which u.s. state was named in honor of queen elizabeth i?

Quick Answer

The U.S. state named in honor of Queen Elizabeth I is Virginia.

Why “Virginia”?

Virginia’s name pays tribute to England’s Queen Elizabeth I , who reigned from 1558 to 1603 and was famously known as “the Virgin Queen” because she never married.

• In about 1584 , explorer Sir Walter Raleigh proposed the name “Virginia” for the parts of the North American coast not controlled by Spain or France, specifically to honor Elizabeth I.

• The name stuck and was used for the Virginia Colony established in 1607 , which later became the Commonwealth of Virginia after American independence.

• Virginia officially became the 10th U.S. state on June 25, 1788.

Fun Extra: What About West Virginia?

While Virginia is the state directly named for Elizabeth I, West Virginia also indirectly carries that legacy:

• West Virginia was created when the western counties of Virginia broke away during the Civil War and became a separate state in 1863.

• So, while West Virginia’s name comes from its geographic and political origin (“western part of Virginia”), its ultimate root is still tied to the “Virgin Queen.”

TL;DR

• Virginia = named directly for Queen Elizabeth I , the “Virgin Queen.”

• West Virginia = named for being the western part of Virginia, so it’s indirectly linked too.

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