The provinces of the Philippines are mainly named after geographic features like rivers and islands, after abundant flora and fauna, after ethnic groups or individuals, or bear a name of older local origin.
Directions in Spanish
Some provinces are prefixed/suffixed with a Spanish word denoting one of the four cardinal directions. These are:
Provincial names
Abra
abra, . Originally the area called in , only referred to the narrow but conspicuous gap along the Malayan (Ilocos) mountain range through which the Tineg River has cut an exit. This topographic feature, now called the Banaoang Gap, is situated southeast of the city of Vigan, where the Quirino Bridge is now located; it serves as the natural entrance to the fertile Tineg River basin. Over time the phrase was shortened, and the area which Abra referred to expanded to include most of the upland territory drained by the Tineg River between the Malayan Range and the Cordillera Central, and inhabited by the Itneg. Agusan (del Norte and del Sur) agusan, Manobo for "where the water flows," referring to the river that now bears this name. Aklan akean, Akeanon for "where there is boiling or frothing," describing the water flow of the Aklan River at shallow areas near its mouth, where Kalibo is located, especially during the dry season. Aclán was the original name of Kalibo, and the river was known in early Spanish accounts as . The Spanish-era territory that covered the river valley was also called Aclán but following subsequent divisions was renamed Calivo. Upon the separation of the Akeanon-speaking part of Capiz in 1956, Aclán (spelled in Filipino orthography as Aklan) was resurrected as the name for the new province, and Kalibo was named its capital. Albay