Here's a verse I wrote about the curious portmanteau-name invented for Native Americans:

I'm an Amerind, nominally,
By combining two names, as you see.
But the merchant of Florence
And Hindustan's torrents
Mean equally little to me.

The name Amerind (American Indian) is derived from Amerigo Vespucci and the Indus river in Hindustan. Vespucci mapped the coast of South America, establishing the fact that it was not India after all.

http://www.oedilf.com/db/Lim.php?LimerickId=11902

Since writing that, I have come across claims that America is more likely named after Richard Americke, a sponsor of John Cabot's voyage of annexation http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/americaname_03.shtml

Last edited by Andrew Robinson; 11/19/2008 12:40 PM.