In the past, the Great Ocean was known by various names before being officially named the Pacific Ocean. The term “Great Ocean” was used by European explorers and cartographers in the 16th and 17th centuries to describe the vast body of water that stretches from the western coast of the Americas to the eastern coast of Asia and Australia.
Before the term “Pacific Ocean” was adopted, the Great Ocean was also referred to as the “South Sea” by early European explorers such as Ferdinand Magellan and Vasco Núñez de Balboa. This name came from the fact that the ocean was located south of the equator in relation to Europe.
In addition to the South Sea, the Great Ocean was also known as the “Magellan Sea” in honor of the famous explorer who was the first to navigate the strait that bears his name and enter the vast expanse of water beyond it.
It wasn’t until the early 16th century that the Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and became the first European to sight the Pacific Ocean. He named it “Mar del Sur,” which translates to “South Sea” in English. This name stuck for a while until Spanish navigator Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition in 1520, which led to the ocean being officially named the Pacific Ocean.
The name “Pacific Ocean” was given by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan during his voyage around the world in the early 16th century. He called it “Mar Pacifico,” which means “peaceful sea” in Spanish, due to the calm and tranquil waters he encountered during his journey.
So, while the Great Ocean had various names in the past, it eventually became known as the Pacific Ocean, a name that has endured to this day.