World’s Highest Mountains, and What Their Names Mean
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From the Himalayas to the Andes, mountains have inspired and awed us for thousands of years.
Humans have ascribed all sorts of mythologies and metaphors to these jagged geological features. But while Everest or Kilimanjaro may ring a bell, do you know the meaning behind their names?
Today’s infographic from Alan’s Factory Outlet sorts the world’s highest mountains by continent, and explains the detailed origins of their names.
A Mountain By Any Other Name
Out of the 70 mountains profiled, only 41 are actually considered mountains. The rest are technically either a massif or a volcano (or a dome in one instance).
A massif (French for ‘massive’) is produced when a hard, unbendable rock is pushed towards the surface. They can also be formed when magma hardens once it’s above ground. For the rest of this post, we’ll refer to mountains and massifs interchangeably.
The highest mountains on each continent are considered to be part of the Seven Summits. Mountaineer Richard Bass was the first to scale all seven summits in 1985—and the 55-year old did so in only one year.
The Highest Mountain on Each Continent
| Name | Location | Height | Meaning of Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Everest | Nepal/ China, Asia | 29,029ft (8,848m) | After Sir George Everest, former surveyor of India Nepali name (Sagarmatha): “Forehead of the Sky” Tibetan name (Chomolungma): “Goddess Mother of Mountain” |
| Aconcagua | Argentina, S. America | 22,841ft (6,962m) | Various native words: “Comes from the other side”, “Sentinel of stone”, “White sentinel”, “white ravine” |
| Denali | Alaska, U.S., N. America | 20,310ft (6,190m) | Native Koyukon Athabascan: ‘high’ or ‘tall’ |
| Mount Kilimanjaro | Tanzania, Africa | 19,341ft (5,895m) | Unclear, but some suggest it is a combination of Swahili ‘Kilma’ (“mountain”) and KiChagga ‘Njaro’ (“whiteness”) |
| Mount Elbrus | Russia, Europe | 18,510ft (5,642m) | Derived from Iranian mythology for legendary mountain ‘Avestan Hara Berezaiti’: “high watchtower” |
| Vinson Massif | Antarctica | 16,050ft (4,892m) | After Carl G. Vinson, a congressman from Georgia who supported the Antarctic Exploration |
| Puncak Jaya | Indonesia, Asia/ Oceania | 16,024ft (4,884m) | Sanskrit: “Victorious mountain” |
Among these impressive peaks, two are technically volcanoes—Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and Mount Elbrus in Russia. Overall, it’s clear that a majority of their names have been influenced by the native languages in their surroundings.
The 10 Asian Giants
The highest mountains in the world are all in Asia, with nine of the ten highest found in the Himalayan range. Many of their names are derived from Sino-Tibetan languages, and some have mythological or religious influences.
| Name | Location | Height | Meaning of Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Everest | Nepal/ China | 29,029ft (8,848m) | After Sir George Everest, former surveyor of India Nepali name (Sagarmatha): “Forehead of the Sky” Tibetan name (Chomolungma): “Goddess Mother of Mountain” |
| K2 | Pakistan | 28,251ft (8,611m) | First surveyor labeled each mountain with a K and number. It has no local name due to its remoteness |
| Kangchenjunga | Nepal/ India | 28,169ft (8,586m) | Lhopo: “Five treasures of the high snow” |
| Lhotse | Nepal/ China | 27,940ft (8,516m) | Tibetan: “South peak” |
| Makalu | Nepal/ China | 27,838ft (8,485m) | Sanskrit origin: “Big Black”, the name for the Hindu god Shiva |
| Cho Oyu | Nepal | 26,864ft (8,188m) | Tibetan: “Turquoise goddess” |
| Dhaulagiri (*Massif) |
Nepal | 26,795ft (8,167m) | Sanskrit origin: ‘Dazzling, beautiful, white mountain’ |
| Manaslu | Nepal | 26,781ft (8,163m) | Tibetan: ‘Mountain of the spirit’ Sanskrit origin (Manasa): ‘intellect’ or ‘soul’ |
| Nanga Parbat | Pakistan | 26,660ft (8,126m) | Sanskrit origin: “Naked mountain” |
| Annapurna (*Massif) |
Nepal | 26,545ft (8,091m) | Sanskrit origin: “Everlasting food” Name of the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment, believed to reside in the mountain |
The second-highest mountain, K2 in Pakistan, lacks a more flowery name because it isn’t visible by any locals due to its remote location.
Majestic North America
The highest peaks in this region are scattered across three countries, with five volcanoes, four mountains, and one massif. Denali in Alaska, U.S. boasts unique names across nearly seven different Indigenous languages.
| Name | Location | Height | Meaning of Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denali | Alaska, U.S. | 20,310 ft (6,190 m) | Native Koyukon Athabascan: ‘high’ or ‘tall’ |
| Mount Logan | Canada | 19,551 ft (5,959 m) | After Sir William Edmond Logan (Founder of Geological Survey of Canada |
| Pico de Orizaba | Mexico | 18,491 ft (5,636 m) | Nahuatl: “Star mountain” |
| Mount Saint Elias | Alaska, U.S. | 18,009 ft (5,489 m) | After Cape Saint Elias Tlingit: “Mountain behind icy bay” |
| Popocatépetl | Mexico | 17,749 ft (5,410 m) | Nahuatl: “Smoking Mountain” |
| Mount Foraker | Alaska, U.S. | 17,400 ft (5,304 m) | After an Ohio Senator, Joseph B. Foraker Dena’ina: “Denali’s wife” |
| Mount Lucania | Canada | 17,257 ft (5,260 m) | Named by the Duke of Abruzzi for the RMS Lucania (A ship he sailed from Liverpool to New York) |
| Iztaccíhuatl | Mexico | 17,159 ft (5,230 m) | Nahuatl: “White woman” |
| King Peak | Canada | 16,972 ft (5,173 m) | After Canadian surveyor and politician William King |
| Mount Bona | Alaska, U.S. | 16,550 ft (5,044 m) | Named by the Duke of Abruzzi after his racing yacht |
Mexico’s highest volcanoes also have a Romeo and Juliet-esque myth that links them. Popocatépetl (active volcano) and Iztaccíhuatl (dormant volcano) are presumed to be lovers, both of whom meet a tragic end. It’s said that the active volcano is avenging its beloved’s death to this day.
Far Beyond the Horizon
Traveling to the southernmost tip of the Earth, you might be surprised to learn that volcanoes even exist in Antarctica. Mount Sidley is the highest, dormant, snow-covered volcano found here.
The only dome on the entire highest mountains list is Dome Argus (13,428 ft or 4,093 m). This is the coldest place on the planet, dropping between -144°F to -133°F (-98°C to -90°C).
Dome Argus is also unique from another angle—it’s the only one on Antarctica with fabled origins, based off the Greek figure Argus, builder of the mythological hero Jason and the Argonauts’ ship. The remaining mountains here are named for scientists and supporters of various Antarctic expeditions.
Under Sea, and Outer Space
All these highest mountains are visible on land, but it’s possible that more secrets remain in the deep blue. The Hawaiian dormant volcano Mauna Kea doesn’t make this list due to its lower elevation above sea level, but it’s actually 33,500ft (10,200m) high from tip to peak—far taller than even Everest.
Everest is still really impressive, but it’s also only a fraction of the size of Olympus Mons, the highest mountain on Mars and in the solar system. New planets are also being discovered every year, presenting further possibilities.
Ultimately, this suggests we’ve not yet peaked at discovering the massive mountains which exist in—and out—of this world.
