Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris Does anyone know what 'London' means? | CITY NAME ORIGINS
Jan 28, 2026
A whirlwind tour of how city names reveal history, language contact, and migration. Stories range from Chicagoâs garlicky roots to New Yorkâs link with York and Roman-to-Viking name changes. Learn about English suffixes like -ham and -chester, mysterious London origins, Norse and Welsh influences, and surprising name swaps like Austinâs Waterloo and Bostonâs transatlantic copy.
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New York's Name Is A Political Rename
- New York was New Amsterdam before English control and was renamed for the Duke of York, not directly for the city of York.
- The name York itself evolved from Roman Iborarchum through Anglo-Saxon and Norse forms into modern York.
Chicago Means Wild Garlic
- Chicago comes from a Native American word Shikakwa referring to wild garlic in the region.
- French explorers recorded it and it evolved into the modern name Chicago.
Windy City Was An Insult First
- The nickname 'Windy City' originally mocked Chicago's boastfulness in civic rivalries, not its weather.
- Cities often reclaim insulting nicknames and turn them into local brands.
