New York City was known as New Amsterdam when it was a Dutch settlement. Marcio.Duarte/Shutterstock US cities like New York and Los Angeles have long and storied histories. Major cities once had names such as Flagler, Jernigan, and Yerba Buena. A coin toss determined the name of Portland, Oregon, while Boston was named after a British town. New York City wasn't always a densely packed metropolis of subways and skyscrapers, just as Los Angeles wasn't always a sprawling concrete city. Throughout their histories, US cities have undergone massive changes, from their residents and leaders to their size, shape, and infrastructure. Native Americans inhabited the regions around most cities before being driven out by European settlers, and the new cities often saw changes in rulers afterward. But among some cities' biggest changes are their names themselves. The area that eventually became Jacksonville, Florida, was at different points controlled by the Native Americans, French, Spanish, and British, leading to several name changes before being named after Andrew Jackson. Other cities' early names reflected their geographic importance or environmental factors. Atlanta was originally named for its place at the end of a railroad line, while San Francisco's name was inspired by the abundance of a certain herb in the area. See the original names of 16 US cities. Miami was almost incorporated under the name Flagler. Historical photo of Miami. Hulton Deutsch/Getty Images The Southeast Florida area was previously inhabited by the Tequesta Native Americans, who settled along the Miami River. Seminole Native Americans and other peoples also migrated south in the late 18th century. After wars and conquest, the Village of Miami was chartered by William English in the 1840s, according to the city. At the end of the 19th century, the oil tycoon Henry Flagler transformed the surrounding countryside with luxury resort hotels and a railway service. When the town was incorporated in 1896, the citizens wanted to name the city after him, per the Daytona Beach News-Journal. The city was eventually named after the area's Tequesta name. Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Flagler declined the citizens' offer to have the city named in his honor. Instead, he suggested they use the Tequesta name for the area, Mayaimi, meaning "big water." Another Native American people called the Mayaimi also lived further north on Lake Okeechobee, which they called Lake Mayaimi. Charleston, South Carolina, was previously known as Charles Town. Historical drawing of Charleston, then known as Charles Town. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images In 1670, the settlement was founded by English colonists who wanted to honor King Charles II by naming the town in his honor, according to the city. The name change occurred in 1783 when the city was incorporated in the state legislature. Charleston, South Carolina. f11photo/Shutterstock Other spellings, like "Charlestowne" were also used before "Charleston" became the consistent spelling. The exact reasons for the name change aren't known, according to the Charleston County Public Library. New York, a former Dutch settlement, was founded as New Amsterdam. New York, New York, circa 1895. The New York Historical Society/Getty Images The Dutch settled on the southern tip of Manhattan in 1624, and New Amsterdam served as a seat of government for the New Netherlands colony. According to legend, the land was purchased from Lenape Native Americans for $24 (roughly $1,000 in today's dollars). However, many Native Americans continued to live alongside the Dutch, and the purported deal likely took on a different meaning than a simple land exchange, according to Live Science. In 1664, it was renamed New York. New York, New York. mouseontherun/Shutterstock In 1664, the British conquered the settlement, and New Amsterdam was ceded by the Dutch. King Charles II gave his brother, the Duke of York, ownership of New York, which was named after him. The name "New Amsterdam" still lives on in current-day New York City in various places. The New Amsterdam Theatre sits on Broadway, and the New York Public Library has a New Amsterdam branch. In Spanish, Los Angeles was likely known in full as "the town of the Queen of Angels." Los Angeles, California, in the 1930s. American Stock/ClassicStock / Getty Images According to WorldAtlas, the first European land expedition in California was led by Fernando Rivera y Moncada in 1769. A priest who accompanied Moncada, Juan Crespi, named what would come to be known as the Los Angeles River "Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula" in English. Historians debate what the original settlement was called. Los Angeles, California. Chones/Shutterstock The Spanish founded a settlement in 1781 next to the river, though historians are unsure if the town's naming was a direct result of the river's name. Boston was known to colonists as Trimountaine. Boston, Massachusetts, in the 1960s. Boston Globe/Getty Images Before being incorporated as Boston, settlers referred to the area as Trimountaine, after the three peaks of what is now known as Beacon Hill. Per the Boston Public Library, the peaks were later removed during the 18th century to use as landfill for development projects. Trimountaine was renamed Boston after a British town. Boston, Massachusetts. Steve Marsel/Getty Images The Puritan settlers officially named the city Boston after the town of the same name in Lincolnshire, England. Cincinnati was called Losantiville in the 18th century. Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1915. Universal History Archive/Getty Images A combination of Greek, Latin, and French, Losantiville received its name due to its position opposite the mouth of the Licking River, The New York Times reported. The name Cincinnati was given by the governor of the Northwest Territory. Cincinnati, Ohio. Raymond Boyd/Getty Images Cincinnati was named by the territorial governor Arthur St. Clair in 1790. He wanted to honor the Society of Cincinnati, a group of Revolutionary War veterans with which he was involved. Per the Times, the governor was reported to have said, "What an awful name, damn it. Call it Cincinnati!" The word "Cincinnati" itself is a reference to the Roman leader Lucius Cincinnatus, who is best known for receiving absolute power during a time of war, then renouncing it and retiring as soon as the war ended. Atlanta was once known as Terminus, and then later as Marthasville. Atlanta, Georgia, in 1953. H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock via Getty Images Marking the end of the Western and Atlantic Railroad line, Atlanta was originally named Terminus, meaning "end of the line," according to Georgia Public Broadcasting. In 1843, the city was renamed Marthasville after Governor Wilson Lumpkin's daughter Martha, who was just 16 at the time, per Atlanta Magazine. Marthasville quickly became Atlanta. Atlanta, Georgia. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock The city continued to hold significance in the railroad industry, and in 1845, it was named "Atlanta" by railroad engineer J. Edgar Thompson. The name is thought to be a shortened, feminine homage to the Western and Atlantic Railroad line. New Orleans, Louisiana, formed around the neighborhood called Vieux Carré in the 18th century. An 18th century depiction of New Orleans, Louisiana. DEA/J. L. CHARMET/Getty Images Before European settlers arrived, the New Orleans area was known as Bulbancha among the Choctaw Native Americans. The modern city was founded around the neighborhood of Vieux Carré, or "Old Square" in English, according to the US Department of Transportation. Today, the neighborhood is known as the French Quarter. Founded by Jean Baptiste Le Moyne in 1718, the original town consisted of an outpost for soldiers, merchants, slaves, and rivermen. The city soon became known as a cultural center.  The city was then named New Orleans. The Washington Post/Getty Images The city was named Nouvelle-Orléans, or New Orleans, in honor of the Duke of Orleans, Philippe II.  Orlando was originally known as Jernigan. Farmland in Orlando shown in a 1904 postcard. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images During the Second Seminole War, the United States established Fort Gatlin to defend against attacks from Native Americans, according to the city. By 1840, a community had grown around the fort called Jernigan, named after the family who were the first permanent settlers in the area.  The origins of the name Orlando is subject to dispute. Orlando, Florida. Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images Despite the city's clear origins, its name isn't as clear-cut, with at least four different stories possibly accounting for it. One involved the town being named after a character from Shakespeare's "As You Like It." Another theory involved a settler named Orlando who fell ill on his way to Tampa and died where the future city would be built, causing passersby to remark, "There lies Orlando." Phoenix was once known as Swilling's Mill. Phoenix, Arizona, in the 1960s. ClassicStock/Getty Images The area was originally populated by the Hohokam for more than 1,500 years, but environmental factors, such as droughts, are thought to have driven them from the land. "Hohokam" translates to "the people who have gone," per the South Phoenix Oral History Project. In 1867, Confederate veteran Jack Swilling found the area and saw its farming potential. The area became known as "Swilling's Mill" after its namesake, according to the city. It was later called Helling Mill and Mill City. The city later took on the mythical name of Phoenix. Phoenix, Arizona. Joe Sohm/Visions of America /Getty Images The name Phoenix was suggested by a man named Phillip Darrell Duppa, who spoke of a phoenix-like city springing up from the