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Origin of the Name Rhode Island - Rhode Island was either named for the Isle of Rhodes (in the Mediterranean Sea) or for its red clay (the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block may have named it "Rood Eylandt" meaning Red Island, in Dutch).

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According to the New York Times Almanac, Rhode Island was named after the Mediterranean island of Rhodes. It's nicknames include Ocean State and Little Rhody. Wikipedia's article about the origin of the name states that the Dutch named the area "Roodt Eylandt" which means "red island" because of the red clay that lines the shore.

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15y ago
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Q: Why do they call it Rhode Island if it isn't an island?
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