Indigenous
Walla Walla
Washington (WA)est. 1859pop. 34,060/WAH-luh WAH-luh/
The meaning
“Many waters / little swift river”
How it got the name
In Sahaptin, repeating a word makes a diminutive: walla means 'water' or 'river,' so walla walla is 'little river' or, as it is usually rendered, 'many waters.' The town motto leans into it: 'the town so nice they named it twice.'
Former names
- Steptoeville
- Waiilatpu (mission area)
- Walla Walla