Soho, West Midlands (Birmingham, England) — SOuth HOuse
  • SoMa, San Francisco, California — SOuth of MArket Street
  • SoMa, Vancouver, British Columbia — SOuth MAin
  • SoPi, Paris — SOuth of PIgalle

Natural features

Bodies of water

  • Ayceecee Creek, British Columbia[78]Alpine Club of Canada (creek draining glaciers on Three Bears Mountain)[79]
  • Lake Carasaljo — daughters of Joseph Brick, owner of local Bergen Iron Works: CARrie (A for pronunciation), SALly, and JOsephine[61]:322
  • Copco Lake, California — California Oregon Power COmpany
  • Emar Lake, Saskatchewan[80]Eldorado Mining And Refining[11]
  • Lake Jacomo, Missouri — JAckson COunty, MissOuri
  • Owaa Lake, Saskatchewan[81]Outdoor Writers Association of America (to mark a meeting of that organization in June 1967)[11]
  • Sareco Bay, Saskatchewan[82]SAskatchewan REsearch COuncil; contains Sareco Island[11]
  • Snafu Lake, Yukon — Situation Normal, All Fucked Up[47]:69 (drained by Snafu Creek[83]); there is also a Snafu Lake in Ontario[84] and a Snafu Creek in Northwest Territories[85]
  • Swenoda Lake and Swenoda Township, Swift County, MinnesotaSWEdish NOrwegian DAnish, nationalities of settlers in that region[86]
  • Lake Taneycomo, Missouri — TANEY COunty, MissOuri
  • Tarfu Lake, Yukon — Things Are Really Fucked Up[47]:69 (fed and drained by Tarfu Creek[87])
  • Lake Wagejo, Michigan — WAlter Koelz, GEorge Stanley, JOhn Brumm, zoologists[7]

Topography

  • Delmarva PeninsulaDELaware MARyland VirginiA
  • Fasp Mountain, British Columbia[88]First Aid Ski Patrol[89]
  • Isar Mountain, Washington/British Columbia[90]Internation Search And Rescue[91]
  • Multorpor Butte or Mountain[92] — a mountain near Mount Hood: MULTnomah County, ORegon, PORtland[14]
  • Tamu MassifTexas A&M University; large undersea volcano in the western Pacific named by scientist after the school he taught at
  • Ubyssey Glacier, Mount Garibaldi, British Columbia[93]University of British Columbia[12]
  • Veeocee Mountain, British Columbia[94]Varsity Outdoor Club of the University of British Columbia[95]

