Classical/Biblical
Olympia
Washington (WA)est. 1850pop. 55,605/oh-LIM-pee-uh/
The meaning
“Of Mount Olympus”
How it got the name
A settler suggested the town take the name of the mountains on the horizon, which a British captain had christened Mount Olympus in 1788 because the peak looked like a fit dwelling for gods. The name traveled from Greek myth to a British sailor to a Puget Sound village in two centuries.
Former names
- Smithfield
- Cheetwoot (Lushootseed)
- Olympia