Every city in the world is unique in its own way and has special symbols that distinguish it from others. London is just the case. Its history is very eventful and the achievements of its residents in many areas make the city famous all over the world. London has official symbols (coat of arms, flag and anthem) and unofficial ones (red telephone boxes or double-decker buses). However, each of them reveals a whole history full of legends and real events. You can learn more about the capital of Great Britain by learning the history of its name. Why is it related to the history of London and what is its etymology? Learn more at ilondon.
Inextricable connection with history
In fact, this city wasn’t always called London. It depended on certain historical events and peoples living on its territory. In particular, the first small tribes most likely didn’t name this territory at all or archaeologists and historians simply didn’t manage to find relevant remains that could testify to this. Moreover, there were no settlements here for a long time. However, nomadic tribes lived on this territory from time to time. The city got its name after the arrival of the Romans. They were a developed civilization, unlike the previous ones. The Romans had clear ideas about ensuring the population’s livelihood and creating the necessary fortifications for protection. So, Londinium (that was one of the first names) was really like a full-fledged city, which was developing in many areas. Also, the history of the capital of Great Britain tells about Londinion (one of the names given to the city by the Romans). However, both names are most likely derived from the Celtic word lond, which translates as wild.
Trinovantum is also one of the most interesting names of London. It came from the prominent local tribes that the Romans encountered. This assumption arose around the 12th century. However, this story is more likely a myth because it is connected with a certain character. It tells about an exile from Troy who decided to found New Troy. We don’t know for sure when those events took place, but legends describe the time before the appearance of the Romans on this territory. Apparently, the Romans just displaced the tribe of Trinovantes. Most modern historians deny this myth and the name itself. However, due to the lack of written references, it is simply impossible to dismiss the versions (however strange they may be).
Variety of versions
London has an interesting and extremely long history of development. The city’s popularity explains the interest of scientists from different parts of the planet in the etymology of its name. They proposed many versions regarding the origin of the name of the capital of Great Britain. One of these is the assumption that the city was named after one of the rulers. In Historia Regum Britanniae, there is a mention of King Lud, who managed to capture Trinovantum and ordered to change its name. However, this work contains only assumptions about the origin of toponyms. Therefore, it remains just one of the versions.
One of the most likely and popular versions is associated with the lower part of the Thames, Plownonida, underling the future name of the city. Apparently, the name indicated the expanding part of the river. When the Celts settled in this territory, they couldn’t pronounce the first letter due to certain speech peculiarities and began to call this place Lownida. This version seems more likely because it has a linguistic basis.