Meaning: Its source is a Spanish expression meaning "Flowers."

Popularity: The name Florida ranked 1628th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: A Spanish name for the Easter season is Pascua Florida, ''The Feast of Flowers.'' It was during this season in 1513 that Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon reached the North American peninsula now known as Florida, in search of a Fountain of Youth.

The season, and possibly the profusion of lush vegetation which met the explorer's eye, determined the name he bestowed on the region. In 1845, Florida became the 27th state to be admitted into the U.S.