Island Place Names

type
usage
Atlantis (Island) Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek Ἄτλας (see Atlas), a mythological king with the same name as the Titan. According to Greek mythology, Atlantis was an island that sank in the Atlantic Ocean.
Avalon (Island) Arthurian Cycle
The name of the island paradise to which King Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.
Bachrein (Country & Island) Greek
Greek form of Bahrain.
Bachreyn (Country & Island) Hebrew
Hebrew form of Bahrain.
Bahrain (Country & Island) Arabic, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Romanian, Catalan, Indonesian, Malay, Tagalog
Means "two seas" in Arabic, derived from بحر (baḥr) meaning "sea" combined with the dual suffix ين (ayn). This is the name of a small island country in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia. In Arabic it is properly written with the definite article: البحرين (al-Baḥrayn).
Bahrajn (Country & Island) Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Polish, Czech, Slovak and Slovene form of Bahrain.
Bahrayn (Country & Island) Arabic
Arabic form of Bahrain.
Bahreïn (Country & Island) French
French form of Bahrain.
Bahrein (Country & Island) Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Estonian
Form of Bahrain in several languages.
Bahreina (Country & Island) Latvian
Latvian form of Bahrain.
Bahreinas (Country & Island) Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Bahrain.
Bahreini (Country & Island) Georgian
Georgian form of Bahrain.
Bahreyn (Country & Island) Persian, Turkish, Armenian, Bulgarian
Persian, Turkish, Armenian and Bulgarian form of Bahrain.
Bakhreyn (Country & Island) Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz
Form of Bahrain in several languages.
Balin (Country & Island) Chinese
Chinese form of Bahrain.
Baréin (Country & Island) Spanish
Spanish form of Bahrain.
Barein (Country & Island) Icelandic, Korean
Icelandic and Korean form of Bahrain.
Barém (Country & Island) Portuguese
Portuguese form of Bahrain.
Bārēn (Country & Island) Japanese
Japanese form of Bahrain.
Baren (Country & Island) Thai, Japanese
Thai form of Bahrain, as well as an alternate transcription of Japanese Katakana バーレーン (see Bārēn).
Bornéo (Island) French
French form of Borneo.
Borneo (Island) Malay, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Archaic)
From a European (probably Portuguese) rendering of the name of the Sultanate of Brunei. This is an island in southeastern Asia divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. It is called Kalimantan in Indonesian.
Bornéu (Island) Portuguese
Portuguese form of Borneo.
Breizh (Island & Region) Breton
Breton form of Britain and Brittany. Great Britain is called Breizh-Veur in Breton.
Bretagna (Region & Island) Italian
Italian form of Britain and Brittany. Great Britain is called Gran Bretagna in Italian.
Bretagne (Region & Island) French, German, Dutch
French form of Britannia (see Britain). In French this typically refers to the region known as Brittany, while Great Britain is called Grande-Bretagne.
Bretaigne (Island & Region) Medieval French
Old French form of Britannia (see Britain).
Bretaña (Region & Island) Spanish
Spanish form of Britain and Brittany. Great Britain is called Gran Bretaña in Spanish.
Britain (Island) English
From Britannia, the Latin name for the island of Great Britain, the land of the Britons. It derives from the name of the Britons, recorded in Greek in the 4th century BC as Πρεττανική (Prettanike), and reconstructed as Proto-Brythonic *Pritanī, possibly meaning "tattooed people".
Britaniya (Island) Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Britain.
Britannia (Island) Ancient Roman
Latin form of Britain.
Britannien (Island) German, Swedish, Danish
German, Swedish and Danish form of Britain.
Brittannië (Island) Dutch
Dutch form of Britain.
Buriten (Island & Country) Japanese
Japanese form of Britain.
California (Political Subdivision & Island) English, Spanish, Italian, Literature
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 (khalīfa), 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).
Capri (Island & Settlement) Italian, English
Likely from Greek κάπρος (kapros) meaning "wild boar", though it could also be of Etruscan origin or from Latin capri meaning "goats". This is the name of an Italian island.
Ceilão (Island & Country) Portuguese
Portuguese form of Ceylon.
Ceylon (Island & Country) English
Former name of the country of Sri Lanka. It is derived from Portuguese Ceilão, ultimately from a Pali form of Sanskrit सिंहल (siṃhala) meaning "lion-like".
Chipre (Island & Country) Spanish
Spanish form of Cyprus.
Chypre (Island & Country) French
French form of Cyprus.
Cipro (Island & Country) Italian
Italian form of Cyprus.
Cypern (Island & Country) Swedish, Danish
Swedish and Danish form of Cyprus.
Cyprus (Island & Country) English, Dutch
From Greek Κύπρος (Kypros), which may get its name from the cypress tree (Greek κυπάρισσος). This is the name of an island country in the eastern Mediterranean. Although considered one nation by most other countries, the northern part of the island is occupied by Turkish forces and claims independence.
