How Canada Got Her Name

I love my country and I love its name. “Canada” rolls off the tongue. Unlike our neighbours to the south, our name is short and uncomplicated, with no need for abbreviation. Unlike the confusion between England, Britain, and the UK, Canada doesn’t need explaining. Unlike countries in Africa, Asia, or Eastern Europe, it doesn’t change names and boundary lines every few decades. No matter what country you visit, people know what you mean when you say you’re Canadian.

If you didn’t already know, you likely guessed that the name has Indigenous roots. Around 1535, two Aboriginal youths told French explorer Jacques Cartier about the route to Kanata. They were referring to the village of Stadacona, presently Québec City. The name originally comes from the Huron-Iroquois word kanata meaning “village” or “settlement.” Cartier either misheard or misunderstood and used “Canada” to describe the entire area. By 1547, maps had already begun referring to everything north of the St. Lawrence River as Canada.

During those early years, “Canada” corresponded only to what we now call Quebec and Ontario. The idea that Canada might be the name of a country came much later. By the late 1850s, the joining of the British North American colonies had been discussed at great length. The concept gained momentum during the Charlottetown Conference in 1864. Thirty-six representatives from the colonies—known as the Fathers of Confederation—met to discuss the formation of a new nation. Finally, after several conferences, the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick came together to form the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. “Dominion Day” was born—now called, of course, Canada Day.

Like any conference, lots of other suggestions for what to name this land were put forth. In honour of Queen Victoria and her late husband, the names Albertsland and Victorialand made the list of possibilities. The Latin word meaning northern, “Borealia” was suggested. What would we call ourselves if that one had won—Borealists? Another alternative was “Hochelaga” (now known as Montreal), the Iroquois name for “beaver path.” I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief that one didn’t make the cut. “Mesoplagia” was another suggestion. It means “land between the seas.” Seems to me that could apply to a lot of places. Other options included Norland, Cabotia, Superior, and an acronym standing for England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and Aborigines: "Efisga." Good grief!

The most common alternative theory about how we got our name suggests that it originated when Portuguese or Spanish explorers, having searched the northern part of the continent for gold and silver and finding none, wrote “cá nada” on their maps, meaning “nothing here” in Portuguese. “Nothing here” is so far from the truth it’s laughable. In 2022, gold was one of our top exports at 14.7 billion dollars. Canada is rich enough in resources to help feed the entire world.

Aren’t you glad that her Indigenous name prevailed?

This Canada Day, whether you are new to our country or whether your roots were planted here before recorded history—or, like me, somewhere in between—I hope you can celebrate and give thanks for this beautiful land we call, first and foremost, home.