Arizona (English)

Where does "Arizona" come from?

The origin of the name Arizona remains uncertain, though it likely stems from the O'odham phrase 'alĭ ṣonak,' meaning 'small spring,' which was filtered through Spanish as 'Arizonac.' Another compelling theory suggests it derives from the Basque words 'haritz ona,' or 'good oak,' left by early Basque settlers in the region. While some have suggested it means 'silver-bearing' in Nahuatl or refers to a 'dry zone' in Spanish, these explanations are largely considered historically implausible.

Full etymology tree

• Arizona (English), 'A state in the southwestern United States, established 1912. Capital: Phoenix.'
  • borrowed Arizonac (Spanish)
    • borrowed alĭ ṣonak (O'odham)
  • borrowed haritz ona (Basque)

Direct ancestors

• Arizona (Spanish)

Updated July 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris