Etymology Spain

lady of elche

the renaissance scholar antonio de nebrija proposed word hispania evolved iberian word hispalis, meaning city of western world .

jesús luis cunchillos argues root of term span phoenician word spy, meaning forge metals . therefore, i-spn-ya mean land metals forged . may derivation of phoenician i-shpania, meaning island of rabbits , land of rabbits or edge , reference spain s location @ end of mediterranean; roman coins struck in region reign of hadrian show female figure rabbit @ feet, , strabo called land of rabbits .

hispania may derive poetic use of term hesperia, reflecting greek perception of italy western land or land of setting sun (hesperia, Ἑσπερία in greek) , spain, being still further west, hesperia ultima.

there claim hispania derives basque word ezpanna meaning edge or border , reference fact iberian peninsula constitutes southwest corner of european continent.

two 15th-century spanish jewish scholars, don isaac abravanel , solomon ibn verga, gave explanation considered folkloric. both men wrote in 2 different published works first jews reach spain brought ship phiros confederate king of babylon when laid siege jerusalem. phiros grecian birth, had been given kingdom in spain. phiros became related marriage espan, nephew of king heracles, ruled on kingdom in spain. heracles later renounced throne in preference native greece, leaving kingdom nephew, espan, whom country of españa (spain) took name. based upon testimonies, eponym have been in use in spain c. 350 bce.