Ballona

Ballona is a geographic place name in the Westside region of Los Angeles County, California.

Ballona estuary, 1923

Geographic place names:

Historic places:

School:

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
  1. "F.A.Q." Ballona Creek Renaissance. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
  2. "Los Angeles Herald 30 January 1875 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
  3. "Los Angeles Herald 1 January 1893 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
  4. 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.
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