Éire (Country & Island) Irish
Possibly means "abundant land" in Old Irish. This is the Irish name of the country and island of Ireland. According to legend the island was named for the goddess Ériu, though in fact it was she who was named for the island.
Ériu (Country & Island) Old Irish
Old Irish form of Éire.
Fál (Island) Irish
From the name of the stone on the Hill of Tara where Irish high kings were crowned, called the "stone of destiny", the Lia Fáil. This is from Irish lia meaning "stone" and probably fál (genitive fáil) meaning "enclosure, fence" and figuratively "king, chief".... [more]
Gonkong (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkmen
Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian and Turkmen form of Hong Kong.
Guiné (Region, Country & Island) Portuguese
Portuguese form of Guinea.
Guinea (Region, Country & Island) English, Italian, Spanish, German
From Portuguese Guiné, which is of unknown meaning, possibly of Berber origin. This name was used by the Portuguese to refer to a portion of West Africa. It was also applied by westerners to the island of New Guinea starting in the 16th century. It is now the name or part of the full name of the countries of Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and Papua New Guinea.
Guinée (Region, Country & Island) French
French form of Guinea.
Guinee (Region, Country & Island) Dutch
Dutch form of Guinea.
Hoeng Gong (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese form of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Turkish, Persian, Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Tagalog
From Cantonese 香港 (Hoenggong), a compound of (hoeng) meaning "fragrant" and (gong) meaning "port, harbour". This is the name of a city, island and special administrative region of southeastern China.
Hongkong (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Macedonian, Korean, Khmer
Form of Hong Kong used in various languages.
Honkon (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) Japanese
Japanese form of Hong Kong.
Honkonh (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Hong Kong.
Hungh Kungh (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) Arabic
Arabic form of Hong Kong.
Hyanghang (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) Korean
Korean variant form of Hong Kong.
Ierland (Country & Island) Dutch
Dutch form of Ireland.
Ilankai (Country & Island) Tamil
Tamil form of Sri Lanka.
Ireland (Country & Island) English
Derived from Irish Gaelic Éire and English land. This is the name of an island to the west of Great Britain. The country of Ireland occupies the majority of the island.
Irland (Country & Island) German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
German, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish form of Ireland.
Irlanda (Country & Island) Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Romanian form of Ireland.
Irlande (Country & Island) French
French form of Ireland.
Irlandia (Country & Island) Polish, Greek, Georgian, Indonesian
Polish, Greek, Georgian and Indonesian form of Ireland.
Irlandiya (Country & Island) Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Ireland.
Irska (Country & Island) Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Slovene
Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian and Slovene form of Éire.
Irsko (Country & Island) Czech
Czech form of Éire.
Ithaca (Island) English, Greek Mythology
From Greek Ἰθάκη (Ithake), meaning unknown. This is the name of an island off the west coast of Greece. In Greek mythology Ithaca was the home of the hero Odysseus. Homer's epic the Odyssey describes his long and perilous voyage home after the Trojan War.
Ithake (Island) Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Ithaca.
Ithaki (Island) Greek
Modern Greek form of Ithaca.
Kıbrıs (Island & Country) Turkish
Turkish form of Cyprus.
Kypros (Island & Country) Greek, Norwegian, Ancient Greek
Greek and Norwegian form of Cyprus.
Lanka (Island) Hinduism
Meaning unknown. According to Hindu texts, this was the name of the island stronghold of the demon king Ravana. It is uncertain whether this island can be identified with Sri Lanka, though Sri Lanka does take its name from it.
Lilliput (Island) Literature
Created by the Irish author Jonathan Swift for one of the islands in his novel Gulliver's Travels (1726). The novel's hero Gulliver is shipwrecked here, a place inhabited by a society of tiny people. Lilliput, a satirical version of Great Britain, is in conflict with the neighbouring island of Blefuscu, a satirical version of France. Though Swift did not explain the source of the name, he may have based it on English little and the archaic word put meaning "fool, silly man".
Man (Island) English
From Old Irish Mana, possibly from the Celtic root *moniyo- meaning "mountain". The Isle of Man is an island between Britain and Ireland. It is a self-governing British dependency.
Mana (Island) Old Irish
Old Irish form of Man.
Manainn (Island) Irish
Irish form of Man (from the Old Irish dative case of Mana).
Manaw (Island) Welsh
Welsh form of Man.
Mannin (Island) Manx
Manx form of Man (from Manainn, the Old Irish dative case of Mana).
Moçambique (Island & Country) Portuguese, Swedish
Portuguese and Swedish form of Mozambique.
Mosambik (Island & Country) German, Norwegian
German and Norwegian form of Mozambique.
