Why Is Iceland called Greenland, and vice versa?

Question

Why is Iceland called Greenland

And

Why is Greenland called Iceland

When Greenland has Ice

and Iceland has land.

Answer 1

Iceland is from the same word in their language: Ísland. It is a concatenation of Ís + Land, meaning ice-land. Because it's cold. That one's pretty self explanatory.

"Greenland" has two explanations, neither of which is verifiable. The place was named by Erik the Red when he discovered it in the year 982.

One story says that his family was from Grønland, a town in Norway, and the name comes from that. That happens alot, people naming a place after the place they came from: New York, New England, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia. etc.

Another story says that he simply called it that to make it sound nice (even though it is very cold and harsh) to attract settlers.

The two were named independently - there's no oversight or review to make sure names "make the most sense." They make as much sense as they need to - we know where they came from, and why they're called what they're called. They both are cold and icy, and they both have land. I wouldn't worry too much about comparing the two.

Answer 2

Iceland Vs Greenland

Answer 3

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RE:
Why Is Iceland called Greenland, and vice versa?
Why is Iceland called Greenland

And

Why is Greenland called Iceland

When Greenland has Ice

and Iceland has land.

Answer 4

Why Is Iceland Called Iceland

Answer 5

They aren't switched . They are two completley different countries. It's true though that Greenland has Ice

and Iceland has land. Very pecilluar. I totally agree . They should talk at the U.N and reach an agreement to formally switch their names. It would make much more sense.

Answer 6

From what I remember of school.................... I think the Vikings discovered both, and loved Iceland, but weren't too impressed with Greenland, so the settlers in Iceland named it opposite so they would have it to themselves, and people would go to Greenland thinking it was nice and leave them alone in Iceland

Answer 7

very simple in fact. The Vikings discovered greeland during summer, and Iceland during winter. And greenland is not call iceland...two totally different countries..

Answer 8

I'm not sure. I think it was because of vikings and they were runnign away from the Eauropeans or something and thye discovered Iceland and they didn't want the Europeans to find out so they switched the names. I think. Or they jsut weren't very smart. Sorry if my typing sucks, I was typing as fast as my sister could talk with two fingers lol

Answer 9

Iceland was named first, and , surprise! No one wanted to move to Iceland.

so even though Greenland was colder, they weren't going to name it COLDER-than-Iceland.

think of it as marketing.

Answer 10

Greenland has land too. Even more now since the glaciers are melting.