It’s not every day you come across a name like "Aberdeen." Most people around the Sioux Empire immediately just think of the city northwest of Sioux Falls and that’s probably about it! Believe it or not, the name  “Aberdeen” exists outside the Sioux Empire.

I just learned that Illinois has multiple Aberdeens in the state. How is that possible you ask? Here's a hint….I'm not talking about the names of towns in Illinois.

There is actually a street named “Aberdeen” in  Chicago. If you’re about to head to a White Sox ball game on the South Side, you’ll probably pass “Aberdeen” on your commute to the game. I just discovered my maternal grandfather lived on the 7900 block of South Aberdeen. What a coincidence! You can even find an apartment in the Aberdeen West Loop apartment complex in the city or live in a neighborhood called “Aberdeen” in the city of Belvidere, Illinois. Who knew the name “Aberdeen” was so popular!?!

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Since Aberdeen is such a unique name, I was curious about the meaning of its name, its origin, and how the name relates to both South Dakota and Illinois.  Surprisingly, the name "Aberdeen" brings these two states together.

According to the National Library of Scotland, the meaning of the word "Aberdeen" is "Mouth of the River Don," which is "derived from the Brythonic-Pictish word 'aber' meaning 'river mouth.' " The second meaning of this word is a little confusing so I won't get into that.  However, "river mouth" makes sense since both South Dakota and Illinois are full of rivers.

Yes, both states are completely different from one another.  But the word "Aberdeen" brings them together.  It's a small world after all.

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