Do you know which Croatian island was named after a deer, which after a lighthouse, and which after a spa?

We proudly point out the beauty of Croatian islands, but few local and foreign tourists wonder how they got their name.

There are various theories, but this is most likely the origin of the names of the Croatian islands.

Brač

The Greek name of the island was ‘Elaphousa’, apparently derived from elaphos ‘deer’. Based on this, it has been speculated that the original name of the Brač island may have been derived from the word for ‘deer’. Polybius and Pliny record the name of the island as ‘Brattia’, which later developed into Brač, writes Croatia Week.

Hvar

The ancient Greeks called the island “Pharos”, which means “lighthouse”. However, it is not clear whether the name really comes from the Greek word for lighthouse. As part of the Roman province of Dalmatia, the island Hvar was known as Pharia, and later Fara.

Vis

It is believed that Issa meant “health resort” in Illyrian because there were large baths there in Roman times.

Then, under the rule of the Venetian Republic, Vis island was known as Lissa. Then the Croats further modified it into Vis. Issa is also the former name of the Greek island of Lesbos.

Korčula

Korčula is an adaptation of the original name of the island given to it by the Greeks, which was ‘Korkyra’. Since the Greek island of Corfu was also called Korkyra, Melaina (dark, black) was added, so Korčula island was originally known as ‘Korkyra Melaina’.

Mljet

The ancient Greeks once again influenced the origin of the name of the Mljet island according to the original name ‘Melita’ or ‘honey’ which over the centuries evolved into the Slavic name Mljet.

Pag

There are many theories about how the island of Pag got its name, but the most accepted one is that it comes from the Latin word ‘pagus’, which means ‘border drawn on the ground’. The word pagus itself is the root of the Romance language word for state or country.

Rab

The island of Rab was first mentioned around 360 BC, and then it was mentioned by Greek and Roman geographers under the name ‘Arba’. That name belonged to the Liburni, the oldest known inhabitants of the island. The Illyrian-Liburnian word Arb meant ‘dark, obscure, green, wooded’. Therefore, the name Arba should be understood as a toponym meaning ‘Black Island’, due to the rich pine forest that once grew on the island. In the Croatian language, it became Rab, a form that probably dates back to the 7th century, writes Croatia Week.

With the knowledge of the origin of the names of some Croatian islands, the enjoyment of their beauty and history could be even more.

source: Slobodna Dalmacija