Greenland most likely got its name from the Viking explorer Erik the Red, who called it “Grœnland” (“Greenland”) around the late 10th century as a kind of early marketing strategy to attract settlers.

The Basic Story

Most historical sources trace the name to Erik the Red, a Norseman who was exiled from Iceland and sailed west to what is now Greenland around 982–986 CE. After exploring and finding some habitable fjords in the south, he named the land “Grœnland,” later rendered in English as Greenland.

A Viking Marketing Move

Medieval Icelandic texts like Íslendingabók (The Book of Icelanders) and Eiríks saga rauða (The Saga of Erik the Red) explicitly say Erik chose the name because “people would be more eager to go there if it had a good name.” In other words, calling a cold, remote island “Greenland” was a deliberate attempt to make it sound attractive to potential settlers.

Was Greenland Ever Actually Green?

There is some evidence that the southern parts of Greenland were milder and greener around the time the Norse arrived, during what’s called the Medieval Warm Period. Sources note that the areas they settled likely had grasslands and possibly light woodland, making “green land” a bit less misleading for those specific coastal regions, even though most of the island was and is covered by ice.

Greenland vs. Iceland Naming Oddity

The contrast between icy Greenland and relatively greener Iceland has become a popular trivia point and forum discussion topic. In broad strokes:

  • Greenland: Named “Greenland” to make it sound inviting and help recruit colonists.
  • Iceland: According to saga tradition, a Viking named Hrafna-Flóki saw ice-filled fjords and gave it a colder-sounding name, even though much of Iceland is not permanently ice-covered.

Here is a quick HTML table you can embed:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Land</th>
      <th>Who Named It</th>
      <th>When</th>
      <th>Reason for Name</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Greenland</td>
      <td>Erik the Red (Norse explorer)</td>
      <td>c. 10th century CE</td>
      <td>Chose “Greenland” to give it a pleasant, attractive name and draw settlers. [web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Iceland (for comparison)</td>
      <td>Hrafna-Flóki (according to saga)</td>
      <td>Early Viking Age</td>
      <td>Named after seeing ice-filled fjords, emphasizing the cold impression of the place. [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Modern Etymology Notes

Etymology references explain that “Greenland” is simply Old Norse Grœnland , literally “green land,” recorded in medieval Icelandic sources with the note that it was named so “because it would induce settlers to go there, if the land had a good name.” In Greenlandic, however, the island is called Kalaallit Nunaat , meaning “land of the Greenlanders,” which is the local name used today.

TL;DR: Greenland got its name from Erik the Red, who, according to Viking sagas, called it “Greenland” to make the harsh new colony sound appealing and encourage people to settle there.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.