Ellen Culps age 11, of Ashevillep N.C., for her questions

Who was America named. after?

The New World was named for a merchant of Florence who had no right at all to this honor. His name was Amerigo Vespucci and he claimed. to have discovered the mainland of the New World in 1497, at which time Columbus had reached only the off‑shore islands.

Modern scholars discount Vespucci's claim and say he may or may not have been on one of the later voyages. But in 1507 a Genoan professor named Waldscemullor swallowed his story whole. He suggested that the New World be named in honor of this man who claimed to have discovered it.

America is a nice sounding name and, whether it was a mistake or not, the people of the New World have certainly made it a name to respect.