The first name for the island was Mayo as it appeared on a world map done by Juan de la Cosa (Source: A-Z Heritage by John Angus Martin).
Grenada was first called "Conception Island" or "Concepcion". This was the name that Christopher Columbus gave to Grenada when he discovered the island on his third Atlantic voyage in 1498. It is believed that this name "Concepcion" never appeared on any map.
At the time of Columbus' voyage, the island of Grenada was inhabited by the Caribs or Kalinago. The Caribs were a group of Amerindians from South America who were living on the island. The Caribs called Grenada by the name of "Camerhogne".
In and around 1523, the name "La Granada" appeared on a map produced by the Spanish.
Much later in 1650, The French took control of the island, and renamed the island "Grenade". A fight occurred between the French and the Caribs for the island, and it resulted in the Caribs jumping to their death at Leapers' Hill in the parish of Saint Patrick's . The British re-took control of the island in 1763 under the Treaty of Paris. The British renamed the island "Grenada" as it is known today.
Credits: Pronunciation Flash Cards
Learn more about Grenada's culture on the blog.
