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Columbus' Naming Spree

Sail with Columbus in this quiz! He named islands, cities, and lands for saints, royalty, or just a sunny Sunday. Can you guess the modern-day countries, islands and cities from his 1490s naming spree?
A little bit of Spanish knowledge can't hurt
Quiz by
jhithepanda
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Last updated: October 7, 2025
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First submittedOctober 7, 2025
Times taken5
Average score60.0%
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Date
Hint
Answer
Oct. 12, 1492
After landing in the Bahamas, Columbus named this island "Holy Savior" to thank Jesus Christ for a safe voyage.
San Salvador
Dec. 5, 1492
Upon landing on this island, Columbus was struck by how much it looked like Spain. So, he named it "the Spanish Island".
Hispaniola
Nov. 3, 1493
Columbus named this island in 1493 for the Lord’s Day because he saw it on a "Domingo"-Sunday.
Dominica
Nov. 14, 1493
Columbus named this island for the "Holy Cross", likely tied to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Saint Croix
November 1493
Columbus named this island group after the Spanish shrine, fulfilling a vow to honor the Virgin Mary after surviving a stormy voyage.
Guadeloupe
November 1493
Columbus named this island after the Santa María de ________ monastery in Catalonia, whose jagged peaks mirrored the island’s terrain.
Montserrat
November 1493
Columbus named this entire island after Saint John the Baptist, but now only its capital city goes after this name.
San Juan
Jul. 31, 1498
Spotting three hills on his third voyage, Columbus named this island after the Holy Trinity, seeing the peaks as a divine sign.
Trinidad
August 1498
Columbus and his brother named this city after their father, Domenico, and Saint Dominic.
Santo Domingo
Sep. 25, 1502
Columbus was exploring the Central American coast in 1502, and lush shores and rumors of gold led him to name the coast "Rich".
Costa Rica
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