ruins of a former civilization. The name stuck, and Phoenix officially became recognized on May 4, 1868. Portland, Oregon, formed from a small settlement referred to as The Clearing. Portland, Oregon, in the 1930s. Three Lions/Getty Images The original name came from a 640-acre piece of land, which is now downtown Portland. The founders of the city, Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, both owned a stake in the land, according to Portland's KGW8. Later, the two settlers attended a dinner party in Oregon City, about 10 miles south of Portland. Lovejoy and Pettygrove couldn't see eye-to-eye on the name for their shared land, so they flipped an 1835 minted copper penny to decide. A coin toss led to Portland, Oregon. Portland, Oregon. Education Images/Getty Images Pettygrove, who was from Portland, Maine, wanted to name the new settlement after his home city, while Lovejoy wanted to do the same for Boston. Of course, Pettygrove won the toss, but there was a 50/50 chance Oregon's famous city might have been called Boston instead.  San Francisco originally went by the name Yerba Buena. San Francisco, circa 1868. Carleton E. Watkins/Getty Images The area was originally named for a plant abundant in the area. Yerba Buena translates to "good herb," meaning spearmint in Spanish, according to Celebrate California. The name was officially changed under American rule. San Francisco, California. Brookgardener/Shutterstock In 1846, American troops claimed Yerba Buena during the Mexican-American War. The next year, Navy lieutenant Washington Allon Bartlett issued a proclamation stating, "It is hereby ordained, that the name of San Francisco shall hereafter be used in all official communications and public documents, or records appertaining to the town." The new name came from Francis of Assisi, an important Catholic figure. In the coming years, the gold rush would draw an influx of settlers from across the country to the area.  San Diego originally went by the name San Miguel. San Diego, California, in the 1950s. American Stock/ClassicStock/Getty Images In 1542, the area was visited by explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, per the San Diego History Center. Cabrillo bestowed it with the name San Miguel, likely for the Christian figure Michael. It would take 60 years before the name change. San Diego, California. ullstein bild/Getty Images Then, in 1602, the explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno renamed the harbor San Diego, after Saint Didacus of Alcalá, known in Spanish as San Diego de Alcalá. Austin originated as the riverside village of Waterloo. Austin, Texas in the 1950s. FPG/Getty Images The area was originally inhabited by the Tonkawa and Comanche tribes, which hunted buffalo.  Settlers lived on the north bank of the Colorado River, and the area was named Waterloo by a commission of surveyors looking for a spot to designate as Texas' capital city, per the Texas State Historical Association. The exact reasoning behind the name is unknown. The city was soon named after the "Father of Texas." Austin, Texas. Steve Heap/Shutterstock In 1839, the area became the capital of the Republic of Texas and was renamed after Stephen F. Austin, who was known as the "Father of Texas," according to Britannica. Like New Amsterdam in New York City, references to Austin's original name can be found throughout the city, such as Waterloo Park or the music store Waterloo Records. Jacksonville, Florida, developed from a settlement called Cowford. 1920s painting of the Jacksonvile, Florida, skyline. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images The area called Cowford was previously inhabited by the Timucua tribe. In 1562, French settlers built a fort in the area called Fort Caroline, but were invaded by the Spanish six years later, who renamed it San Matteo, according to the National Park Service. Britain then seized control of the region in the 18th century and named it Cowford. The name Jacksonville came from Andrew Jackson. Jacksonville, Florida. Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images In 1822, Jacksonville was named after the soon-to-be president, who had just served as the military governor of Florida. There's no record of Jackson ever visiting his namesake city, per the Florida Times-Union. Seattle was once known as New York-Alki. Seattle, Washington, in 1962. Bettmann Archive via Getty Images Pioneers in 1851 named the settlement "New York-Alki" in honor of New York City. "Alki" comes from the Chinook Native American language, meaning "by-and-by," according to the city. The name Seattle also came from Native American roots. Seattle, Washington. Carl Larson/Getty Images This time, the name was derived from the Duwamish Native Americans, another people of the region. Seattle was the anglicized form of the name of the people's chief, who was referred to as Sealth in English. Read the original article on Business Insider