What is the name of our country? Why and how did we get this name?

In so far as recorded history is concerned, Ma-i seems to be the earliest name under
which the Philippines was known to the Chinese traders, who were coming here in the
tenth century A.D., attracted by such articles of commerce as yellow wax, cotton, pearls,
tortoise shell, betel nuts, abaca, and so forth. For these Chinese would barter porcelain,
trade gold,iron censers, lead, colored glass, beads, and iron needles. The natives
enjoyed the reputation of being exceptionally honest in their their business dealings with
the celestials. The name Ma-i was still very frequently used in the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries, and probably long thereafter. According to Jose Rizal (national hero), on
Ptolemy's map, which was made before the second century A.D., the group of islands
now known as the Philippines was called Tawalisi. Ptolemy go this knowledge from a
sailor named Hippalus, the same man who discovered the monsoons in the
southeastern Asiatic regions. In later editions, however, there is group of islands in
about the location of the Philippine group which bears indifferent editions the names of
Maniolas, Barusas or Baroussai and Puloan or Palawan. In connection with these
different names it is often stated that they were used in turn to designate the whole
group. But according to Rizal, Baroussai is the Visayas in Ptolemy's maps. The name
Puloan in the edition of 1540 must have been the name originally borne by the island of
Palawan, while Maniolas, whch is very similar to Maynilad, must have been the name
given to the vast region around Manila.Magellan, on seeing Samar and the neighboring
islands from the Ladrones on March 16, 1521, gave to the new country the name of
"The Archipelago of San Lazaro," it having been discovered on the Sabbath of St.
Lazarus.The Archipelago was also called Val Seu Parigne or Valley Without Peril, in
view of the hospitality and brotherly love shown by the natives to the discoverers, giving
signs of joy because of their arrival, as distinguished from the hostile attitude under the
cover of a seemingly hospitable but dishonest entertainment received from the people
of the Ladrones Islands.In Spain, however, the Archipelago, soon after its discovery by
Magellan, became popularly known the Islands of the West or Islas del Poniente,
because Magellan came here by a westerly route from Spain The Portuguese, on
contrary,called the group the Islands of the East or Islas del Oriente, because they

came here by an easterly route from Portugal. By the Japanese the Achipelago was
more often called the Luzon Islands, very clearly in accordance with the name of the
island most familiar, because closest, to them. This form of the name of the island was
more frequently written in other countries as the Luzones or Lucones. To the south
Archipelago was often identified as the Celebes Archipelago or Islas de Liquios Celebes
because of the Celebes Sea south of Mindanao.In 1542, Rui Lopez de Villalobos
conceived the beautiful and very appropriate idea of baptizing the Archipelago with the
name Felipinas,or Philipinas, as recorded by Alvarado, in honor of "our fortunate
Prince," the man who saved it for Christendom, Rey Felipe II or King Philip II of
Spain. Tis is the name which has been rendered into English as Philippines.Montero y
Vidal says that the island first to receive the name Filipinas was Leyte, and the this
name was given in July or August of the year 1543 to include some of the smaller
islands in the group. Urdaneta used Las Islas Filipinas as we do now,standing for the
whole Philippine group.

Official Name
Republic of the Philippines
Ophir- Oldname Land that supplies King Solomon with Golds.
Chinese name
Ma-yi - (appear in Sung Dynasty)
Chin-san - Mountain of Golds
Liu sum - Land adjacent to the mainland (China)
San Tao - Three Island
Spanish
La Agunda dela Buenas Senales - watering place of the good omen
Archipelago de San Lazaro - Archipelago of San Lazaro
Islas del Poniente -Western Island ( due to the ancient belief that world is flat )
Islas del Oriente - Eastern Island

Archipelago de Magajaes - Archipelago of Magellan

Archipelago de Celebes
Las Islas Filipinas
Other name:
Island of mortars
Pearl of the Orient Sea - given by Rizal