Alternate Names for California?

[Grouchio]

If California was not discovered by the Spaniards first, then what would've California, and it's regions been called instead? By english explorers? By Russians or Japanese? Did the natives of California have a name for their homelands?

(Also looking for alternate place names for regions such as: Alameda, Fresno, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, Nevada, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin Valley, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Sierra and Ventura)

 

[AltoRegnant]

Probably English or French, who are the most likely to get into north america. Japanese exploration requires an earlier pod. Russia could get down there, and would probably actually bother with it more than Alaska. As for what they'd name stuff, the Brits would probably coopt native names more and add in a few "James___" or what have you. Russia had a fort called fort Ross, but that's about it, so I dunno

 

[UrbanNight]

If California was not discovered by the Spaniards first, then what would've California, and it's regions been called instead? By english explorers? By Russians or Japanese? Did the natives of California have a name for their homelands?

(Also looking for alternate place names for regions such as: Alameda, Fresno, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, Nevada, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin Valley, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Sierra and Ventura)

This map, https://www.raremaps.com/gallery/de...asts-of-california-new-albion-and-ru-jefferys, shows some of the British-claimed region of California, which was named New Albion by Francis Drake. This map says "Port Sr. Francis Drake not St. Francisco". Others say New Year's Haven for the area Monterey Bay.

A common thing was for the English place name to just be translations - Sierra Nevada - Snowy Mountains, Montagnes de Roche - Rocky Mountains or Stony Mountains.

 

[funnyhat]

Montagnes de Roche

Montagnes Rocheuses.

If California is not first reached by the Spanish, any translation would be coming from native languages rather than from Spanish (unless the Spanish names themselves are translations). So it really is up in the air. They could be named almost anything.

 

[Daylight Savings]

You're likely to get a lot of Fort So and Sos, Something Havens, This Guy's Harbor, and New Whereevers with a sprinkling of transcribed native names from the English. Overall I think they would stick with Drake's New Albion.