Why is the Gulf of California named after California?

The Gulf of California is not named after California, but rather the other way around. The name "California" was first used in 1535 by Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés to describe a region in what is now Baja California. The name was later applied to the entire state. The Gulf of California, which lies between Baja California and the Mexican mainland, was named after the state in the 1700s.