Others

See also

References

  1. "Banzare Coast". Geographic Names Information Service. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  2. Jenkins, Elwyn (2007). Falling into Place: The Story of Modern South African Place Names. New Africa Books. ISBN 9780864866899.
  3. Foscue, Virginia O. (1989). Place Names in Alabama. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 9780817304102.
  4. D'Artois Leeper, Clare (2012). Louisiana Place Names: Popular, Unusual, and Forgotten Stories of Towns, Cities, Plantations, Bayous, and Even Some Cemeteries. LSU Press. ISBN 9780807147382.
  5. Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. hdl:2027/uc1.b3624093.
  6. Krakow, Kenneth K. (November 1999). Georgia Place-Names (Third ed.). Macon, Georgia: Winship Press. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
  7. Stewart, George R. (1970). American place-names; a concise and selective dictionary for the continental United States of America. New York: Oxford University Press.
  8. Marden, Ernest G.; Marden, Austin (2010). Community Place Names of Alberta. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1897472170.
  9. "Calavo Gardens, California". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  10. Gudde, Erwin Gustav (2010). California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520266193.
  11. Barry, Bill (September 2005). Geographic Names of Saskatchewan. Regina, Saskatchewan: People Places Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 1-897010-19-2.
  12. Akrigg, G. P. (Philip) V.; Akrigg, Helen (2011). British Columbia Place Names (Third ed.). UBC Press. ISBN 978-0774841702.
  13. Callary, Edward (October 2009). Place Names of Illinois. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-03356-8.
  14. McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (1992). Oregon Geographic Names (6th ed.). Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 0-87595-237-2.
  15. Hanson, Raus McDill (1969). Virginia Place Names: Derivations, Historical Uses. McClure Press.
  16. Rennick, Robert M. (2013). Kentucky Place Names. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813144016.
  17. "Cominco". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  18. "Copco". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  19. "Domex". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  20. "Gimco City, Indiana". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  21. Baker, Ronald L. (October 1995). From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-32866-3.
  22. "Kicco, Florida". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  23. Morris, Allan (1995). Florida Place Names: Alachua to Zolfo Springs. Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press, Inc. ISBN 1-56164-084-0.
  24. Barnes, Will Croft (2016). Arizona Place Names. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 9780816534951.
  25. Bishop, Eliza H. (2010-06-15). "Latexo, TX". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  26. Canadian Board on Geographical Names (1928). Place-names of Alberta. Ottawa: F. A. Acland, printer. hdl:2027/mdp.39015070267029.
  27. Ochoa, Ruben E. (2010-06-15). "Mico, TX". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  28. Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. State Historical Society.
  29. Rayburn, Alan (1997). Place names of Ontario. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-7207-0.
  30. "Norco, Saskatchewan". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  31. Williams, Mary Ann Barnes (1966). Origins of North Dakota Place Names. Bismarck, ND: Bismarck Tribune.
  32. "Champion, Oregon". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  33. "Pennsuco, Florida". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  34. "Phosmico Railway Station, Florida". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  35. Knight, Victor M. (1993). Vic Knight's Florida. Pelican Publishing. p. 29. ISBN 9781455613595.
  36. Romig, Walter (1973). Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 9780814318386.
  37. Meany, Edmund S. (1923). Origin of Washington geographic names. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. hdl:2027/mdp.39015027074981.
  38. Hazelwood, Claudia (2010-06-15). "Saspamco, TX". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  39. Tarpley, Fred (2010). 1001 Texas Place Names. University of Texas Press. p. 148. ISBN 9780292786936.
  40. Van Cott, John W. (1990). Utah Place Names: A Comprehensive Guide to the Origins of Geographic Names : a Compilation. University of Utah Press. ISBN 9780874803457.
  41. "Vancorum". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  42. Bright, William (2004). Colorado Place Names. Big Earth Publishing. ISBN 9781555663339.
  43. Garza, Alicia A. (2010-06-15). "Weslaco, Tx". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  44. "Zimco, Alabama". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  45. Moyer, Armond; Moyer, Winifred (1958). The origins of unusual place-names. Keystone Pub. Associates. hdl:2027/wu.89058322223.
  46. Ramsay, Robert L. (1952). Our Storehouse of Missouri Place Names. University of Missouri Press. ISBN 9780826205865.
  47. Rayburn, Alan (2001). Naming Canada: Stories about Canadian Place Names. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9780802047250.
  48. Boone, Lalia Phipps (1988). Idaho place names : a geographical dictionary. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press. ISBN 0893011193.
  49. Fitzpatrick, Lilian L. (1925). Nebraska Place-Names. University of Nebraska Press.
  50. "Chaney, Oklahoma". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  51. Shirk, George H (1987). Oklahoma Place Names. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 48. ISBN 0-8061-2028-2.
  52. Savage, Tom (2007). A Dictionary of Iowa Place-Names (revised ed.). University of Iowa Press. ISBN 9781587297595.
  53. "About Us". city of delmar. City of Delmar. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  54. "Village of Edmore". About.
  55. "Eram, Oklahoma". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  56. Shirk, George H (1987). Oklahoma Place Names. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-2028-2.
  57. Helm, Phylena (2010-06-12). "Fastrill, TX". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  58. "Unusual place names". Landgate. Western Australian Land Information Authority. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  59. "Golah, New York". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  60. Federal Writers' Project (1940). South Dakota place-names, v.1-3. University of South Dakota. hdl:2027/mdp.39015027015455.
  61. Temple, Robert D. (2009). Edge Effects: the Border-Name Places (2nd ed.). Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse, Inc. ISBN 978-0-595-47758-6.
  62. "Jacam, Manitoba". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  63. Geographic Board of Canada (1933). Place-names of Manitoba. Ottawa: J. O. Patenaude, acting King's printer. hdl:2027/mdp.39015027929515.
  64. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States (PDF) (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: United States Geologic Survey.
  65. Brigham, Johnson. "How Le Mars was Named". Annals of Iowa. State Historical Society of Iowa. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  66. Julyan, Robert Hixson (1996). The Place Names of New Mexico (revised ed.). UNM Press. ISBN 9780826316899.
  67. Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways (2nd ed.).
  68. Overman, William Daniel (1959). Ohio Town Names. Akron, Ohio: Atlantic Press. hdl:2027/mdp.39015015361465.
  69. "The only Primghar in the World". A Brief History of Primghar, Iowa. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  70. "Soda, TX". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  71. "Tako, Saskatchewan". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  72. "Cashus Marshall Columbus Theodore Claybourn". Claybourn Genealogical Society. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  73. "Wahjamega an Odd name with a Tragic History". Lost In Michigan. 2016-02-20. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  74. Savage, Cynthia. "Okarche". The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  75. "Usna, Oklahoma". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  76. "An Afternoon in Traverse City's NOBO District". www.traversecity.com. 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  77. "Central SOHO". NeighbourGood London. Neighbourhood Development and Support, London ON. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  78. "Ayceecee Creek". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  79. "Three Bears Mountain". Bivouac.com. Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  80. "Emar Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  81. "Owaa Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  82. "Sareco Bay". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  83. "Snafu Creek, YT". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  84. "Snafu Lake, Ont". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  85. "Snafu Creek, NW". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  86. Upham, W. (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance, v. 17. Minnesota Historical Society.
  87. "Tarfu Creek". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  88. "Fasp Mountain". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  89. "Fasp Mountain". Bivouac.com. Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  90. "Isar Mountain". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  91. "Isar Mountain". Bivouac.com. Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  92. "Multorpor Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  93. "Ubyssey Glacier". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  94. "Veeocee Mountain". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  95. "Veeocee Mountain". Bivouac.com. Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  96. Wilkin, Jeff. "Capital Region Scrapbook: Mohonasen's Class of 1960 looks back". The Daily Gazette. The Daily Gazette Co. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.