How Many States Were Named After People?

Ten of the 50 states were named after people. They are: Washington, named after George Washington; Pennsylvania, named after Sir William Penn; Louisiana, named after King Louis XIV of France; Georgia, named after King George II of England; Maryland, named after Henrietta Maria, the Queen of King Charles I of England; New York, named after the English Duke of York; North and South Carolina, named after Charles I of England; and Virginia and West Virginia, named after Elizabeth I, the "Virgin Queen" of England. Four state capitals were named after presidents: Lincoln, Nebraska; Jackson, Mississippi; Jefferson City, Missouri; and Madison, Wisconsin.  more