Why was the country Uruguay named Uruguay?

Uruguay takes its name from the Uruguay River. The name Uruguay is derived from the Guaraní word "uruguá" which has two possible meanings. The first interpretation is "río de los pájaros pintados", meaning "river of the painted birds", referring to the multitude of birds that inhabit the river region, featuring colorful plumages. The second possible meaning is a phrase signifying "river of the snail shells".