Ballona is a geographic place name in the Westside region of Los Angeles County, California.
Geographic place names:
Historic places:
- Rancho La Ballona
- La Ballona Township
- La Ballona station (1870s to 1890s)
- Port Ballona
School:
- La Ballona Elementary School, Culver City
Place name origin
The origin of the unique toponym Ballona is much disputed and possibly unknowable. [1] Various theories have been exchanged for more than 150 years.
- 1875: Misspelling of Ballena, Spanish word for whale (various dead whales did wash up near Ballona during the 19th century), or misspelling of Spanish “valle” meaning valley [2]
- 1893: An introduction to Southern California in the Los Angeles Herald noted “Ballona, meaning and derivation unknown; not Spanish.” [3]
- 1939: “The origin of the word Ballona is in doubt.” Discounts whale theory; Cristobal Machado, an heir of the rancho family, suggests it’s somehow derivative of “bay” [4]
References
- ^ "F.A.Q." Ballona Creek Renaissance. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
- ^ "Los Angeles Herald 30 January 1875 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
- ^ "Los Angeles Herald 1 January 1893 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
- ^ Robinson, W. W. (1939). Culver City: a calendar of events in which is included, also, the story of Palms and Playa Del Rey together with Rancho La Ballona and Rancho Rincon de los Bueyes. Los Angeles: Title Guarantee and Trust Co. p. 11.