Other Origin Theories
There is general agreement that author García Ordóñez de Montalvo formed the place name "California" from the Spanish word califa, from the Arabic: خليفة ḫalīfah/khalīfah, the head of state in a Caliphate, a legacy of the Moorish empire within Spain from 757 to 1492. However, there are minor theories which differ. Astrologer Anne Wright wrote that the word California may signify that it is a place that is "hot as an oven", because in Catalan cal means hot and forn means oven. (From the Latin roots calida meaning hot and fornax meaning oven.
Another suggested source is kali forno, an indigenous phrase meaning "high mountains". However, the name "California" was printed in Montalvo's book before Spanish explorers spoke with native Americans.
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