Getting the facts straight
Milo,
I think there's a lot of legit information mixed with a few incorrect facts in our posts. You may be right, I don't quite remember where the tradition of calling our island Isabela (or the Dominican side) came from, I'll have to check that again. But I still have the feeling that Columbus had something to do with it.
But, Columbus did name the island Hispaniola, this is an old form of Spanish meaning exactly La Espa?ola. Like Shakespeare's English it has to be "translated" in order for people to understand it today. Hispaniola is not an English but a Spanish word.
La Navidad was simply a fort, made with the remains of La Santa Mar?a, where 30 soldiers were left behind and later massacred by the Tainos when they got fed up with the abuses of the Spaniards. The Spaniards deserved what they got, but they later had their "remember La Navidad!".
The first real settlement was La Isabela, on the northern coast of the island. It had the first Christian church in the "New World". I believe Ciudad Nueva is the second settlement (neighbourhood?) of Santo Domingo. Compared to the Ciudad Colonial, Ciudad Nueva is more recent. Don't trust taxi drivers on History -of any country. Ciudad Colonial is the "original" city, the one that -as you said- was moved to the west bank of the Ozama river after the first settlement -not a city yet- was moved, among other things because of an invasion of ants. The city was built thanks in great part to the work of Nicolas de Ovando, governor of the island from 1502 to 1509.
Anyways, you don't have to believe me, I'll go get my facts straight and be back. I have to thank you after all, you reminded me how ignorant I am of my own history.