The Canary Islands Are Not Named for the Birds

Canaries are famous for a variety of traits, including their properly named canary yellow hue, singing, and their employment in mines to assess the air quality. Even an island chain with the same name was not named for the birds. The islands inspired the names of the birds. The islands were given canine names.

Insula Canaria, or "Island of Dogs," was the islands' original name. It shares the same origin as the term dog. For unknown reasons, the Romans gave it the name "Island of Dogs." There is a legend that the island's first settlers worshipped dogs. However, it's also possible that the abundance of monk seals—which the Romans dubbed sea dogs—was to blame. In essence, the birds' names are based on either dogs or seals.

Despite their name, these islands were not given their name after those charming birds with the loud chirping. The term "canaria," which means "dog" in Latin, is where the name comes from. It is said that when the first European settlers arrived on the island of Gran Canaria, they were greeted by enormous dogs.