How the Pacific Ocean got its name

Why is the Pacific Ocean so named? It was thanks to the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who sailed across it in 1520. His voyage down the eastern side of South America had been beset by storms and so, when he eventually found a passage to the west (through what is now known as the Strait of Magellan) he was greatly impressed by the calm sea he found on the other side.

The Spanish word “pacifico” means peaceful, and so it seemed to be an appropriate name to give this newly-discovered ocean. Of course, no ocean is without its bad weather, although the Atlantic does experience more storms than the Pacific. However, Magellan’s original impression was what he marked on his map and the name has stuck!

What Magellan did not appreciate was that the Pacific, at 166 million square kilometres, was twice the size of the Atlantic Ocean and the world’s deepest, at up to 4000 metres. The Pacific Ocean is actually larger than all the world’s land surfaces put together.

© John Welford