Great Lakes - Name Origins

Name Origins

Lake Erie
from Erie tribe, a shortened form of the Iroquoian word erielhonan (long tail)
Lake Huron
named by French explorers for inhabitants in the area, Wyandot or "Hurons"
Lake Michigan
likely from the Ojibwa word mishigami (great water)
Lake Ontario
Wyandot (Huron) word ontarío (lake of shining waters)
Lake Superior
English translation of French term lac supérieur (upper lake), referring to its position north of Lake Huron. The Ojibwe people called it gitchigumi

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