Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Long before European ships arrived, the island now known as Puerto Rico was called Boriquén (sometimes spelled Borikén) by the Taíno people who inhabited it. The name translates roughly to "Land of the Valiant Lord" or "Land of the Great Spirit," reflecting the island's cultural and spiritual significance to its original inhabitants.
The transformation began with Christopher Columbus's second voyage in 1493. Upon sighting the island, Columbus named it San Juan Bautista in honor of John the Baptist. However, the name that endured came a few years later.
In 1508, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León established the first European settlement and became the island's first governor. He renamed the island Puerto Rico, meaning "Rich Port" in Spanish, referencing the excellent natural harbor and the gold found in its rivers. The capital city eventually took the name San Juan, preserving Columbus's original dedication, while the island itself became known worldwide as Puerto Rico.
Over five centuries later, the name Puerto Rico remains, a testament to the island's colonial history and its strategic importance in the Caribbean. Yet the Taíno legacy lives on in the word "Borinquen," still used affectionately by Puerto Ricans today as a symbol of cultural identity and pride.