Know Any Odd Dominican Place Names?

expatsooner

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Aug 7, 2004
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We went on a community service trip this weekend into the mountains near Jarabacoa and we were told the local story of how the community was named. When the US invaded the island they gave directions on reaching that part of the area by always saying to keep the river "on the right hand" which resulted in the village becoming known as Arraijan.

Does anyone else know of any place names around the island with an interesting or odd origin? I loved linguistics classes in college and would really like to find out some more Dominican history through the collection of how and why areas or towns are called by their names.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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There was a thread posted here once with a whole list of Dominican place names and their meanings in English, but I can't find it on the search.
 

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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A more credible derivation of Arraijan

From the dictionary: ra?ya?no adj. - adjacent; rayano en - bordering on.