Which U.S. state was named in honor of Queen Elizabeth I?

Virginia was named in honor of Queen Elizabeth I, who was known as the “Virgin Queen” because she never married. In the late 1500s, English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh named the region "Virginia" in her honor during England's first attempts to establish colonies in North America. The colony later became one of the original 13 colonies. Both Virginia and West Virginia ultimately derive their names from Elizabeth's famous nickname, although whether the queen truly remained a virgin throughout her life is a matter of much debate and speculation.