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Help[Facts] Origin of Atlanta
Does anyone know the origin of my name? I think it might be from Atalanta, from Greek Mythology, or maybe from the city but I'm not sure. It's used as feminine.
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According to http://ngeorgia.com/ang/Origin_of_the_name_Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia was probably named for Martha Atalanta Lumpkin, using a contraction of her middle name. Atlanta was called Marthasville before, and then was changed to Atlanta.
That site does also say that it's possibly a feminization of Atlantic, after the Western and Atlantic Railroad which had a terminal there. Terminus was the original name of Atlanta, before Marthasville. Atlantic comes from Atlas.
According to http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/antebellum.htm, the exact origin of Atlanta is disputed, but it mentions the two possible origins that the other site mentioned.
In my opinion, Atlanta is a compromise between Atlantic and Atalanta. It seems as though an agreement couldn't be reached on who or what to name the town after, so Atlanta was the solution. I would say that either the meaning of Atalanta or the meaning of Atlas could apply to Atlanta.
That site does also say that it's possibly a feminization of Atlantic, after the Western and Atlantic Railroad which had a terminal there. Terminus was the original name of Atlanta, before Marthasville. Atlantic comes from Atlas.
According to http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/antebellum.htm, the exact origin of Atlanta is disputed, but it mentions the two possible origins that the other site mentioned.
In my opinion, Atlanta is a compromise between Atlantic and Atalanta. It seems as though an agreement couldn't be reached on who or what to name the town after, so Atlanta was the solution. I would say that either the meaning of Atalanta or the meaning of Atlas could apply to Atlanta.
This message was edited 2/22/2011, 11:16 AM
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