Where did the name Europe come from? | Notes and Queries

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Where did the name Europe come from?

Nick Metcalfe, New Mills, UK

Europa - a lover of Zeus from Greek mythology. To protect her from his jealous wife, Zeus appeared as a white bull who swam to safety across the ocean with Europa on his back.
R Watkin, Oxford

From the Phoenician word EROB, meaning where the sun set (west of Phoenicia).
Roy Nicol, Toronto Canada

From fecund EUROPA: a Phoenician princess carried off by Zeus in the form of a white bull and by him mother of Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon.
Trevor, Newcastle UK

EUROPA - Overcome by the Phoenician woman's beauty, but sensing her shy nature, Zeus changed himself into a white bull. Europa was attracted to this majestic animal, and was soon riding on the bull. At that point, Zeus started running over the waves, leaving Europa's native Sidon and friends behind. The ride was smooth, as the sea nymphs created a waveless path for the travellers. The couple ended up on Crete, where Europa bore Zeus three sons: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon. Minos became king of Crete; Rhadamanthus a judge in the underworld.
Odysseus Mikalis, Rockville USA

(From "The New First Aid in English" ISBN 0 7169 4409 x): "Some say it was named Eref by the Phoenicians, meaning 'the land of the setting sun' ... Others say it was named after Europus, a town in Macedonia"
Mike Whittaker, Stapleton UK

Europa, Europe comes from the Phoenician word EROB, meaning where the sun set (west of Phoenicia,west of Bosphorus, Sea of Marmora). Erebo: I go under. Ereba: The land where I go under. Acu (pronounciatian asu) the land where I (the sun) are coming up: Ereb, ereba= europa Asu = Asie, Asia. Morningland-Eveningland, seen by the Phoeniciers That's why Bosphorus always has been the geographical border between Europe and Asia. Anatolie /= Asia-minor,which forms 97% of todays Turkey, comes from greeche language and means : east, east of what ? East of European Greece!
Hans Thijssens, Amsterdam Netherlands

Europa is a rendering of the Colkhian word for affection, love(of the Motherland of the Colkh/Iberian population that cradled their civilization from Western Iberia(at the Atlantic Ocean) to the Zagros Range in the East(Zagr means the mountain range in Colkhiberian i.e. Kartuli.
Natela Popkhadze, Tbilisi Georgia/Sakartvelo

From a pré-Greek goddess.After her, the region in Thracia, river, towns and about 20 mortal and immortal Europa's mentioned in the Greek Mythos, have been named.In the 5th c. BC it was suggested that the continent's name came from a seanimf, daughter of Oceanus, or from Zeus' partner Europe, who had been given later a Phoenician descent together with a new family. www.europesname.com
Peter Gommers, Antwerp Belgium

They changed their name to 'Europe' from 'Force' in 1982. Gotta love that Swedish big haired pomp rock!!
Max, Truro UK

There is a vedic word, Hariupia. Could that be a forerunner of the word,Europa? It is claimed that Harappa is a name derived from Hariupia which Sanskritic scholar Umesh Chandra Vidyaratna did not indicate.
Samir, kolkata india

The earlier answers provided are true in myth and sadly, true in recent fact. However, the union between Miss Europa and Zeus is coming to its end. Europa now speaks in a new slavic language, Euro-rip-ov'. The new translation being 'Euro-Rip-Off'. The poor old Greek god Zeus still thinks he should be able to retire at 50 and have the old and now demented Europa pay for his retirement? It's going to be interesting to see how this myth Pans out(maybe, pun intended).
Alec Ohare, Sydney, Australia

Ah.... Europe is said to be named after a greek godess named Europa. According to the Greek mythology she had set to travel the whole world with Zeus, disguised in the form of a white bull. And the portions she had covered were together named after her... that is the continent of Europe. (Apparently she didnt cover much which explains why Europe is so small ~ just kidding). Btw, has anyone noticed? My name too is Europa. haha
Europa, India

EUR = GOLD (See: Origin of French word "Or") OP = EYE (Compare: "Cyklop" and optician) ***GOLDEN EYE*** Or maybe: ***GOLDEN AGE*** Opa: is a kind of Greek "exclamation for a great way of life" Thus, a golden civilization or "Golden Age" (...following the previous Iron Age)
Al Mighty, Stockholm Sweden

my wife and i were asking the question just last night where did Europes name originate and of course we googled it. Thanks for all the great info! My wife and I were asking the question just the other night: Where did Europe's name originate from? And, of course, we Googled it. Thanks for all the great info.
David Fulton, Calgary Canada