Besides the many native culture place names, I live in a land full of place names which come from another continent so this isn't a stones and glass houses thing...

To me, the United States of America, like the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (and other countries), always seemed so unimaginative and unworthy names for large and influencial countries. Almost as if the name was only to be a temporary moniker until a real name was chosen. Not that the USA could change it now, but I wonder why it, and many other countries, didn't find a more poetic or original name.

Seriously, I'm interested in knowing how the name came about.

Peace, Mooh.