# How Did the Nation Get Its Name? Other Suggestions Included the United Colonies, Columbia and the United States of Alleghania // The nascent country adopted its name 250 years ago, on September 9, 1776. Americans have debated the moniker ever since. One congressman even [possibly satirically] proposed the "United States of the Earth"
--
A proper non ambiguous name for the USA is a theoretical problem that may bug some in some fraction of some sleepless night. The problem now has 250 years.
As I am writing, after many years of occasional consideration (for the sake of not leaving puzzles unresolved), I had the realization that the one unambiguous name would probably be the acronym (initialism) "USA". And I see that reflecting that in a sightly word that would be pronounced like the initialism is another problem.