Mozambico (Island & Country) Italian
Italian form of Mozambique.
Mozambique (Island & Country) English, French, Spanish, Dutch, Danish
From the name of an island off the southeastern coast of Africa, named Moçambique by the Portuguese after the 15th-century local sultan موسى بن بيك (Mūsā bin Bīk). This island became the region's Portuguese colonial capital in the 16th century, and the name was eventually applied to a large area of mainland Africa. Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1974.
Msumbiji (Island & Country) Swahili
Swahili form of Mozambique.
Qubrus (Island & Country) Arabic
Arabic form of Cyprus.
Saint Pierre (Settlement & Island) French
Name commemorating Saint Peter. This is the name of several communes in France as well as a French island near Newfoundland.
Sgitheanach (Island) Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Skye.
Shri Lanka (Country & Island) Sinhalese, Armenian, Bulgarian, Mongolian, Uzbek
Sinhala form of Sri Lanka, as well as the Armenian, Bulgarian, Mongolian and Uzbek form.
Shri-Lanka (Country & Island) Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uzbek, Georgian
Form of Sri Lanka in several languages.
Shrilanka (Country & Island) Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu
Form of Sri Lanka in several languages.
Sicile (Island & Political Subdivision) French
French form of Sicily.
Sicília (Island & Political Subdivision) Portuguese, Catalan
Portuguese and Catalan form of Sicily.
Sicilia (Island & Political Subdivision) Italian, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Latinate form of Sicily.
Sicily (Island & Political Subdivision) English
From Latin Sicilia, itself from Greek Σικελία (Sikelia), named for the the ancient tribe of the Sicels (Σικελοί). They were probably of Italic origin, but the meaning of their tribal name is unknown. This is the name of a large island in the Mediterranean, part of Italy.
Sicilya (Island & Political Subdivision) Turkish
Turkish form of Sicily.
Sidney (Island) English
Means "wide island", from Old English sid "wide" and eg "island". This is the name of a place in Surrey.
Sikelia (Island & Political Subdivision) Greek, Ancient Greek
Greek form of Sicily.
Singapore (Country, Settlement & Island) English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Romanian
From Malay Singapura meaning "lion city", derived from Sanskrit siṃha "lion" and pura "city". This is the name of a city-state situated on an island (of the same name) at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula.
Singapour (Country, Settlement & Island) French
French form of Singapore.
Singapúr (Country, Settlement & Island) Icelandic
Icelandic form of Singapore.
Singapūra (Country, Settlement & Island) Latvian
Latvian form of Singapore.
Singapura (Country, Settlement & Island) Malay, Indonesian, Portuguese (European)
Malay, Indonesian and Portuguese form of Singapore.
Singapūras (Country, Settlement & Island) Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Singapore.
Sinhala (Island) Sanskrit
Sanskrit form of Ceylon.
Sinhapur (Country, Settlement & Island) Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Singapore.
Sinhapura (Settlement & Island) Sanskrit
Sanskrit form of Singapore.
Siqiliyya (Island & Political Subdivision) Arabic
Arabic form of Sicily.
Siri Lanka (Country & Island) Urdu
Urdu form of Sri Lanka.
Sirilanka (Country & Island) Arabic, Swahili
Arabic and Swahili form of Sri Lanka.
Sizilien (Island & Political Subdivision) German
German form of Sicily.
Skye (Island) Scottish
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Sgitheanach, meaning unknown. This is the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland.
Šri Lanka (Country & Island) Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Lithuanian
Form of Sri Lanka in several languages.
Sri Lanka (Country & Island) English, German, Dutch, Afrikaans, French, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Polish, Romanian, Albanian, Greek, Turkish, Malay, Indonesian
From Sinhalese ශ්‍රී ලංකා (Shrī Lankā), derived from the Sanskrit honorific श्री (śrī) meaning "holy, sacred" combined with the name of the legendary island of Lanka. This is an island nation in southern Asia. Formerly known as Ceylon when it was a colony of the Portuguese, Dutch and English, the country adopted the name Sri Lanka when it became a republic in 1972.
Viti (Country & Island) Fijian, English
Fijian form of Fiji. This name is also used in English (and other languages) to refer to the main Fijian island of Viti Levu.
Xianggang (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island) Chinese
Mandarin Chinese form of Hong Kong.
Zangibar (Island) Persian
Persian form of Zanzibar.
Zanjibar (Island) Arabic
Arabic form of Zanzibar.
Zanzibar (Island) Swahili, English
From Arabic زنجبار (Zanjibār), from Persian زنگبار (Zangibār), derived from زنگی (zangī) meaning "black, dark-skinned" and بار (bār) meaning "shore, coast". This is the name of an island, part of Tanzania.
Zypern (Island & Country) German
German form of Cyprus.