Type Political Subdivision & Island
Usage English, Spanish, Italian, Literature
Pronounced Pron. /ˌkæl.ɪ.ˈfɔɹ.njə/(American English) /ˌkæl.ɪ.ˈfɔː.njə/(British English) /ka.li.ˈfor.nja/(Spanish) /ka.li.ˈfɔr.nja/(Italian) [key·simplify]
Meaning & History
From the name of a fictional utopian island populated only by women in the 16th-century novel The Adventures of Esplandián by the Spanish author Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The name comes from the island's queen, Calafia, itself probably derived from Arabic خليفة (khalifah), an Islamic title meaning "successor". This is the name of an American state as well as two states of Mexico (Baja California and Baja California Sur).
Related Names
RootCalafia (given name)
Other Languages & CulturesCalifornie(French) Kalifornien(German) Califórnia(Portuguese) Kalifornien(Swedish)
Same SpellingCalifórnia
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