Origin of the Name 'Akron': Greek for 'High Place,' Not a Spanish City
Akron, Ohio—once the "Rubber Capital of the World"—derives its name from the Ancient Greek word ἄκρον (ákron), meaning "high point," "summit," "extremity," or "peak."
Naming History
- 1825: Simon Perkins and Paul Williams found a town at the summit of the Portage Path (the highest point on the Ohio & Erie Canal route between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers).
- Name choice: "Akron" suggested by Perkins (or possibly by a classical scholar in the group) for its Greek meaning—fitting the geographic high point.
- 1836: Incorporated as a village; 1865 as a city.
Greek Root
Ákron (neuter of ákros = highest, topmost) appears in:
- Acropolis (high city).
- Acromegaly (enlarged extremities).
- Acrophobia (fear of heights).
No Spanish Connection
There is no Spanish city, word, or explorer named Akron. The name is purely classical Greek, chosen for topographic accuracy by educated New England settlers in the Western Reserve.
Other U.S. places named Akron (IA, NY, PA, CO, AL, MI) borrowed from the Ohio original.
Wanderlust World