Where Did The Name "Somalia" Come From?

 Before the land was called "Somalia," it had several other names. The most famous ones were:

1. Puntland: The ancient Egyptians gave it this name because they used to travel there for trade. They called it "Puntland" or "the Land of Perfume."

2. Barbar: The ancient Greeks called the local people "Barbar." This word meant "people with a dark-colored face."

3. Beri-cajam: The early Arabs called Somalia "Beri-cajam." This name meant "the land of the non-Arabs." Back then, Arabs divided people into two groups: Arabs and non-Arabs (Ajam).

These names were used a very long time ago, before the year 0. Old history books and discoveries agree that Somalia was known by these names.

However, people disagree about where the name "Somalia" itself came from and when it started being used. Historians have different ideas. There are three main theories that make sense:

1. The Story of Samaale and Sab
A man named Hiil Abrone had two sons. Their names were Sab and Samaale. The two brothers grew up and had many children. Their families became 16 big clans.

1.  The Sab family became the Digil and Mirifle clans (31 clans). They mostly live in the southwest part of Somalia.

2 .The Samaale family became hundreds of clans. The Samaale are more people than the Sab. They live all over the Horn of Africa, anywhere you can find a Somali tent. The name "Samaale" became very famous and, over time, slowly changed into the name "Somalia."

2. The Story of Generous Hospitality
Somalis are known for being very kind and welcoming to guests. It was common to hear a host say to their family: "Go and Soo Maal the camels for our guest!" This meant to bring the camels close so the guest could drink their milk.
Foreign travelers, often Arabs, who were treated with this great kindness, heard the words "Soo Maal" and started calling the land "Somalia." Some Somali language experts disagree with this story. They say the correct phrase should be "Soo Lis" (bring them close), not "Soo Maal." But the story remains popular.

3. The Story of a King's Boast
This story starts in the 1400s. European explorers were coming to the coast of the Horn of Africa. They wrote down history for the first time.
They wrote about a song of victory sung in Ethiopia after a war. The Ethiopian king, named Negus Yeshaq, fought a war against the Sultanate of Ifat (based in the city of Harar). The leader of Ifat was named Sa'ad ad-Din.
King Yeshaq won the war. It is said that in his victory song, he first used the word "Somali." However, the article says this might be a lie ("been"). The author believes this story was created to hide the great history and bravery of the Somali people.