People always ask where the name “Jamaica Plain” comes from and no one ever seems to have a straight answer. Here are six of the most legit theories floating around:

1. The first theory is that "Jamaica Plain" came from the Massachusett word "jamaicaway," which means "beaver dam." "Plain" was added to describe the area's flat terrain. This theory has the most support from historical evidence and is widely accepted.

2. Another theory suggests that "Jamaica" came from the Algonquian word "jameco," which means "beaver," with "Plain" added to describe the flat land. While this theory isn't as popular, it's still a possibility.

3. The third theory is that "Jamaica" was inspired by the Jamaican sugar trade and the sugar refineries that were once in the area. This one doesn't have strong historical evidence and isn't as widely accepted.

4. The fourth theory suggests that "Jamaica" was named after the town of Jamaica on Long Island in New York by a group of settlers who moved to the area in the late 17th century. While there's some evidence to support this, it's not widely accepted.

5. The fifth theory proposes that "Jamaica" was derived from a Spanish word for "open country" or "prairie." However, this theory doesn't have much support from historical evidence and isn't widely accepted.

6. Finally, there's a theory that "Jamaica" was named after the Jamaican coffee plantations that were popular in the early 19th century. However, there's not much historical evidence to back this up and it's not widely accepted.

So, there you have it. While we don't know for sure how "Jamaica Plain" got its name, the most widely accepted theory is that it comes from "jamaicaway," meaning "beaver dam," with "Plain" added to describe the flat terrain.

Which do you believe? Have you heard any other theories? Let us know in the comments.