What's in a country's name?
Oftentimes, it's a reflection of a nation's past, as well as a nation's future. Burkina Faso, for example, translates to "Land of Incorruptible People."
Sometimes, though, it highlights a country's geography, as is the case with Haiti, which comes from the nation's indigenous Taíno language and means "land of high mountains."
Such is the case for the Netherlands, too. The European nation's honorific literally refers to its low elevation and topography: "Neder-landen" in Dutch translates to "low-lying country."
Yet, tune into a World Cup broadcast and you might hear a slightly different term for the country which La Oranje calls home.
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Many across the world call the rainy country "Holland", a moniker that rolls off the tongue ever-so-smoothly compared to its wordier counterpart.
But just why do so many folks refer to the Netherlands as Holland? Well, Sporting News has you covered.
Why is the Netherlands called Holland?
Holland highlights just one of Netherlands' twelve provinces. Back in the country's early infancy, it was sliced into provinces. The nation was founded as a collective of different cities and provinces hoping to resist Spanish colonization in the 16th century.
Ultimately, Holland was one of the more prominent provinces of the newfound nation. Located in Holland were Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague — perhaps the three most famous cities in the country.
Quarter-final spot: Confirmed ✅
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 3, 2022
🇳🇱 How far can this Netherlands team go at the #FIFAWorldCup? pic.twitter.com/KwBGeY7cdp
As foreign interest flocked into the artistic, architectural and philosophical hubs that were popping up in these cities, the name "Holland" became more synonymous with the country's status. The provinces where cities like Groningen and Eindhoven are located simply didn't receive the same level of shine as their more well-known peers.
As a result, Europeans began calling the country as a whole Holland rather than Netherlands.
The name has stuck, even despite recent attempts to bat the misnomer away. In 2019, the Dutch government announced its intention to officially rebrand the country as Netherlands.
Slowly but surely, folks are coming to grip with the change. However, don't be surprised if you hear a few broadcasters opt for the easy-to-pronounce Holland as opposed to the tongue-tying term: Netherlands.
