Ask Gramps.org

Do you know why the capital city of the country of Comoros is named Moroni?

Dear Gramps,
Do you know why the capital city of the country of Comoros is named Moroni? Is it named after the Nephite prophet in the Book of Mormon?
Rob, from Grants Pass, Oregon

Dear Rob,
There is no connection between the name of the town, Moroni in the Comoros, and the name, Moroni, in the Book of Mormon. Moroni in the Comoros Islands was an established town before the Book of Mormon came to light. The word, ‘Moroni,’ has a meaning in the local language, viz. “at the place of fire.” It is constructed of the root ‘moro,’ which means “fire” or “heat” and the locative ‘-ni,’ which means “at the place of” or “in.” This is a logical name constructed from the morphemes of the language reflecting the fact that the community is located at the base of an immense, active volcano. It would not be surprising to find the name, Moroni, as a family name in some of the romance languages as well.
Gramps

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