How did South Australia get its name?

South Australia was named by Colonel William Light, the first Surveyor-General of the colony, in 1836. The name was chosen to distinguish the new settlement from the neighbouring colonies of New South Wales and Western Australia.

The name "South Australia" is derived from the Latin words "australis", meaning "southern", and "terra", meaning "land". The name is therefore a reference to the colony's location in the southern part of the Australian continent.

The name South Australia was officially adopted by the British government in 1836, when the colony was proclaimed. The name has been used ever since to refer to the state of South Australia.