15 Places That Don't Mean What You Think: Explained
Discover 15 places that don't mean what you think—from Paris, Texas to Greenland—and the surprising stories behind their misleading names.

Sacramento is the capital of California and sits at the confluence of the Sacramento and American rivers, in the heart of the Central Valley. The Sacramento River was named by Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga in 1808, and the city grew during the Gold Rush, when it served as a supply hub for miners. It became the state capital in 1854, a role it has held since, and the Capitol building anchors state government. Old Sacramento preserves historic riverfront streets from the 1850s and draws visitors year-round. The city's surrounding farmland supports a farm-to-fork dining scene, and agriculture remains a major part of the regional economy. Sacramento also has a growing population of technology and public-sector workers, along with a strong tradition of parks and river trails.
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Named after the Sacramento River, which was named by Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga in 1808 after the 'Santísimo Sacramento' (Most Holy Sacrament).
Other places in the region and their demonyms
Discover 15 places that don't mean what you think—from Paris, Texas to Greenland—and the surprising stories behind their misleading names.
From Montenegro to Naples, these 20 place names that were literally translated show how languages rebuild geography — and what the originals mean.
Want to explore where Sacramentans live? Here's the atlas that does it best:
Highly detailed, stunning visuals
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Challenge yourself with our demonym quizzes and see how many you can get right!
Take a Quiz →Challenge yourself with our demonym quizzes and see how many you can get right!
Take a Quiz →Discover demonyms from other places in this region