Question #56094. Asked by tjoebigham.
Last updated Sep 12 2021.
SOTHC
Answer has 1 vote
SOTHC 22 year member
772 replies
Answer has 1 vote.
It may be from the Native Indian word nee-agg-arah which means 'thundering water'
Mar 21 2005, 3:28 PM
elizabethmc
Answer has 3 votes
Currently Best Answer
elizabethmc 22 year member
346 replies
Answer has 3 votes.
Currently voted the best answer.
'The word "Onguiaahra" appears on documents as early as 1641, and a little later "Ongiara" . Both are Indian words thought as meaning "The Straight". A more romantic meanings " Thunder of Waters " is also given . The usual distortion of unwritten word have transformed it to "Niagara".'
Response last updated by gtho4 on Sep 12 2021.
Mar 21 2005, 3:31 PM
kaylofgorons
Answer has 0 votes
kaylofgorons 20 year member
303 replies
Answer has 0 votes.
Modern pronunciation seems to be nye-agra, while and older pronunciation was nye-ag-air-a. I've lived near them all my life and just realized there was an extra "a" in there.
https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCT7M1_welcome-to-niagara-falls