Ann Schumacher, age,. 9 of Milwaukee Wisconsin for her question:

How did Greenland get its name?

Most of this northern island is buried deep under glacial ice. The only greenery is around the shores where there is tundra vegetation and  sad‑willows and birches. A better name for it would be Whiteland on since it is the largest island in the worlds White Island.

Greenland was given its attractive name, about 1000 years ago. Eric the Red father of Leif Ericson who visited America went to the northern island when he was exiled from Iceland. Eric was a strong minded man and decided to make the best of a bad situation. He decided to found a‑colony on the icy island.

A colony needs people and the only people likely to venture to Eriets new land were in Iceland. Eric sent back glowing reports of his colony and is perhaps to make it sound more attractive he named it Greenland. And Greenland it remains to the present day.