Ridiculous History: "CLASSIC: What does ‘Idaho’ actually mean?"

Podcast: Ridiculous History (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode Date: November 14, 2025
Hosts: Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown
Super Producer: Casey Pegram

Episode Overview

In this classic Ridiculous History episode, Ben and Noel dive deeply into the strange and convoluted history of Idaho’s name. Beneath what might seem like a straightforward etymological mystery, they uncover a mix of fraud, myth-making, and bureaucratic accidents—a saga involving suspicious lobbyists, mining booms, Indigenous language misconceptions, and lawmakers too distracted by the Civil War to care much about naming conventions.

The central question: "What does 'Idaho' mean, and where did it come from?" The answer is surprising, hilarious, and more than a little ridiculous.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. State Name Oddities and the Normalization of "Idaho"

• The hosts open by riffing on US state names in general and how arbitrary or illogical many of them are (06:08).
• Ben reflects: “We’ve all accepted the word ‘Idaho’ as a normalized thing. And there are–”
• Noel jokes: “Surely it’s referring to some sort of native tradition, right?” (01:18)

2. The Geography and Perception of Idaho

• The team discusses where Idaho is located and their (lack of) personal experience visiting it (09:03).
• “...Idaho just fits in, right? In this weird motley crew of various 50 various names that came about for various reasons.” — Ben (09:04)

3. The Mystery of the Name: Is "Idaho" Native?

• Initial belief was that "Idaho" originated from a Native American term, meaning “gem of the mountains.”
• Noel: “The biggest, most lasting theory revolves around a kooky mining lobbyist by the name of George M. Willing” (11:54).
• Willing claimed it was a Native term for “gem of the mountains”—even though this wasn’t true.

4. George M. Willing: The Unlikely, Untrustworthy Originator

• Willing, known as "Doc," was a disgraced physician and failed politician who remade himself as a mining lobbyist.
• Ben: “He got in trouble… because he was discovered performing abortions. In the early 1850s he moves to California to escape potential legal complications...” (12:27).
• Willing lobbied for the US government to name a new territory “Idaho,” fabricating a backstory that it was an Indigenous word (14:15).

5. Congressional Debates & The Accidental Spread

• In 1860, “Idaho” was proposed as the name for what would become Colorado.
• A senator from Oregon challenged the name, insisting it was not a Native term (21:40).
  • Sen. James Green: “Idaho is a very good name in the Indian language. You know, it means gem of the mountains.”
  • Oregon Senator: "No, no, no, no, no, no. I do not believe it is an Indian word. ...It is a corruption. No Indian tribe in this nation has that word. In my opinion, it is a corruption, certainly a counterfeit, and ought not to be adopted." (21:46)
• As a result, “Colorado” was chosen for that territory. But “Idaho” was already in popular use out west, and the word ‘escaped’ into regular parlance (25:44).

6. The "Haagen-Dazs" of State Names

• Ben: “Haagen-Dazs is a made-up word ... Idaho is kind of like this. People are swearing... that it is a word from a language of native people who have lived in this area” (25:44).

7. The Power of Repetition & Popularity

• Despite its fraudulent roots, “Idaho” was so widely adopted—by miners, companies, and popular culture—that it was used for new counties and eventually the state itself (26:05–27:03).
  • Writer Joaquin Miller claimed "Idaho" meant “the light or diadem on the line of the mountain”—another fanciful (and incorrect) assertion.

8. Willing's Dubious Legacy & Alternative Theories

• Willing’s reputation as a con artist was cemented——he was involved in multiple fraud schemes, including the infamous Arizona Peralta land grant fraud (27:15).
• Other theories:
  • The name "Idaho" might derive from "Ida" (after a girl).
  • Or from Kiowa Apache "Aidahi" (meaning "enemy"), but this seems unlikely as states don’t usually name themselves "enemy."

9. Bureaucratic Distraction Lets “Idaho” Slide In

• By 1863, during the Civil War, lawmakers had bigger issues than state names, so “Idaho” stuck through bureaucratic inertia (34:48–36:02).
  • Noel: “At this point... lawmakers were a little more preoccupied with the Civil War than quarreling about state names and made up Indian words.” (34:48)
  • Ben: "It just slid in under the radar... more and more people began using it... It's 2019 and Idaho is the state's name. It's not gonna change anytime soon." (35:07–36:02)

10. Idaho in Context: All Words Are Made Up

• The hosts reflect philosophically on language: “...most—actually all—words are made up. At some point, we all agreed... that this word means this thing... and Idaho is one of the 50 states of the United States of America.” — Ben (37:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Surely it’s referring to some sort of native tradition, right?” — Noel (01:18)
• “...it’s a little more hilarious and complicated than just naming it after, like, a native tribe, like I think we’re often used to.” — Ben (01:29)
• “We know each other pretty well at this point. Have any of us been to Idaho?” — Ben (01:13)
• “So Haagen-Dazs is a made up word? ... Idaho is kind of like this.” — Ben (25:44–25:47)
• “No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I do not believe it is an Indian word. ...It is a corruption, certainly a counterfeit, and ought not to be adopted.” — Senator from Oregon, quoted by Ben (21:59)
• “Idaho, just like kind of a Haagen Dazs, stuck around, sounded close enough to the thing that it was purporting to be that more and more people began using it.” — Ben (35:07–35:24)
• “Most—actually all—words are made up.” — Ben (37:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Summary | Timestamp | |---------|---------|-----------| | Introduction & Personal Experiences | Hosts discuss US state names, geography quirks, and whether they've visited Idaho | 00:00–09:03 | | State name logic (or lack thereof) | Origins and weirdness of other state names | 06:08–09:04 | | Theories on “Idaho” | Discussion of what people think "Idaho" means | 09:29–11:54 | | George M. Willing’s story | Bio, lobbyist schemes, and his role in inventing "Idaho" | 12:27–14:15 | | Congressional debates | Push to use “Idaho” for Colorado and resulting objections in Congress | 20:57–24:14 | | Idaho vs. Colorado | How the name Colorado ended up being chosen instead | 24:14–25:44 | | The “Haagen-Dazs” connection | The idea of made-up words being normalized | 25:44–26:05 | | Proliferation and entrenchment | "Idaho" spreads into counties, then becomes the state’s name | 26:05–27:03 | | Willing’s frauds, alternative origins | More on Willing and other false etymologies | 27:15–28:23 | | Civil War distraction | Why “Idaho” stuck through inattention | 34:48–36:02 | | All words are made-up | Hosts reflect on language and naming | 37:33–38:03 |

Tone and Style

The hosts maintain their classic, lighthearted, and irreverent tone, frequently cracking jokes and riffing on each other’s remarks. Despite the topic’s apparent dryness, their conversation is animated, full of banter, and packed with surprising side-notes.

Takeaways

• “Idaho” is, in all likelihood, a made-up word, fabricated by a mining lobbyist in the 19th century.
• The supposed meaning (“gem of the mountains”) was also invented to give the name credibility.
• Through repetition, usage, and a distracted Congress, the name took root—demonstrating the quirky and often accidental origins of American place names.
• The story is less about Idaho itself, and more about how history is littered with frauds, marketing spin, and traditions born of happy accident.

For more episodes, check Ridiculous History on the iHeartRadio app or your favorite podcast platform.