Pat, it's from an Aboriginal word meaning "long winter and short summer".

Seriously, it means "village". It became the name of a whole country because of language difficulties. Story of our lives! lol

http://canadaonline.about.com/od/his...namecanada.htm

The origin of the name "Canada" comes from the expedition of explorer Jacques Cartier up the St. Lawrence River in 1535. The Iroquois pointing out the route to the village of Stadacona, the future site of Quebec City, used the word "kanata," the Huron-Iroquois word for village. Jacques Cartier used the word Canada to refer to both the settlement of Stadacona and the land surrounding it subject to Chief Donnacona.